New Herb Varieties to Grow in 2006
Planning your spring herb garden is always an enjoyable way to pass the winter months while your herb patch lies fallow. You may want to try something completely new and different, an herb you have read or heard about, or stick to your culinary and medicinal favourites, but browsing through the new varieties in the catalogues is always fun.
If you are looking forward to a long, hot summer, try growing some speciality mints such as chocolate and pineapple to add spice and flavour to your summer drinks. You can freeze the leaves in ice blocks for a decorative touch.
These mints can also be dried, ground and used in cake and cookie recipes for an intriguing new flavour.
A bed of nasturtiums will add an interesting new look to your summer salads, and this edible plant now comes in a number of new varieties, including Milkmaid and Peach Melba. The Italian herb Arugula has broad salad leaves which add a tangy taste to salads. The new variety Runway has the familiar tangy, peppery flavour but is less bitter.
Basils come in a variety of flavours now, and one you might like to try is the spicy `cinnamon’ basil with an exotic fragrance that will enhance any dish and can be made into a fragrant tea or pot pourri. Another exciting new variety is Lime Basil, which has a sharp lime flavor over the traditional sweet basil taste, and is the perfect addition to drinks or Thai dishes.
For something truly exotic, try the Japanese Basil, Shiso, with its intriguing flavor of cinnamon and cloves. The leaves are a dramatic shade of iridescent purple, so it is an attractive herb to grow as well as to use.
If culinary adventures call, you could also try growing Shungiku, an edible chrysanthemum from Japan, where it is used in cooking. This showy herb features daisy like flowers with yellow petals and deep yellow seed hearts. The leaves can also be used like parsley for garnishes and cooking.
If you are looking for new lavender varieties, New Zealand has released a new French lavender called Pasionne, which features dark purple blossoms. If you want a pink lavender, try Australia’s With Love, a gorgeous pink lavender with a long blooming season.
For something truly different, try the hottest new lavender out there. Kew Red Lavender is a stunning new variety with bright red florets tipped with pink so pale it is almost white. It will make a magnificent showing in any garden.
Pineapple Sage is a favourite with herb lovers and the new variety Golden Delicious is sure to be a hit with its fragrant pineapple scented golden leaves and spiky red flowers. A plant that looks fabulous in the garden and tastes great on the plate is bound to be a winner.
Lemon Balm has long been a favourite herb for refreshing summer drinks, but now you can grow a Lemon Balm Liqueur variety which gives a deeper ‘liqueur’ flavor. This new variety makes a delicious tea and goes well with fruit salads. You can also use it, of course, to make your own liqueur by steeping the leaves in vodka.
If you love making your own spicy dishes but find Cilantro too hard to grow, try Thai parsley – also known as Culantro, this herb is a substitute for Cilantro that is used in South America. Of course, you can also use it to experiment with Thai dishes at home.
With a little catalog browsing and planning, your 2006 herb garden can be an exciting gardener’s round the world tour of exotic new tastes and aromas.
For more growing tips, please check us out at Online Discount Mart.
If you are looking forward to a long, hot summer, try growing some speciality mints such as chocolate and pineapple to add spice and flavour to your summer drinks. You can freeze the leaves in ice blocks for a decorative touch.
These mints can also be dried, ground and used in cake and cookie recipes for an intriguing new flavour.
A bed of nasturtiums will add an interesting new look to your summer salads, and this edible plant now comes in a number of new varieties, including Milkmaid and Peach Melba. The Italian herb Arugula has broad salad leaves which add a tangy taste to salads. The new variety Runway has the familiar tangy, peppery flavour but is less bitter.
Basils come in a variety of flavours now, and one you might like to try is the spicy `cinnamon’ basil with an exotic fragrance that will enhance any dish and can be made into a fragrant tea or pot pourri. Another exciting new variety is Lime Basil, which has a sharp lime flavor over the traditional sweet basil taste, and is the perfect addition to drinks or Thai dishes.
For something truly exotic, try the Japanese Basil, Shiso, with its intriguing flavor of cinnamon and cloves. The leaves are a dramatic shade of iridescent purple, so it is an attractive herb to grow as well as to use.
If culinary adventures call, you could also try growing Shungiku, an edible chrysanthemum from Japan, where it is used in cooking. This showy herb features daisy like flowers with yellow petals and deep yellow seed hearts. The leaves can also be used like parsley for garnishes and cooking.
If you are looking for new lavender varieties, New Zealand has released a new French lavender called Pasionne, which features dark purple blossoms. If you want a pink lavender, try Australia’s With Love, a gorgeous pink lavender with a long blooming season.
For something truly different, try the hottest new lavender out there. Kew Red Lavender is a stunning new variety with bright red florets tipped with pink so pale it is almost white. It will make a magnificent showing in any garden.
Pineapple Sage is a favourite with herb lovers and the new variety Golden Delicious is sure to be a hit with its fragrant pineapple scented golden leaves and spiky red flowers. A plant that looks fabulous in the garden and tastes great on the plate is bound to be a winner.
Lemon Balm has long been a favourite herb for refreshing summer drinks, but now you can grow a Lemon Balm Liqueur variety which gives a deeper ‘liqueur’ flavor. This new variety makes a delicious tea and goes well with fruit salads. You can also use it, of course, to make your own liqueur by steeping the leaves in vodka.
If you love making your own spicy dishes but find Cilantro too hard to grow, try Thai parsley – also known as Culantro, this herb is a substitute for Cilantro that is used in South America. Of course, you can also use it to experiment with Thai dishes at home.
With a little catalog browsing and planning, your 2006 herb garden can be an exciting gardener’s round the world tour of exotic new tastes and aromas.
For more growing tips, please check us out at Online Discount Mart.
posted by Sadik at 8:27 PM
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