Do-it-now-landscaping.com News: Do it with Herbs brought to us from Scottland

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Summary:
For the gardener, growing herbs is rewarding, whether that means simply potting up some basil for the kitchen windowsill or something a little more ambitious: designing and planting a dedicated herb garden, for instance.The New Book of Herbs is a colourful introduction to growing and using these versatile plants and was an exciting project - even if it did give McVicar a headache, trying to choose a "top 100" list.Growing herbs the organic way may mean a bit more work - picking off caterpillars by hand or creating your own liquid feed from comfrey leaves - but the long-term rewards, she says, are worth it.If youâ¬(TM)re going to grow your herbs in a bed, clear the ground of weeds, add any soil improvers and then apply a mulch.When faced with such a wide variety of herbs it can be difficult to decide which ones to grow.So many have multiple attractions - lemon balm can be used to make a refreshing drink, while rubbing the leaf on to the skin acts as an insect repellent.Maybe you want to grow a selection of medicinally beneficial herbs to make tisanes.Herbs can also make a decorative addition to the garden, whether you want to opt for the rectangular beds of a physic garden or mix them into the flower bed.At the planning stage itâ¬(TM)s worth considering the physical properties of the herb - angelica reaches 2.5 metres, so works best at the back of the border, while mint is notorious for spreading and is best grown in containers.McVicar has been experimenting with mixing salad herbs together in pots - in effect growing a salad bag, at a fraction of the cost.That sweet basil plant youâ¬(TM)re looking forward to using in cooking will also deter pests from growing tomato plants and acts as a fly repellent when planted in pots for the home.McVicar says that to enjoy the best flavour and medicinal benefit, the leaves, flowers, seeds or berries of herbs have to be picked carefully and in the best possible conditions.In the kitchen, the uses for herbs are pretty much endless.As well as throwing them into a dish to add flavour, they can be used in salads, vinaigrette, mayonnaise, mustard and oils.

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