Overview Description Lemon balm, also known as Bee Balm or Melissa, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Lamiaceae (mint) family, valued for its foliage that emits a strong lemon-like fragrance and flavor alongside mild medicinal properties. It grows with a bushy, upright habit, producing […]
Overview Description French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa) is a perennial herb valued for its distinctive anise-like flavor and narrow, lance-shaped leaves. Plants typically attain a height of 60–90 cm (2–3 ft), forming upright clumps with multiple woody stems at the base. The leaves are […]
Overview Description Caraway is a biennial herbaceous plant in the Apiaceae (carrot or parsley) family, cultivated primarily for its aromatic seeds—technically dry fruits called schizocarps. In its first year, caraway forms a low-growing basal rosette of finely divided, pinnate leaves that closely resemble those of […]
Overview Description Camellia sinensis is an evergreen shrub or small tree cultivated for its tender young leaves and buds, which are processed to produce various types of tea—including green, black, white, and oolong. The plant typically grows to around 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 feet) in cultivation, […]
Overview Description Bronze fennel is a perennial herb with attractive, feathery foliage tinged with bronze or purple hues. The plants can reach 90–150 cm (3–5 ft) in height, bearing hollow stems with finely divided, thread-like leaves that create a soft, airy appearance. The foliage exudes […]
Overview Description Mint is a vigorous perennial herb, typically producing square stems characteristic of the mint family. Depending on the species, plants can reach 30–60 cm (1–2 ft) in height and spread outward via underground runners (rhizomes). The bright green leaves are arranged oppositely along […]
Overview Description Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana), often called sugar leaf, is a tender perennial herb famously cultivated for its sweet-tasting leaves. In frost-free climates, plants can live multiple years, but they’re commonly grown as annuals where winters are cold. They typically reach 40–60 cm (16–24 in) […]
Overview Description Horseradish is a hardy perennial herb grown for its pungent, fleshy taproot. It typically produces a rosette of coarse, lanceolate leaves (spear-shaped—longer than wide, tapering to a point, and sometimes widest at the base) that can reach 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) in height. […]
Overview Description Dill is an annual herb grown for its aromatic, feathery green leaves, known for their distinct flavor, and for its seeds, which are commonly used as a spice. The plant has slender, upright, branched hollow stems with delicate, finely divided compound leaves that […]
Overview Description Chives are herbaceous perennials grown for their slender, hollow green leaves which are used as culinary herbs with a mild onion flavor. They typically grow in dense clumps, reaching around 30-45 cm (12-18 in) in height. The leaves are cylindrical, soft in texture […]
Depression, formally known as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), is a complex mental health condition that affects millions worldwide. Traditional pharmacological treatments, although effective, come with various side effects and are not always suitable for everyone. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in […]
Overview Description Borage is a hardy annual herb that typically grows between 60-90 cm (2-3 feet) in height and 30-60 cm (1-2 feet) in spread. It features coarse, hairy stems and leaves, with the lower leaves being broad and ovate, growing up to 15 cm […]
Overview Description Angelica is a biennial or short-lived perennial that can grow up to 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 feet) in height. It features large bipinnate leaves with serrated leaflets and a thick, hollow stem. The plant produces rounded clusters of small, greenish-white […]
Regrowing vegetables and herbs from kitchen scraps is a sustainable and rewarding way to maximize your produce and reduce waste. While not all kitchen scraps will successfully regrow into new plants—due to factors such as growing conditions and the freshness of the scraps—the process itself […]
Overview Description Coriander is an annual herb, so it only lives for a single growing season, and grows up to 60 cm (24 in) tall, featuring delicate, lace-like leaves. The lower leaves are broad and lobed, while the upper leaves are finely divided and slender. […]
Overview Description Chives are hardy perennial herbs with slender, tapering, hollow, tubular leaves that resemble grass. They grow in dense clumps, reaching a height of around 30-50 cm (12-20 in) with a similar spread. Being members of the onion family, chives forms small bulbs from […]
Overview Description Basil (Ocimum basilicum), is an annual or perennial plant grown for its aromatic leaves which are used as a herb. The leaves are bright green, smooth, oval-shaped,, opposite (paired) in arrangement and vary in size. Stems are square-shaped, characteristic of the mint family, […]
Unlike dogs, which are omnivores which are able to consume both meat and plant materials (including your garden vegetables!), cats are obligate carnivores or ‘true carnivores’, meaning that they rely almost entirely on a diet of animal proteins to obtain their nutrition. Cats may lack […]
The leaf of the olive tree (Olea europaea) has been used medicinally for centuries throughout the world, where it has been used to treat various ailments, including infectious disorders of bacterial, fungal, and viral origin. Olive leaf contains several bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds such […]
Mint plants are perennial aromatic herbs from the Mentha genus, that are widely grown in temperate areas around the world, and have spread worldwide, due to their culinary, medicinal and aromatic value. These are amongst the easiest plants for beginner herb gardeners to grow, as […]
Herbs are plants that are used for culinary and medicinal purposes, for making teas and also for their aromatic qualities. The leaves, flowers, seeds and roots of many herbs can be harvested for these purposes. For best flavour, aroma or potency, herbs are usually harvested […]
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are perennial plants from the Asteraceae (daisy) family, that are native to Europe and Asia. They’re often described as ‘edible weeds’, which is a rather disparaging term, considering that the plant has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for many centuries […]
Comfrey, nettles and yarrow are herbs that are dynamic accumulators, plants capable of concentrating nutrients at much higher levels than the surrounding soil. When added to compost, these herbs break down, releasing their concentrated nutrients, helping initiate the composting process in a new compost pile, […]
The amount of light that vegetables and herbs require varies, depending on the type of plant. We can make most of available garden spaces by observing which areas are in full sun and part shade, both during summer and winter, and then selecting the right […]
Turmeric (Curcuma longa syn. C. domestica) is a subtropical/tropical plant which is a member of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family, and is native to Southwest India. It’s grown traditionally as a spice, medicine and as a source of bright yellow dye. Ground turmeric root is an […]
It’s always a great idea to let vegetables such as lettuce to go to seed, because a single plant can produce hundreds of seeds, resulting in lettuce seedlings popping up all around the garden. Plants that grow on their own, that weren’t intentionally planted, are […]
Land Cress (Barbarea vulgaris) and American Upland Cress (Barbarea verna) are biennial, edible leafy-green vegetables from the Brassicaceae (cabbage) family. The young leaves, which are spicy in flavour, are often used as a substitute for watercress in dishes, and can be cooked, or used fresh […]
Aloe arborescens, also know as the tree aloe, torch aloe, candelabra aloe or krantz aloe, is a hardy succulent perennial plant from the Aloe family Asphodelaceae, which is native to the south-eastern coast of Africa (Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe). This drought-tolerant succulent […]
Aloe vera leaves contain a gel which is used externally to treat skin irritation, minor burns, sunburn, itching due to allergies and insect bites, sores, skin ulcers and many other conditions. The edible variety, Aloe vera barbadensis miller, is also used to make Aloe vera […]
Aloe vera is a hardy, succulent, semi-tropical plant native to North Africa and the SW Arabian Peninsula, which can tolerate quite harsh conditions. It will grow in poor soils in hot, dry sunny locations with very little water, but can also tolerate dappled sun or […]
Aloe vera is a hardy succulent semi-tropical plant which is native to North Africa and the SW Arabian Peninsula, but at the present time can almost be found worldwide. It’s a very tough plant which will grow in poor soil and hot, dry sunny locations, […]
Pandan plant (Pandanus amaryllifolius) (Chinese Name : 班兰) is a tropical plant native to South East Asia. It’s a perennial evergreen tree with fragrantly-scented leaves, growing into a small shrub 1 – 1.6 m tall when the leaves are harvested often, or a small tree […]
Herbs are easy to grow and have many great health benefits, we can use them in the kitchen, for making refreshing teas, or as natural remedies to make us feel better. Herbs can be grown in all spaces, from the smallest balcony to the biggest […]
In the previous article on Growing Turmeric in Containers in Temperate Climates, I mentioned that I had discovered a temperate climate technique for growing turmeric in the ground. For those who like to grow plants out of their climatic range without a greenhouse, we’ll explain […]
Turmeric (Curcuma longa syn. C. domestica) is a member of the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family. It’s a subtropical/tropical plant native to Southwest India, and has been grown traditionally as a spice, medicine and as a source of bright yellow dye. The root of the turmeric plant […]
Good Companions Bad Companions Apples Chives, Horsetail (Equisetum), Foxgloves, WallflowersNasturtiums, Garlic, Onions Grass, Potatoes Apricots Basil, Tansy, Southernwood Tomatoes, Sage Asparagus Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil Basil Tomatoes, Asparagus, Parsley, Apricots Beans Carrots, Cucumbers, Cabbages, Lettuce, Peas, ParsleyCauliflower, Spinach, Summer Savory Onions, Garlic, Fennel, […]
