What spices can you grow in your vegetable garden list?

For those who adhere to the "informal" style in landscape design, the herb garden is a real find. A garden in which spicy herbs reign is not an invention of today, but an old tradition that is again becoming fashionable. If the plot has a small free space that you would like to decorate with ornamental plants and use with maximum efficiency, then the “aromatic” garden is what you need. From spicy herbs, you can build a flower bed, a curb and, in the end, an ordinary garden. What kind of herbs are best grown in an "aromatic" garden, read the article.

Spices

Content:

• Rules for organizing an "aromatic" garden
• Harvesting herbs
• Choosing plants for a spicy garden

Rules for organizing an "aromatic" garden

Forming a flower bed or herb bed is not too different from forming a regular flower garden.

Choose a place in the garden for the flower bed so that it is convenient to approach it in any weather. Its shape can be any: round, square, triangular. Plant the tallest plants such as cumin, fennel, tarragon in the center so that they do not obscure other plants. From the flowering spicy plants in the center, you can also plant cucumber grass with bright blue edible flowers and a red swan with bright beautiful leaves. On the border, you can plant plants with graceful leaves - chervil, curly parsley, thyme, savory.

A special place should be reserved for annual spices. In the space allocated for them, be sure to sow basil, chervil, dill, mustard leaves and other plants of your choice, desire and taste.

An indispensable element of the garden in the village is a vegetable garden, and therefore even the most uncomplicated beds will look natural on the site.

To prevent tall plants from shading other residents of the spicy garden, build them an easy support from twigs or wire. The rest, smaller herbs, should be grouped around tall plants. In order for the spices to grow well and have the same pronounced smell and taste, it is better to place the garden in a sunny place and water it more often.

It is not at all necessary to plant all the herbs directly in the ground. Some of them can be planted in pots without a bottom and plastic containers, for example, mint - after all, its roots can spread over a large area.

Herbs in containers

To use the aerial part of the plants as spice additives, they must be harvested during the period of full development (when the growth of the leaves is complete or the plant is in the full flowering phase). Such harvesting of plants, as a rule, is carried out in the summer.

It is necessary to collect raw materials in good dry weather, in the afternoon or in the evening, when there is no dew on the leaves. It is advisable not to water garden plants on the eve of collection. Good watering is best done after harvesting raw materials - for better growth of new leaves or to stimulate the formation of inflorescences.

Well dried raw materials are brittle, easily crumble when touched. It has a beautiful green or other natural color, without defects or damage. It is better to store dry raw materials in glass jars or kraft paper bags.

For a small family, it is not worth harvesting a lot of dry raw materials for the winter, since dried essential oil plants are stored for no more than a year. Having started to make preparations and use essential oil plants for cooking, you will soon evaluate and decide which herbs are raw materials, and how much your family needs to harvest for up to a year.

Drying herbs

Agastakhis wrinkled

Agastakhis wrinkled, or Polygrizzly wrinkled, or Lofant Tibetan, or Korean mint (Agastache rugosa) - anise aroma for exquisite salads and teas. It is called “northern ginseng” for its ability to strengthen the immune system. They are used in cosmetology to preserve the elasticity and youth of the skin.

Perennial herb of the Yasnotkov family. The aboveground part is used fresh for making salads and tea. Lofant is also an excellent honey plant and has unique medicinal properties. The advantages of this spicy herb include its simplicity and ease of cultivation. Lofant is propagated by direct sowing of seeds in open ground or through seedlings. The minimum planting pattern is 25x25 cm. Plants must be covered for the winter.

Agastakhis wrinkled, or Tibetan Lofant (Agastache rugosa)

Anise ordinary

Anise ordinary, Anise thigh (Pimpinella anisum) is an annual, thin and shortly pubescent plant. The root is thin, fusiform, taproot. Stem up to 30-50 cm high, erect, rounded, furrowed, branched in the upper part.

Medicinal annual herb from the Umbelliferae family with an erect, branched stem, up to 60 cm high, covered with a short downy. The leaves are alternate, the lower ones are solid, long-petiolate, rounded-reniform or cordate. The flowers are small, white, in complex umbrellas. Blooms from June to September. Prefers sunny areas, sandy loam or loamy soils.

The ripe fruit of anise is used, which contains an essential oil. Anise fruit preparations delay putrefactive and fermentative processes in the intestines, relieve spasms of the abdominal organs, inhibit the development of microbes in the renal pelvis and bladder, have expectorant and diuretic properties. Anise fruits are brewed like tea.

Anise ordinary, or Aniseed thigh (Pimpinella anisum)

Basil

Basil (Ocimum) - belongs to the mint family of herbs, used as a condiment to many dishes. Fresh basil has a rich aroma that can be described as a cross between licorice and cloves. Most varieties of basil have green leaves, but opal basil has a beautiful purple color. Other types of basil, such as lemon basil and cinnamon basil, are so named for their respective aromas.

A highly branched plant with tetrahedral stems from 30 to 60 cm high. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, sparsely toothed, green or purple up to 5.5 cm long. At the ends of the stems, basil ejects inflorescences in the form of tassels, consisting of several flowers. Their color can be different: pink, white, white and purple.

Basil is widely used as a spice both fresh and dry. As a spice, it is more appreciated fresh.

Mustard salad

Mustard salad, or Leaf mustard - a variety of Mustard (Brassica juncea) - an annual cold-resistant early maturing plant. Within a month, she develops a large rosette of large leaves, original in color. The flowers are small, yellow, collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence, the fruit is a pod.

Young leaves of mustard leaf are used fresh for preparing salads and as a side dish for meat and fish dishes, in boiled form, as well as salted and canned. Mustard is a relative of arugula, but is more like watercress in early maturity. Mustard leaf stimulates appetite, enhances the secretion of gastric juice and bile, has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects.

Mustard greens, in which ascorbic acid and rutin (vitamins C and P) predominate in the natural complex of vitamins, is an excellent antiscorbutic agent that prevents untimely aging of the walls of blood vessels, their loss of elasticity and the deposition of cholesterol plaques on the inner wall of blood vessels. Because mustard greens stimulate appetite, it should not be included in a weight loss diet.

Oregano

Oregano, or Oregano (Origanum) - a genus of herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family, includes 45-50 species. Perennial herbaceous plants or shrubs, 30-75 cm high. Rhizome glabrous, often creeping. Stem tetrahedral, erect, slightly pubescent, glabrous in the upper part. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, oblong-ovate, whole-edged, pointed at the tip, dark green above, gray-green below, 1-4 cm long.

This herb has a strong aroma. Traditionally used in Greek and Balkan cuisine. It goes well with cheese, fried fish, and is also suitable for flavoring vegetable oils.

Leaves are plucked as needed. Outdoors from June to November, at home all year round.

Oregano, or Oregano

Hyssop

Hyssopus, blue St. John's wort (Hyssopus) is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. Perennial strongly odorous spicy herbs or shrubs with linear or oblong leaves.

Drought-resistant and winter-hardy shrub. Forms a bush 50-60 cm high and up to 60-70 cm in diameter, with erect branchy shoots. Shoots from below are lignified: in the first year they are green, later they acquire a grayish-brown tint. Leaves sessile, without petiole, small, green. The flowers are blue. The taste of stems, leaves and flowers is bitter and spicy.

In cooking, mainly dried leaves of the upper third of the plant are used. Young stems, leaves and flowers, fresh and dried, are used to flavor meals and snacks. In folk medicine, hyssop is used for angina pectoris, gastrointestinal diseases. It promotes digestion, stimulates appetite.

Hyssop infusion is recommended for the elderly as a fortifying drink. Possesses bactericidal properties.

When grown for seasoning, it is harvested throughout the summer: from a plant intended for medicinal purposes, the stems are cut off before flowering. At the same time, the upper part of the stems is cut off and the collection is dried in the shade. Store in a cool, ventilated area.

Common chervil

Openwork chervil, or Buten-leaved Kupyr, or Common chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is an annual plant 15-50 cm high with a fusiform root. Stems are straight, shortly pubescent, branchy almost from the base, swollen at the nodes. The leaves are triangular, three times pinnately dissected.

It has a sweetish aniseed aroma, a spicy sweetish, parsley-like taste, which is why it is used as a spice. It goes well with other green vegetables - tarragon, parsley, basil. In North America, ground chervil is used for grilling poultry, fish and egg dishes. It is used with hard-boiled eggs, salted omelets, fish sauces, green butter, potato soup, potato salad, spinach, poultry, fish, lamb and mutton.

Chervil dishes are a good vitamin and tonic.In folk medicine, the leaves and fruits of the plant were used for diseases of the kidneys, bladder, as an expectorant and astringent for gastrointestinal disorders. Good honey plant.

Sowing coriander, or cilantro

Cilantro or Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is an annual herb of the Apiaceae family, one of the most popular herbs. The stem of the coriander is erect, glabrous, up to 40-70 cm high, branched in the upper part. Basal leaves broad-lobed, coarsely dissected, with wide lobules and long petioles, upper leaves on short petioles with narrow linear lobes. The flowers are small, white or pink, arranged in complex umbrellas at the ends of the peduncles, forming 3-5 rays. Marginal flowers 3-4 mm long.

Coriander fruits are widely used as a spice for aromatization and fortification of sausages, cheese, canned meat and fish, pickles, pickles and liqueurs, are added in the baking of Borodino bread, confectionery and culinary products, as well as in the manufacture of certain types of beer.

Leaves of young vegetable coriander plants are eaten in the phases of the rosette and the beginning of shooting. The leaves have a pungent smell, they are eaten in salads, and also used as a seasoning for soups and meat dishes. Excellent honey plant. Delicate leaves are an excellent seasoning for salads, first and second courses, and the seeds are used in the preparation of marinades and confectionery. Coriander is also useful for colds and stomach ailments.

Coriander seed, Cilantro

Lovage

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a perennial herb; monotypic genus of the family Umbrella. The stem is 100-200 cm high, glabrous, with a bluish surface, branched at the top. The leaves are shiny, feathery, with large obovate or rhombic, slightly incised lobes.

Frost-resistant and cold-resistant. The smell of lovage is sharp, spicy, the taste is sweetish at first, then sharp, spicy and moderately bitter. An essential oil is obtained from the plant, which is used in perfumery and cooking. Fresh stems, leaves and roots are used to flavor confectionery, drinks, marinades. Even small additions of lovage greens change the taste and give the canned food a peculiar mushroom aroma.

Green parts and roots of young plants are used for food as a spice in the preparation of green oil, salads; it is added to sauces, fried meat, gravies, soups, vegetables, rice dishes, cereals, poultry and fish. With the addition of a pinch of lovage, a strong meat broth acquires an exceptionally good taste, in which the taste of meat is emphasized and enhanced. Lovage is of particular importance in the diet along with dill and basil. The roots of lovage are shown in the diet for diseases of the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, obesity, rheumatism, flatulence.

Marjoram

Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is a species of perennial herbaceous plants from the genus Oregano (Origanum) of the Lamiaceae family. In the Middle East, it is better known as Za'atar. Stems are erect, branched, 20-45 (50) cm high, woody at the base, silvery-gray. Leaves are oblong-ovate or spatulate, petiolate, obtuse, whole-edged, gray-tomentose on both sides. Inflorescences are oblong, tomentose-hairy, from three to five rounded, sessile, ovoid, short spike-shaped bundles at the ends of the branches. The flowers are small, the corolla is reddish, pink or white.

Currently, marjoram is used mainly as a spice; it is added to salads, soups, fish and vegetable dishes, fresh or dried, and for canning. The plant is also used for the preparation of liqueurs, liqueurs, puddings, sausages, vinegar and tea flavoring. Essential oil is extracted from the aerial part of the flowering plant. Dry leaf powder is found in pepper mixtures.Marjoram improves digestion, is indicated for flatulence, has a diuretic and sedative effect.

In medicine in some countries, the plant is used for diseases of the respiratory tract and digestive organs. The use of marjoram is indicated for the dietary nutrition of gastric patients. In folk medicine, it is known as a gastric, tonic, anti-catarrhal and wound healing agent. Together with other drugs, marjoram was used for paralysis, neurasthenia, bronchial asthma and rhinitis. The plant was used internally in the form of infusion and externally - for baths and lotions as a wound healing agent. Valuable honey plant.

Melissa

Melissa, lemon mint, honey, mother plant, swarm, bee (Melissa officinalis) - a perennial essential oil herb from the genus Melissa (Melissa) of the Lamb family. The rhizome is highly branched. Stem branched, tetrahedral, pubescent with short hairs with admixture of glands, or almost glabrous. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, ovate to rounded-rhombic, crenate-serrate, pubescent.

It is grown for the sake of oval leaves, which, when rubbed, emit a strong lemon scent. Melissa, as a spice, goes well with game, veal, pork, lamb, fish, mushroom dishes. Fresh lemon balm leaves are added in the preparation of sauces, vegetables, soups of all kinds (fruit, pea, potato, mushroom). Many people like to add lemon balm to milk to make it smell better, to grated cottage cheese.

Melissa treats indigestion, it improves appetite, it is used for neuralgic and rheumatic pains, as a diuretic, used for depression, insomnia, migraine, menstrual pain, nervous weakness, migraine, insomnia, general loss of strength, some forms of asthma, colds, skin rashes, pain in the heart and palpitations, colic in the stomach and liver, anemia and to improve metabolism. Outwardly - with gum disease and furunculosis.

An alcoholic tincture of this spicy herb is used for rheumatic pains and neuromyositis, poultices made from the herb - as a pain reliever for bruises, arthritis and ulcers. The plant enhances the activity of the digestive organs, has a mild laxative, stops nausea and vomiting, relieves the stomach and intestines from gases. In folk medicine, it is used for heart pain, bone pain, vomiting, to strengthen memory. The juice is used to treat old wounds.

Mint

Mint (Mentha) is a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. The genus has about 25 species and about 10 natural hybrids. All species are highly aromatic, most of them contain a lot of menthol.

Mint is widely used in medicine, pharmacology and cooking. Most often, we use it as a herb when brewing tea.

Borago

Borage, borage, borage, borago are a monotypic genus of the Boraginaceae family. The only species is borage (Borago officinalis) - an annual herb. Annual plant, stiff-haired, 60-100 cm high. The stem is straight or ascending, thick, ribbed, hollow, branched at the top. Basal and lower stem leaves are elliptical or oval, obtuse at the apex, narrowed towards the base into a short petiole; stem leaves are oblong-ovate, sessile, embracing, like the stems, covered with stiff whitish hairs.

They are good substitutes for cucumbers, they are added to vinaigrette, salads, sauces (mustard, tomato, sour cream), side dishes, okroshka, cold vegetable soups and borscht. The roots collected in autumn are used to make green butter, added to cheeses, cottage cheese, sour cream, for flavoring tinctures, wines, punch, vinegar, syrups, beer, essences and cold drinks.

Cucumber herb gives a spicy taste to minced meat, minced meat and fish fried in vegetable oil.Fresh and dried cucumber flowers are used in the liqueur and confectionery industry.

Borago, cucumber herb

Perilla

Perilla is a monotypic genus of annual herbaceous plants of the Lamiaceae family. The only species is Perilla frutescens. Herbaceous plants with a straight ascending stem. The lower leaves are large, long-petiolate, ovoid, the upper ones are oblong-ovate, sessile or short-petiolate.

New spice and flavor culture. Due to its high decorative effect, it can be grown as a curb plant. The variety is early ripening, cold-resistant, with a long growing season - 135-150 days. The plant is tall - 120-140 cm, the stem is erect, branching, tetrahedral. It is grown outdoors and in greenhouses, through seedlings or direct sowing. The mass of one plant is 200-500 g. The yield of leaves, depending on the growing conditions, is 0.5-5.0 kg / m2.

Recommended for fresh green young leaves (salads, meat and fish dishes), in the phase of technical ripeness, the leaves are salted and pickled, and also used as a powder from dry leaves as an aromatic additive to meat and vegetable dishes. Perilla greens are juicy, delicate with a refreshing taste and an unusual mild aroma, where there are tones of caramel, anise flowers and very light pepper tones.

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum) is a small genus of biennial plants in the Apiaceae family. Leaves are double- or triple-pinned. The teeth of the calyx are inconspicuous, the petals are yellow-green or whitish, often with a reddish tint at the base, cordate, notched at the apex and in the notch with a long, inwardly curved lobe.

Parsley is used as a spicy herb in fresh, dried and less often salted form, leaves as an integral part of salads, and leaves and root vegetables as an addition to side dishes and soups, especially fish dishes. Freshly frozen greens fully retain their nutritional and healing properties for several months (if properly stored, up to a year).

The root vegetables of parsley are edible, but thin and coarse, so they are rarely used. In medicine (less often in cooking), parsley seeds are also used. Parsley is known for its diuretic, choleretic and stimulating effects.

Purslane

Purslane, Dandur (Portulaca) - a genus of plants of the Portulacaceae family (Portulacaceae) - a genus of one- or perennial succulent fleshy plants of the Purslane family. About 100 (according to other sources, up to 200) species in tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. Stems are open or ascending, leaves are alternate or almost opposite. Flowers are often small, inconspicuous, less often - large single.

Young shoots and leaves of Portulaca oleracea (preferably harvested before flowering) are used as a garnish for meat and fish dishes - boiled with garlic, vinegar, vegetable oil or stewed with onions in vegetable oil.

The use of large-flowered purslane in garden design is extremely diverse. It is planted in flower beds (often in carpet flower beds), on ridges, flower beds, dry slopes, retaining stone walls, at the joints of concrete slabs in rockeries. On dry soils, purslane can replace the lawn.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Rhubarb

Rhubarb (Rheum) is a genus of plants in the Buckwheat family. These are perennial very large grasses with thick, woody, branched rhizomes. Aerial stems are annual, straight, thick, hollow and sometimes slightly furrowed. Basal leaves are very large, long-petiolate, whole, palmate-lobed or dentate, sometimes wavy along the edge; petioles are cylindrical or multifaceted, with large sockets at the base. Stem leaves are smaller. The stem ends with a large paniculate inflorescence.

Fresh petioles, after removing the dense skin, are cut into pieces and eaten:

1. Cooked in sugar syrup, they give a sour, delicious jam;
2. Slightly boiled in thick sugar syrup, dried and re-immersed in syrup the next day, give candied rhubarb;
3. Boiled with boiling water, mashed through a sieve and boiled with sugar, they are used as a filling in sweet pies, reminiscent of the taste of applesauce;
4. Wine, like Chablis, is prepared from the juice of the petioles, and the juice mixed with water and sugar is first fermented, when the latter is finished and the liquid clears up, filtered, defended and bottled, in which they are kept for at least a year in the basement.

Rosemary

Rosemary (Rosmarinus) is a genus of perennial evergreen shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. The calyx is ovate-bell-shaped, two-lipped, two-split; upper lip with three short teeth; lower two-toothed, three-lobed, with a large middle lobe. Two stamens, single-celled anthers. Leaves are opposite, narrowed, linear.

Rosemary has a strong aromatic sweetish and camphor scent, reminiscent of pine, and a very spicy, slightly pungent taste. Fresh or dry leaves, flowers and young shoots are used as a spice for processing fish, in small quantities they are added to vegetable soups and dishes, in salads, minced meat, fried meat, fried poultry, mushrooms, red and white cabbage cabbage and marinades. Gives a pleasant taste to soft cheeses, potatoes, game meat, fish and pastry.

Rosemary essential oil is used in the perfumery and cosmetic industry; leaves, flowers and young shoots - in the alcoholic beverage and bakery industries.

Leaves and annual shoots of rosemary were used in folk medicine internally for amenorrhea, as an astringent, tonic for impotence; sedative - with nervous disorders in menopause; pain reliever - for pain in the heart and stomach colic and externally - for neuritis, thrombophlebitis, rheumatism, parotitis, leucorrhoea, as a wound healing agent. It is used in modern combined herbal preparations

Arugula

Arugula, Sowing caterpillar, Indau sowing (Eruca sativa) is a biennial herb of the Eruca genus of the Cabbage family (Brassicaceae). The stem is straight, branched, slightly pubescent. The leaves are lyre-pinnate or dissected, with serrated lobes.

It has been cultivated as a spicy herb in the Mediterranean since the days of the Roman Empire, where it was considered an aphrodisiac. Until the 1900s, arugula was mainly harvested in the wild, cultivation on a mass scale was not used, and practically not studied by science. It has a rich, pungent taste.

It is mainly used in salads, and also as a vegetable additive to meat dishes and pastas. In coastal Slovenia (especially in Koper) it is added to cheese cheburek. In Italy, it is often used in the preparation of pizza; usually arugula is added to it shortly before the end of cooking or immediately after that. Also used as an ingredient in pesto in addition to (or replacing) basil.

In the Caucasus, young shoots and leaves are eaten. The leaves are used as a seasoning for dishes in the form of a salad, young shoots are eaten fresh, the seeds are used to make mustard. In Indian medicine, seeds are used as an irritant and anti-cutaneous drug; in folk medicine - for skin diseases, juice - for ulcers, freckles, hematomas, calluses, nasal polyps.

Arugula, or Indau sowing

Ruta

Ruta is a genus of evergreen perennial fragrant grasses, semi-shrubs, shrubs of the Rutaceae family. The leaves are trifoliate or pinnate, speckled with translucent glands, with a fragrant essential oil.

Ruta is bred as a spicy herb for the sake of young leaves, which go as a seasoning for dishes, for sprinkling sandwiches and in vinegar (a taste that resembles garlic or onions), and also as a medicine, for which the plant is cut off just before flowering and then dried ...

Celery

Celery (Apium) is a genus of plants of the Umbrella family (Apiaceae), a vegetable crop. There are about 20 species in total, common on all continents. A biennial vegetable herb with a thick, spindle-shaped yellow-white and brownish root vegetable with a porous flesh.The leaves are shiny, dark green, the petioles of the basal leaves are long and fleshy.

All parts of this spicy herb are added to the first and second courses, salads, drinks, sauces, seasonings. The rhizome is also used in a dried form. The stems are recommended to be used instead of salt for diseases of the gallbladder, osteoporosis, kidney disease. In medicine, it is used as a diuretic. It is an aphrodisiac.

Root celery has a diuretic and tonic effect and is widely used in kidney and bladder diseases. In homeopathy, extracts from seeds, roots and leaves are used as a diuretic and cardiac remedy, as well as for diseases of the genital organs.

Thyme

Thyme, Thyme, Thyme, Bogorodskaya grass, Thymus are a genus of semi-shrubs of the Lamiaceae family. Perennial shrub up to 35 cm tall with woody recumbent or ascending stem and erect or ascending herbaceous branches. Taproot, woody. Stems are woody at the base, spread over the soil, branched, with covered hairs bent down or erect.

The leaves are varied in size, venation and shape (from round or ovoid to linear-oblong), hard, almost leathery, short-petiolate, less often sessile, whole-edged or sometimes serrated (a constant feature in some Far Eastern species).

Young shoots of thyme have a strong, pleasant lemon aroma and a slightly bitter pungent taste. It is recommended to add thyme to fatty lamb and pork dishes. This spicy herb contains an essential oil with a strong scent. Thyme works well with peppers to enhance the flavor. It is used in the manufacture of many medicines, as well as an ornamental plant for landscaping the site.

Thyme, or Thyme

Caraway

Caraway (Carum) is a genus of perennial or biennial plants of the Apiaceae family, of which the common caraway (Carum carvi) species is the most famous. Leaves are double or triple pinnate. The flowers are bisexual or partially staminate. Petals are white, pink or red, round obovate. Fruitlets are oblong, somewhat laterally compressed, ribs are obtuse.

The roots are used in cooking as a spice. Leaves and young shoots are used in salads. Seeds - for flavoring homemade baked goods, for pickling cabbage, pickling cucumbers.

Savory

Savory (Satureja) - annual plants, semi-shrubs or shrubs, a genus of plants in the Lamiaceae family. Leaves are whole-edged or almost whole-edged, short-petiolized. The flowers are 4-9 mm or 10-15 mm long, bluish-white, light purple or pinkish, collected in 3-7-flowered whorls in the leaf axils. The calyx is bell-shaped, two-lipped or almost regular, five-toothed. The corolla is two-lipped; four stamens; anthers are bilocular, separated by not very wide connective; stigma with diverging lobes. Fruits are nuts, from round to ovoid, obtuse.

The medicinal effect of savory is antispasmodic, bactericidal, astringent. You can pick young leaves as a seasoning, but dried savory is also an excellent strong spice. Savory greens are very fragrant and reminiscent of thyme, but with pungent undertones.

Ramson

Ramson, Bear Onion, Wild Garlic, Bulb (Allium ursinum) - a perennial herb; species of the genus Onion (Allium) of the Onion family (Alliaceae). The bulb is elongated, about 1 cm thick. The stem is triangular, there are two leaves, shorter than the stem, with a lanceolate or oblong sharp blade 3-5 cm wide and a narrow petiole, twice as long as the blade or equal to it.

It is used as a green culture, it is included in salads and other dishes. Ramson has an antihelminthic and antimicrobial effect. It is recommended to use it for scurvy and atherosclerosis, in folk medicine it has been used for thousands of years, including for fever, as an antihelminthic and antimicrobial agent, as an external agent for rheumatism, for various intestinal infectious diseases. In ancient Rome and in the Middle Ages, wild garlic was considered a good remedy for cleansing the stomach and blood.

Sage

Sage, Salvia (Salvia) is a large genus of perennial herbaceous plants and shrubs of the Lamiaceae family.Leaves are simple or feathery. Calyx bell-shaped, tubular-bell-shaped, conical or tubular, unchanging or slightly increasing during fruiting; the upper lip is three-toothed. The corolla is always two-lipped; the upper lip is helmet-shaped, sickle-shaped or straight; the middle lobe of the lower lip is much larger than the lateral ones, very rarely equal to the lateral ones. Stamens - 2; the column is threadlike; the stigma is bilobed.

Fresh and dried, the spice is used to add a piquant taste and aroma to dishes from meat, game, fish, salads, pies, and when making tea. It has anti-inflammatory and disinfectant effects, is used as a medicine for rinsing, compresses. All species of this genus are essential oil; many of them entered the culture as medicinal, for example, Sage (Salvia officinalis). The different properties of essential oils in different types of sage and the possibilities of their use have not yet been studied. The most famous is Clary sage.

Tarragon, tarragon

Tarragon wormwood, Tarragon, Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) is a perennial herb, a species of the genus Wormwood of the Astrovye family. Stems are not numerous, 40-150 cm high, erect, glabrous, yellowish-brown. Stem leaves are whole, oblong or linear-lanceolate, pointed; the lower leaves are incised at the top. The flowers are pale yellowish. The inflorescence is paniculate, narrow, dense; envelope leaflets are short-elliptical or almost spherical; the envelope is glabrous, greenish-yellowish, shiny, membranous along the edge.

Tarragon wormwood has a low-spicy aroma and a pungent, spicy and piquant taste. There are known varieties of salad direction, common in the Transcaucasus and Central Asia, and spicy-aromatic forms (Ukraine, Moldova).

The green mass of the plant is widely used in fresh cooking as a spicy-aromatic seasoning for pickling cucumbers, tomatoes, making pickles, for pickling cabbage, soaking apples and pears.

It is used as a spice in the preparation of rice dishes, boiled fish, mayonnaise, fried game, lamb. Finely chopped fresh leaves are added as a spice to poultry, eggs, light sauces, meat dishes, and all types of salads. They can be used to make green butter.

A refreshing drink "Tarhun" is prepared from the plant and used to flavor wines and liqueurs. Especially popular in France is the manufacture of a special aromatic-spicy vinegar from the aerial part of tarragon wormwood, which is used for dressing salted fish. A bunch of tarragon branches - green or dried, put in a bottle of vodka for several weeks, gives vodka a special taste and aroma. Depending on whether you took green or dry branches, the taste is different.

Tarragon, or Tarhun

What herbs do you grow in your garden or garden? Share your experience in the comments or on our Forum.

Many summer residents now prefer spices in the garden. It's so convenient: your favorite herbs are at hand. And those who are creative in cooking cannot do without seasonings. One and the same menu can diversify the presence of a single greenery - so much the aroma affects the food. Making a sauce with spicy ingredients can be a professional secret for celebrity chefs.

Tracing the history of spices, you can learn the history of civilization. Even primitive man improved the taste of raw meat with fruits, roots, herbs. Already in the Neolithic era, people used caraway seeds, poppy seeds, parsnips. And although they still lived off collecting plants and hunting, they already knew how to cook simple dishes that could diversify the taste with spicy additions. And then the tradition arose to put sacrifices to the gods on the altar.

Spices have been known since ancient times

Cardamom, onion, fennel, coriander, sesame, and saffron became a constant commodity of the ancient Babylonians. Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, India, China only expanded the list of herbs and root crops. The spread of spices began not only in those places where trade caravans went, but also in the conquerors. Fragrant plants became the cause of military relations between states. The conquest of new territories was carried out both because of the development of local lands, and the opportunity to make money on the loot. Spices were invariably among the trophies. Travelers, going on long journeys, lost ships, equipment, people, but all the losses could be blocked by the spices they brought. The beginning of the discoveries in the Middle Ages entailed tough competition between Portugal, Spain, Holland and England for the right to colonial possession of states in Southeast Asia, America also because then a monopoly on the trade in exotic products was introduced. The monks also helped in the cultivation of spices, who developed the culinary art.

Spices are still a visiting card of traders in markets around the world.

Spicy herbs in the country

Now gingerbread plants are an integral part of our cuisine. The combination of tastes, aromas, flowers not only stimulates the appetite, but also helps to properly assimilate all the nutrients of the dishes, saturates the body with vitamins and mineral salts.

It doesn't take much effort to grow your own spice garden. Most herbs and roots are easy to care for. You can break a flower bed, which will delight you not only with aromas, but will also be a wonderful decoration of the garden, the main thing is to adhere to the principle: the composition is formed not only by the color of the plant, but also by its growth - we plant the tallest herbs in the center of the garden.

Spices can be planted in special flower beds - this is both beautiful and useful

So what are the best plants to choose? First of all, those that you often use when preparing food. Those who prefer spicy dishes will choose mustard, chili peppers, horseradish, and basil. Lovers of softer and more fragrant aromas can plant mint, hyssop, snakehead, savory. Anise, cumin, fennel, dill, coriander, lovage, juniper berries - for gourmets with special taste preferences.

Peppermint is one of the favorite herbs of many.

Peppermint

One of the most aromatic plants with a significant content of essential oils, which includes menthol. Mint is used as a seasoning for meat, game, sweet marinades. Tea lovers cannot imagine an evening without a cup of invigorating drink with the addition of mint. Its cooling and healing effect gave rise to the emergence of many sedative drugs, pain relieving menthol lozenges, antiseptic toothpastes. As a spice, mint was used in Ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome. You can season food with both fresh and dried leaves. In the Caucasus, the plant is used in the preparation of soups.

Mint is a perennial plant with a horizontal branchy root that blooms in late July - early August. The leaves are elongated, ovoid, with short petioles. The flowers are small, pale purple in color. Mint grows up to 1 meter in height, so it can be planted closer to the center in a bed of aromatic plants.

Mint propagates vegetatively, including through the rooting of stems, over time the plant can grow in the garden. To prevent this, you can limit the area of ​​its growth by digging in a small fence made of boards and slate nearby. But it is worth considering that mint degenerates in one place. It is necessary to renew planting every 3-5 years. Mint loves open spaces, but gets along well under the crown of trees - plant it under a tree, and then you can forget about weeds, but tender leaves of cooling freshness are always at hand.For the winter, the leaves can be dried or frozen, mint is harvested in the budding phase.

Melissa looks like mint, but differs from it in aroma

Melissa

Melissa is a relative of mint and is often referred to as "lemon mint". Melissa translated from Greek means "bee" - the plant attracts insects with its citrus aroma. The essential oil-bearing herb has a strongly branched rhizome; lemon balm is more than one meter high. The edges of the green, oval leaves are covered with glandular hairs that accumulate essential oil. Flowers are small, white, umbrella type. The plant blooms from June to September. Avicenna wrote about melissa in his treatise, and it is popular even now. As a seasoning, the herb is used in marinades, soups, meat, mushroom dishes. Just like mint, lemon balm flavors teas and drinks.

The grass is kept in one place only for 3-4 years (although it can be grown up to 10 years), during this time you can plant a new plantation, when sown with seeds, lemon balm blooms in the second year, the vegetative method will give shoots in the first year. Melissa does not survive the harsh winter, so we cover it with coniferous spruce branches for the cold season. The first raw materials are harvested during the budding of the plant - it is then that lemon balm is most fragrant. The second time lemon balm can be harvested in the fall, before frost. After the plant turns black and becomes unusable.

Basil ranges in color from green to purple

Basil

An annual plant native to India. Grows well in lighted areas with richly fertilized soil. If planted in the shade, the aroma is reduced. In cooking, the ground part of the plant is used. Basil has a pleasantly spicy taste, at first sweetish, then with a slight bitterness. Used as a seasoning for pates, salads, gravies, meat, fish dishes. The varieties differ in taste, leaf color - from light green to purple. Fresh leaves have a tonic effect, stimulate the nervous system - this should be taken into account when preparing food. When dry, basil powder can replace pepper. In a garden of spicy plants, basil will add a special charm to the composition. He is short, while with a beautiful color.

Marjoram will require experimentation in the kitchen to find your dosage of this spice.

Marjoram (oregano)

Marjoram is a perennial, but in culture it is grown as an annual plant, and the ground part is also taken for food. As a spice, the herb was used in Ancient Greece and Rome. Marjoram has a strong spicy smell, slightly pungent taste, slightly sweetish. You should use the spice carefully: the aroma can both saturate with an unusual bouquet of shades, and spoil. Finding a specific dosage of a seasoning will have to experiment in the kitchen. Correctly reveals the taste of thyme marjoram. Sometimes grass is substituted for salt. Well suited for poultry meat, pies, main courses, cheeses.

Marjoram loves warmth, so planting it after frost is not recommended. Sowing is best done at a stable temperature of 20-22 degrees. Initially, the plant will need watering, but in the future it is quite resistant to drought. Also, like basil, it loses some of its aromatic properties when shaded. Prefers light, calcareous soil. The height of the grass is small, about 20-50 centimeters, so it is better to plant in a common plantation from the edge, blooms at the end of summer with whitish or pinkish corollas.

Lovage smells like celery

Lovage

Perennial native to the East. The root is large, like a spindle; the leaves are shiny, the lower ones reach half a meter in length, the upper ones are small. The whole plant is eaten: both the ground part and the root. It begins to bloom in June and continues until the end of August. Lovage quickly runs wild, multiplies both by seeds and by dividing the root. The smell of lovage is reminiscent of celery, with a pungent, salty-bitter taste. The plant is very fond of Ukrainians, they even write poems about it.Leaves for food are harvested in the first year of planting, in the second or third year they dig out the root, and this cannot be done before flowering - there is information about its toxic properties. Lovage is one of the few plants whose dried and milled parts are much more aromatic than fresh ones. It is used in many dishes and is included in the list of spices suitable for dietary nutrition. It is also brewed like tea.

Savory leaves are consumed whole, cut - give bitterness

Savory

An annual plant found wild in ravines. It is known that the ancient Greeks and Romans prepared sauces for meat from it; monks brought it to Europe. Until now, savory is an integral part of the Mediterranean cuisine. Young greens taste similar to hot peppers; they add a spicy flavor to dishes. Typically, savory leaves are consumed whole, they are not crushed, otherwise they will add a bitter taste to the dish. Suitable for all legumes, mushrooms, fish, sauces. The plant is tall and short, grown by sowing seeds, blooms from mid-summer to October. Resistant to cold, loves light and fertile soil.

Purslane can be cut many times per season

Purslane

An annual low plant that came from Western Asia. One of the ancient cultures favored by the Egyptians. This unpretentious plant is very beautiful during flowering, therefore it is often grown as a decorative decoration of the garden. Flowers from white, yellow to red, blooms all summer and September. The stems are juicy, creeping - often gardeners consider it a malicious weed, but if you limit its growth, it will delight you with its pleasant weak-spicy, tart taste. Greens serve as the basis for salads, you can also pickle for the winter. It is better to cut it before the beginning of flowering, during the season it can be done several times, and it is sown also two or three times - so there will always be fresh seasoning on the table. The herb as a spice is suitable for all dishes, except for potatoes.

Anise seeds are hidden in a beautiful star-shaped box

Anise

An annual plant native to the Mediterranean and Middle East. The fact that anise was used in the Stone Age is evidenced by the excavation of pile buildings of those times, where the seeds of this plant were found. The herb was treated by ancient Greek doctors, in Russia they learned the taste of anise late - only in the 19th century, but now it is widely cultivated in many areas - large anise fields are planted. It is widely used in perfumery, food, chemical, pharmaceutical industries. After the distillation of essential oils, fatty oil is used to make soap, and the rest replaces cocoa in products. The smell of anise is so strong that insects die from it, which greatly annoy people: moths, cockroaches, lice, bedbugs. Culinary experts prefer it for its refreshing, spicy-oriental aroma; when ground, it has a sweetish aftertaste. They are used in sweet dishes, as well as in fruit, vegetable and drinks.

The type of anise is attractive - thin, short-standing, a little more than half a meter high, the flowers are inconspicuous, but collected in an umbrella. Blooms in summer; fruits are harvested in August. Anise has a high yield, with proper planting and watering, it can give up to one kilogram from one square meter of greenery.

Ruta from Greek means "salvation"

Rue

A perennial shrub with an erect stem, 50-80 centimeters in height, originates from southern Europe. The leaves are dark green, the flowers are yellow. In one place it can grow up to 8 years, loves sunny places, moist fertile soil, the plant is unpretentious in care. Leaves begin to take from the second year of life. You can pick greens during the summer, it is perfect as a base for salads, seasonings - for pickles and pickles. In ancient times, the plant served as a medicine against various diseases, it is no coincidence that the name “rue” from Greek means “salvation”.In their historical homeland, it often neighbors with a vineyard, maybe that's why the rue has a taste - strongly spicy, bitter, piquant. Essential oils are used for the preparation of strong alcoholic beverages, aromatic waters, rutin is obtained from the plant - vitamin R. Ruta is not recommended to be eaten a lot due to its certain properties, if it is in excess, it can cause poisoning.

Hyssop is planted not only as a spice, but also as an ornamental plant.

Hyssop

A shrub that is widespread in Eurasia and Africa. This plant was treated by Hippocrates. The medicinal properties of hyssop are still used today. It is more popular among gardeners because of its ginger-sage aroma, it tastes bitter. The cooks season them with cold appetizers, first and second courses. It is very important in dietary nutrition, it is used as a substitute for pepper. And at the same time, hyssop is part of some alcoholic beverages, as well as medicinal decoctions for the elderly. The plant is consumed in a dried form, but its fragrant characteristics deteriorate, it is better to use fresh leaves.

Hyssop is also planted as an ornamental plant. Its inflorescences are spike-shaped, blue-violet shades, there are also pink varieties - they fit perfectly into a spicy garden. The plant blooms from July to September, unpretentious.

Fresh spices on the table - the fruit of labor in the garden

This is a small part of spicy plants that you can plant in your garden and get spices from the garden right on the table. All of them contain a significant amount of essential oils and have antiseptic properties. Delicious condiments will also be healthy. But the main thing in the cultivation of spices - with their help, even the simplest dish can be made exquisite, author's, and never repeat in cooking.

See also: growing tomatoes

Spices Are plants that have a pronounced aroma. They are used in cooking, in the manufacture of confectionery, as well as for the preparation of aromatic drinks. Some of the herbs are considered medicinal and are not only used to add aroma to dishes, but also help, for example, to activate digestion or strengthen the immune system. In the modern world, spicy plants are becoming more and more popular among culinary specialists due to the opportunity to purchase fragrant bouquets at any time of the year.

In addition, from year to year, more and more people are showing interest in growing spices in their gardens. This is facilitated by the fact that most of the herbs can be grown in beds in the middle lane, and some can also be easily cultivated in pots on a windowsill in a city apartment. Plants that form incredibly beautiful flower beds (after all, many herbs can pamper owners with flowers as well!) Will not only delight the eye, but will also become a significant help after the spices are prepared for future use. Today, packed in colorful wrappers, spicy plant seeds can be bought at any gardening kiosk or ordered from a huge number of catalogs in online stores. You can also buy ready-made seedlings there, which can be a wonderful gift for many chefs.

Almost all spicy herbs, due to the content of a large amount of esters in them, have medicinal properties.which are used both in industrial pharmacology and in unrecognized health sciences such as traditional medicine, herbal medicine and homeopathy.

We will try to tell in this article about the most popular herbs, their use and cultivation, as well as how to properly prepare and preserve plants.

Classification

Spicy herbs can be classified by:

• belonging to the growing region;
• vegetative characteristics (color, spreading, growth height, flowering);
• the period of growth and fruiting.

Most often you can hear about combinations of southern (Georgian or Armenian) herbs, and sometimes Ural or Altai herbs are distinguished.

Spicy herbs can be not only green, some are characterized by the presence of a lush crown, while others are distinguished by strong branching and exuberant flowering. Some plants use flowers or stamens instead of greens as an aromatic seasoning.

Distinguish between perennial and annual herbs. The former can be sown once, because most often these are self-seeding plants, the beds with the latter will have to be updated every spring.

Contrary to popular belief, spicy herbs include not only herbaceous plants, but also shrub-type plants. It is noteworthy that in cooking they use not only the green ground part of these plants, but also seeds or rhizomes.

Most Popular Herbs

We will devote this large section of the article to the most popular spicy herbs. In it you will not only find a description of the plant and the correct use of each individual spice, but also learn about the characteristics and medicinal properties of these spices, as well as about the precautions when using this or that plant in the diet. And also, to each description for the convenience of readers, we will attach a picture (photo) with the image of the described plant.

Dill

A spicy herb like dill is the most abundant herb around the world and probably the most famous herb. It is a tall grass with a dense, hollow and tough stem, covered with highly developed fluffy foliage.

The plant is annual, which means that it requires regular over-sowing. It is noteworthy that this can be done not only in spring, but also before winter. The whole plant is used as an aromatic seasoning, starting from a dense hollow stem and ending with seeds collected in umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Dill, both fresh and dried, is used:

• in canning;
• for preparing and decorating salads;
• as a spice for soups, sauces and gravy.

Dill goes well with fish and meat dishes, as well as vegetables. Dried dill is included in many aromatic mixtures and goes well with other herbs.

There are several varieties of dill, among which there are:

• early maturing, characterized by lush greenery ("mushroom", "distant", for example);
• mid-season, yielding greenery and "umbrellas", among which varieties such as "kibray" and "Richelieu" stand out favorably;
• late, characterized by the splendor of greenery ("alligator", "brawler", for example).

All early-maturing varieties are suitable for winter sowing, but cannot grow indoors, while late varieties feel great in greenhouses and even in a room. It is late-ripening dill that gardeners most often want to have, because it gives the most abundant harvest, and fruiting lasts quite a long time - for four months.

Dill seeds are used in folk medicine for severe coughs, as well as bloating in babies.

Parsley

Parsley can be called the second most popular spice plant after dill. Unlike dill, culinary experts use absolutely everything from this plant: from root to leaf. The spice plant is used both fresh and dried. It, like all other herbs, can be grown on your own backyard. Parsley is very unpretentious to the soil and can grow both in shaded corners of the garden and in highly illuminated areas. In addition, it can be cultivated in greenhouses and even grown in a house or apartment. Like dill, this plant does not require special care and large areas.

Parsley can be classified as root and leaf. Among the latter type of product, there are common parsley and curly parsley. The latter is characterized by the presence of a plurality of petioles and leaves with a strong aroma and impressive size.

The seasoning is used in cooking:

• salads;
• soups;
• sauces;
• gas stations;
• gravy.

The plant contains a large number of minerals, is rich in essential oils and contains many flavonoids. The pronounced aroma of parsley goes well with many other herbs.

The product has a beneficial effect on the processes occurring in the human body. That is why he found application in folk medicine and cosmetology. Broth of parsley helps with inflammatory processes of the urogenital area, and also promotes a soft and painless excretion of salts. Fresh parsley juice helps fight bad breath and also aids digestion. Daily consumption of parsley has a beneficial effect on the intrauterine development of the child, therefore, the presence of this spice in the diet in dry or fresh form is shown to all pregnant women. Eating parsley regularly can improve vision and regulate blood glucose levels.

Basil

Basil is also one of the common herbs. The spice was noted by the culinary experts of Ancient Greece. In Russia, the plant has long been cultivated exclusively for medicinal purposes.

Today, botanists distinguish between common basil and purple basil. The latter got its name from the color of the leaves. The green variety of the plant is also called camphor basil or garden basil. In some regions, this spice is also called Reikhan or Zhambil.

Both types of basil have a spicy and slightly cooling aroma and flavor characteristic of this plant. The plant is a melliferous plant, and essential oils and substances of the phenol class are obtained from its seeds.

Basil reveals its qualities in the best way when combined with products such as:

• eggplant;
• bell pepper;
• mushrooms;
• milk (used in the preparation of cheeses);
• meat, especially chicken, pork, lamb and beef;
• squash and squash;
• tomatoes.

Basil is most commonly used in cooking:

• sauerkraut;
• meat pates;
• drinks, in particular, decoctions and tea;
• fillings for pies, pies and casseroles;
• pizza;
• minced meat for cooking cutlets, meatballs and zraz;
• soups.

In addition to all this, any kind of spicy herb called basil is widely used in the preservation of vegetables. The spicy herb goes well with:

• cilantro;
• marjoram;
• mint;
• parsley;
• tarragon.

Dried spice is also added to some aromatic mixtures, where it perfectly replaces black pepper. Basil is also used in folk medicine. Traditional healers have long noted the effectiveness of decoctions and infusions in the fight against:

• sore throat;
• asthmatic manifestations;
• diseases of the middle ear, otitis media;
• inflammation of the kidneys and bladder;
• toothache, annoying at night;
• runny nose, including allergic and seasonal, as well as other types of rhinitis;
• neuroses and disorders of the central nervous system;
• hepatic colic;
• severe cough, including complicated pertussis component;
• stomatitis;
• trophic and long non-healing wounds;
• eczema.

Eating basil, especially its fresh sprouts, can help fight a lack of appetite as well as increase lactation. At the same time, the spice should not be consumed by those who:

• suffers from diabetes mellitus;
• prone to thrombophlebitis;
• sick with hypertension;
• suffered a myocardial infarction.

An oil is also obtained from basil, and by cooling it to extreme temperatures, pharmacists obtain crystalline, non-dyed camphor. In the food industry, the spice is used in the production of vanillin..

Cilantro

Cilantro is an oriental spice known as a ritual plant dating back to ancient Egypt. Cilantro seeds are called coriander in cooking. They are used in baking, brewing tea, and also added to marinades for meat, while cilantro greens are used more widely, for example, put in salads. It is also suitable for:

• canning and salting vegetables;
• cooking sauces, gravy and soup dressings.

This spicy herb has a very specific, one might even say, a pungent aroma that many associate with the smell of bedbugs living in raspberries. Some linguistic scientists argue that the name of the grains of this herb was not given by chance: it is identical to the name of an insect in Greek.

Cilantro opens its flavor in the best way with:

• fish;
• meat;
• peas and other legumes.

The aromatic and bactericidal properties of the herb make it possible to use it in cosmetology and folk medicine, as well as in soap making. Spice is great for:

• stomach ulcer;
• gastritis;
• cholecystitis;
• diseases of the urinary system.

However, eating fragrant greens should be abandoned by those who suffer:

• diabetes mellitus;
• venous obstruction and thrombosis;
• ischemic heart disease.

Limiting the use of cilantro in food is also worth people of reproductive age. Scientists have proven that the product negatively affects potency and libido.

Mint

Mint, like all of the above spices, is a widespread perennial herb. In nature, biologists have more than forty varieties of it, but varieties such as have gained particular popularity in cooking and in other spheres of human life:

• long-leaved mint;
• peppermint;
• Japanese mint.

The main functions that are assigned to mint in cooking are to impart a specific aroma and cooling taste:

• drinks (juices, smoothies and tea);
• salads;
• alcoholic tinctures;
• second courses, in particular, prepared from meat or fish;
• carrots;
• legumes and products from them.

As for meat, mint reveals its qualities best with young lamb, poultry, especially turkey and chicken. In addition, some desserts are decorated with sprigs and mint leaves when serving. In the cuisines of some peoples of the world, mint is used in the preparation of cheeses. Everyone knows that this spice has a strong cooling taste and delicate aroma. All parts of the plant are saturated with ethers, and this is what makes it possible to use the entire ground part of the spice.

Traditional healers also note that ordinary peppermint infusion has an anti-spasmodic effect. In traditional medicine, there is evidence that mint can rightfully be considered a remedy for a hundred diseases. That is why such a spicy herb is widely used for:

• prolonged dry cough and bronchitis;
• bloating;
• toothache;
• hepatic colic;
• migraines;
• hoarseness of voice;
• nausea;
• heartburn.

The beneficial properties of mint don't stop there, and in fact, the plant can find wider uses. A large number of people use mint to brew aromatic and tasty tea, which has a tonic effect on the entire body. This infusion soothes and helps to fall asleep with insomnia, relieves joint pain, and also improves mood. With all this, mint should not be consumed by pregnant and lactating women in their diet, because it is able to relax the uterus and reduce lactation. Refuse mint in the diet should also be necessary for those who suffer from individual intolerance to the product.

In addition to cooking and medicine, the aromatic plant is also used in cosmetology and in everyday life. Based on an alcohol extract from mint leaves, lotions are prepared to help soothe irritated skin and tighten pores. A few fresh sprigs of mint will help to expel annoying flies from the room for a long time, which do not tolerate the aroma of this plant.

Fennel

Some gardeners call fennel fennel. And this is no coincidence, because in appearance these two plants can be easily confused. This is because they are both umbellate, have an erect, powerful hollow tubular stem and almost the same color of foliage. A distinctive feature of the herb is the delicate and subtle aroma of anise at a distance, and the fact that fennel is a perennial plant capable of self-seeding. If you look closely, you can see reddish streaks on the tips of the leaves of the plant. It is there that esters are found that attract many chefs.

This spice is used exclusively fresh, because when dried, the raw material loses most of its essential oils and smells weak. The main application of the plant is to use it to prepare an alcoholic tincture called absinthe. Sometimes the aromatic herb is placed in a teapot when preparing tea and tinctures, which save you from bloating and excess gas formation, which is often associated with overeating or irregular eating.

Caraway

Caraway is also a member of the umbrella family. The structure of the plant is slightly similar to the fennel and dill described above, but has a number of distinctive features. First of all, the plant differs from its relatives in the appearance of the leaves, as well as in the testes. The oblong shiny seeds of this plant are used as a spice. Cumin greens do not smell too much, so they are rarely used.

Most often, the grains are put during cooking:

• meat dishes;
• baking;
• milk drinks;
• kvass.

The seeds of the plant are also used in cosmetology. It is believed that the infusion of them is an excellent tonic that can not only soothe the skin after washing off decorative cosmetics, but also relieve puffiness, and also prevent the appearance of acne. The antiseptic properties of the plant help to get rid of helminthic invasions and are used for lotions on simple, but non-healing shallow wounds.

The fruits of this spicy plant are also used in medicine. They are used to make infusions that can calm irritated bowels and "calm down" excessive gas formation. At the same time, you should know that cumin and funds based on it should in no case be used by patients with cholelithiasis, cholecystitis and diabetes mellitus.

Tarragon

Tarragon, or tarragon, as it is also called, is an amazing spicy herb that shows its qualities equally well in many areas of culinary. Outwardly, it is unremarkable and looks a bit like wormwood. Despite this, the plant is popular with flower growers who plant it on their site more for decorative purposes than for the sake of seasoning. A young plant will delight you with lush greenery, which has a delicate aroma, and an adult specimen looks more like a lush bush than grass. Tarragon can be propagated by seeds and dividing the rhizome. This is how he gets to the farmsteads of those who do not even know about its spicy-aromatic properties.

In fact, this herb can be used in cooking:

• marinades;
• the well-known drink of the same name;
• meat dishes;
• egg dishes;
• porridge;
• sauces;
• fish, including salted or boiled.

In addition, the herb is used to make aromatic vinegar and is often combined with green basil for this purpose. Young shoots of tarragon are also often used to infuse vodka. The aged drink resembles vermouth in color and aroma, although it does not have such a pronounced taste of herbs.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a herbaceous plant with a pronounced coniferous aroma, which dissolves in the delicate scent of sea freshness. Small needles of the plant have a spicy flavor. The best conditions for its growth and development are regions with a maritime humid climate.

The fragrant plant has had ritual significance since ancient times.In the days of Ancient Rome, wreaths from it were used for burial, it was associated with the pacification and memory of ancestors. The branches of the plant were also credited with miraculous power, which was able to drive away evil spirits.

And although from a biological point of view, the plant is ranked as an evergreen shrub, from the point of view of culinary experts, rosemary shoots, like many other shrubs, are considered spicy herbs. The plant is very unpretentious and can even grow in a room. Fragrant needles go well with:

• potatoes;
• mushrooms;
• cabbage;
• soft cheeses;
• oily sea or river fish;
• chicken eggs;
• chicken;
• pork.

In addition, water and alcoholic infusions of rosemary needles are used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, as well as diseases such as:

• amenorrhea;
• impotence;
• neuritis and central nervous system disorders;
• mumps;
• rheumatism;
• thrombophlebitis.

Doctors confirm that the use of rosemary in the diet helps to alleviate the course of menopause, and also reduces the likelihood of developing stomach cramps. Rosemary also relieves muscle pain and improves blood circulation. Regular but moderate consumption of rosemary helps boost immunity and also relieves asthma attacks. An important feature of rosemary is that the herb has no contraindications to use, because it is a powerful anti-allergic agent.

Thyme

Such a spicy herb as creeping thyme has long been known to cooks and pastry chefs all over the world. In some regions it is also called "thyme", "creeping thyme" or "Bogorodskaya grass" (not to be confused with a close relative of the mountain savory). The plant has a very attractive appearance and blooms very beautifully. The scent spreads throughout the garden and attracts bees. That is why gardeners are very fond of thyme, because the time of its flowering coincides with the time of budding of early tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers.

The fragrant herb is used in many sectors of the national economy, including pharmacy and the food industry. Dried and fresh spice leaves are needed for:

• canning;
• infusion of alcoholic beverages;
• brewing aromatic and medicinal tea;
• marinating meat, most often beef and lamb.

Creeping thyme is part of a popular mixture called Provencal herbs. French chefs infuse the fragrant shoots of the plant in vegetable oil or vodka, and then add the concentrate to baked goods, sauces and salads.

The plant is rich in essential oils, the miraculous properties of which have long been noticed by cosmetologists. Today they are used to make cosmetics that care for the body and moisturize the skin, such as hygienic lipsticks, creams or soaps.

Infusions and decoctions of thyme, which are not only taken orally, but also used as baths, help to cope with diseases such as:

• radiculitis;
• rheumatism;
• disorders of musculoskeletal function associated with infectious inflammation of the joints.

In addition, medicinal infusions and cough mixtures are prepared on the basis of thyme, which help heavy smokers and those who suffer from chronic bronchitis or asthma. Dry leaves of thyme, ground into powder, are recommended to be taken orally in case of infection with worms, and in the old days such a remedy was used as a healing and disinfecting powder for wounds.

Thyme is considered a male seasoning, because it has a beneficial effect on male sexual function, sperm activity and helps to resist diseases of the genitourinary system of a non-infectious nature.

Oregano

A spicy herb like oregano is more familiar to many cooks under the name oregano. The plant in its characteristics is close to thyme, and sometimes in folk medicine it is also called mother or "female" thyme.It is noted that eating this seasoning helps fight:

• gastritis;
• inflammation of the liver;
• disorders associated with intestinal peristalsis;
• amenorrhea and menstrual irregularities;
• atherosclerosis;
• rheumatism;
• edema associated with impaired renal function.

In addition, babies are still bathed in the infusion of this spicy herb. This helps to protect the delicate body from irritation and diaper rash. Such baths have a therapeutic effect on scrofula. Sometimes the herb of a string or chamomile is added to the broth, which in turn help to enhance the effect of using the motherboard.

In cooking, spicy herbs are used both fresh and dried. Most often it is included in recipes that allow you to get delicious:

• pates;
• sauces;
• gravy;
• broths;
• meat fillings for pies;
• homemade sausages;
• saltison and aspic.

It brings a fresh touch of oregano flavor to canned cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as other pickles prepared according to recipes that include granulated sugar. This spice goes well with chicken eggs and cheese, as well as with cottage cheese and sour milk. A pinch of dry motherboard can transform the taste of fried mushrooms of any kind.

Oregano goes well with popular spices such as:

• basil;
• Bay leaf;
• marjoram;
• nutmeg;
• rosemary;
• root;
• black peppercorns.

This spicy plant is also used in cosmetology, making infusions for washing. Regularly rubbing your face with these lotions can help clear blackheads and prevent acne breakouts. Sometimes a decoction of this spicy plant is frozen in ice cube trays and then used to wipe the face. Fragrant tea brewed from this spicy plant is able to overcome insomnia and relieve a strong cough.

Just like thyme, the motherboard is an excellent honey plant, it blooms beautifully and can easily play the role of an ornamental plant. That is why this spicy herb can increasingly be seen in the beds and flower beds of summer residents.

Fenugreek, or fenugreek

A Mediterranean herb called "fenugreek" has long been included in the cuisine of many countries. The plant is annual and tall. It is grown exclusively in open areas, and only for the sake of obtaining a fragrant seasoning, because the plant cannot boast of decorative properties. Fenugreek cannot surprise with either the dense foliage or the abundant flowering. Botanists distinguish between two varieties of herbs: blue fenugreek and hay (or Greek) fenugreek, both of which are used as aromatic herbs in food.

Most often, this spice is added to food in a dried form, because it is in this state that the workpiece has the maximum saturation. The aromatic properties of fenugreek, which is also sometimes called fenugreek or shambhala, are best revealed when used in preparation:

• marinades for meat;
• basturma;
• homemade sausages;
• salted bacon;
• cow's milk cheeses.

This spice is especially appreciated in Indian cuisine. And the extract of this plant is also a food additive marked in the general list of similar substances as E417. Fenugreek has a pronounced taste of mushrooms, so sometimes gardeners also call this plant among themselves mushroom grass. Dried leaves, as well as the fruits of the plant, crushed to a fine fraction, are part of the famous spicy-aromatic mixture called "utskho-suneli".

Even in folk medicine or cosmetology, this herb has found a use for itself. The decoction of the plant is recommended to drink one tablespoon on an empty stomach for those who feel a breakdown. If, after washing your hair, you rinse your head with a daily infusion of this spicy herb, then you can forget about dandruff and even seborrhea for a long time.

Anise

Anise is an annual herb classified by scientists as a herb, or spice. It is cultivated in central Russia up to the Urals and is used as a seasoning in the preparation of confectionery and all kinds of meat dishes. In some areas, you can hear that this plant is also called pimpinella or thigh. Anise does not play a decorative role, although it is distinguished by lush foliage, outwardly similar to dill or fennel. The most valuable are the seeds of this plant, which contain a large number of essential oils.

On the basis of anise, alcoholic tinctures are prepared, used as aperitifs or dessert drinks. The most common ones are:

• absinthe;
• arak;
• pastis;
• pacharan;
• sambuca;
• ouzo.

Anise fruits have a menthol flavor and are used in cooking:

• cupcakes;
• pancakes;
• pies;
• tortillas;
• gingerbread.

The oil obtained from the seeds of the plant is often used by confectioners to flavor impregnations for cakes, as well as glazes and creams. Also, anise essential oil is used for medicinal purposes. It has long been proven that a decoction of anise herb or a water infusion of its grains helps to fight:

• deposition of salts in the kidneys and ureters;
• flatulence;
• gastritis;
• cough;
• laryngitis;
• tracheitis;
• low lactation.

There are no strict contraindications to the use of such a spice as anise in the human diet. The only thing that everyone should pay attention to is that all spicy herbs, consumed in large quantities, without exception, can cause intoxication of the body due to poisoning with essential oils.

Marjoram

Marjoram is one of the most revered spices in the Middle East. Just like rosemary in Greece, ritual functions were attributed to it. In the modern world of culinary, this herb is used to flavor dishes from:

• meat;
• fish;
• vegetables.

Most often, marjoram is used dried, although some recipes recommend adding this herb as fresh herbs. When using this spice, a new and complete taste is acquired by:

• homemade sausages;
• soups;
• salads;
• puddings;
• marinades used for canning vegetables.

Fragrant greens are used when infused:

• vinegar;
• liqueurs;
• liqueurs.

The herb is also used to make aromatic tea, which, in addition to its usual function, also plays the role of a medicinal drink, because it makes it possible to alleviate the condition with:

• severe rhinitis, including allergic or seasonal;
• bronchial asthma;
• diseases of the digestive system;
• neuralgia.

Lotions from a decoction of marjoram have a wound healing and tonic effect. A hot infusion of this spicy herb is recommended to produce inhalations, the action of which is aimed at relieving cough and excretion of phlegm during inflammation of the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract.

Sage

Sage is considered a spicy medicinal herb. In cooking and medicine, it has been known for a very long time. In some regions, it is customary to call the flower salvia and grow it as an ornamental plant in tiered beds. All types of grass are distinguished by abundant flowering and are excellent honey plants. This quality is appreciated by summer residents, who are increasingly planting sage on their plots, pursuing several goals, ranging from attracting bees and ending with the collection of medicinal raw materials.

Botanists distinguish many varieties of this plant, differing in terms of flowering, plant height and degree of aromatization. The most popular of all types of this herb are such varieties as:

• clary sage;
• sage medicinal.

Since ancient times, these herbs have been used in winemaking. Thanks to them, wine and wine drinks acquire a delicate aroma of nutmeg and a honey flavor.In addition, these herbs are used to flavor high-quality tobacco products: thanks to this trick, the aroma of snuff becomes brighter, and cigarettes with such filling contain less nicotine.

In traditional cooking, the ground part of the plant is used as a perfume in the preparation of black tea. Fresh spice goes well with meat (especially with veal or lamb), as well as with fermented milk products, where it is added when preparing vitamin drinks.

Physicians have been conducting research on the qualities and properties of this spicy herb for a long time. The result of their labors was the use of infusions and decoctions for diseases of the joints, the musculoskeletal system and inflammation of the tendons. On the basis of the oils of this spicy herb, ointments are made that can restore the skin in psoriasis. It has also been proven that the fragrant base has a relaxing effect on the nervous system, especially when the product is used in aroma lamps. Many people know that sage is considered an aphrodisiac. This is probably why its use has become so popular lately.

Celery

A spicy herb called "celery" is easy to confuse with parsley, which is familiar to many. A distinctive feature of this spice is a pronounced aroma, characterized by dryness and woody notes. Botanists divide celery into two subspecies: petiolate and root. In both cases, the whole plant can be used as food. Only in the first case, the plant will be able to boast of spreading branches and a poorly developed root system, and in the second, everything will be the other way around. Despite the lack of flowering and a very unsightly appearance, this spicy herb is widespread among gardeners and flower growers, who are often attracted by its short stature and spreading. Where celery grows, aphids and spiders do not settle, because they are deterred by the spicy aroma of the plant.

Celery stalks are used fresh and dried. Unlike parsley, dried seasoning does not lose its aroma and, when added to soup or gravy, easily restores its original aroma. Most often, cooks use fresh celery greens when cooking:

• salads;
• soups;
• gravy;
• sauces;
• pie fillings;
• canned vegetables.

Dried seasoning is mainly used for:

• soaking meat;
• cooking meat and vegetable broths;
• aromatization of minced meat.

Celery, like parsley, is considered a very useful herb in the diet of men of childbearing age, because it contains one of the most important sex hormones. Regular consumption of celery greens helps to avoid genital diseases and increase sperm production, as well as improve their quality indicators. In addition, this spice is known for its diuretic effect and the ability to gently remove certain types of stones from the ureters. Celery is also widely used in folk medicine. Gruel made from the ground part of this plant, applied to pigmented skin, is able to reduce the color of spots, including those that are of senile origin.

Surprisingly, in the cuisines of many peoples of the world, dried stalks of spicy herbs ground into flour are used instead of salt, and only ready-made dishes are seasoned with this powder.

Lovage

Lovage is very similar in taste to celery, but outwardly, these two plants have significant differences. First of all, lovage is a very tall plant, which, in addition to abundant greenery, is also beautiful, although it blooms dimly. People noticed the aromatic qualities of this spicy herb a long time ago and began to use greens when cooking soups, salting meat and fish (as a flavoring agent and an aid that perfectly drives away flies), as well as making:

• pickles from vegetables and mushrooms;
• marinades and sauces;
• light "herbal" salads;
• refreshing cold drinks;
• meat gravy.

Moderate use of lovage enhances the taste and aroma of any dish, but this spice goes especially well with mushrooms. Recently, advocates of a healthy diet have been using lovage in the preparation of sour milk-based vitamin drinks. It is believed that adding a small amount of green leaves of the plant to a cucumber-kefir drink helps the body to cleanse itself of toxins faster, which not only entails getting rid of edema, but also gives clean, healthy skin. The use of greens of this spicy herb is shown in the diet of those who have decided to quickly and safely lose weight.

Lovage is also considered very useful in folk medicine. It has been proven that with its help you can overcome the manifestations:

• rheumatism;
• diseases of the gallbladder (including crushing small stones);
• disruption of the digestive tract;
• cardiovascular disease.

In addition, this spicy herb is credited with a diuretic and expectorant effect. It has been proven that lovage juice has an antibacterial effect. Whether our ancestors knew about this or not, it is not known, but the fact that bunches of this fragrant herb hung rooms on Trinity is known for certain.

Decoctions and infusions made from this aromatic plant are used in home cosmetology. Rinsing hair after shampooing with a little cold lovage tea leaves hair soft and shiny.

But, despite such extensive use, pregnant women should not use this herb because it has an abortive effect. In the early stages of pregnancy, this spice, even consumed once, can cause severe bleeding, and in the later stages, it can lead to irreversible consequences, for example, to intrauterine fetal fading.

Hyssop

Hyssop is not a well-known herb for many culinary experts. But this is until they had to try this spice in taste and in action. Culinary experts and winemakers call this herb blue St. John's wort.

The first mentions of this fragrant herb are in the Bible. It was with this plant, tied in small bunches, that dwellings were fumigated during ritual actions. It was believed that the smoke emanating from the smoking bouquets expels evil spirits and brings prosperity, peace and tranquility to the house.

Modern chefs use hyssop during cooking:

• pork dishes;
• cottage cheese casseroles;
• cucumber and tomato salad;
• vegetable side dishes;
• homemade sausages;
• drinks.

This herb is also known in folk medicine. It has bactericidal properties and can have a beneficial effect on diseases such as:

• stomatitis;
• angina;
• tonsillitis;
• laryngitis.

The use of this spice is also indicated for those who suffer:

• angina pectoris and neuralgia;
• bronchial asthma;
• increased sweating;
• rheumatism.

Good results are obtained by the presence of this seasoning in the diet of those who have stomach ulcers. A decoction made from this spicy herb helps to get rid of helminthic infestation, and it shows its effect, unlike many other herbs with a similar effect, against a large number of varieties of parasites.

The only thing I would like to note is that hypertensive patients should not use this spice either in the composition of seasonings or for medicinal purposes, because it can dramatically increase blood pressure and can cause irreversible consequences.

Cucumber herb (borago)

Cucumber herb is the most unusual herb. Unremarkable erect, not particularly branched bushes with rough, one might say, shaggy leaves resembling mint or lemon balm from a distance, fascinate and arouse the interest of many gardeners. The thing is that when you accidentally touch this plant, you can feel the aroma of a fresh cucumber.That is why the plant is often used in the preparation of early spring vitamin salads, which will smell like fresh vegetables plucked from the garden. This spicy herb goes well with dill and parsley, cabbage, basil. The best dressing for this spice is sunflower oil, because it revives the natural essential oils of many spices very well. When you add a small amount of salt and apple cider vinegar to the salad, the treat is simply indistinguishable from a dish prepared with a real vegetable.

Spicy and unusual cucumber herb is used in the manufacture of:

• vinaigrette;
• okroshka;
• sauces;
• meat stews;
• fried fish.

In the countries of the Middle East, amazingly tasty sweets are made from the flowers of this spice based on sugar glaze, and borage leaves and buds are added when brewing green tea. From this, the finished product acquires a fresh taste that cheers up the taster.

Eating salads with cucumber herb helps to keep the cardiovascular system in good shape, and also helps to get rid of unnecessary accumulations in the kidneys and ureters. The therapeutic effect of the plant has been proven in the fight against manifestations:

• rheumatism;
• gout;
• bursitis.

Cucumber herb helps a person cope with seasonal vitamin deficiency. Borage is also indicated for obesity. The spicy herb does not have a piquant aftertaste and has an enveloping effect, so it can be eaten even by those who suffer from various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

As such, there are no contraindications to the use of borago, therefore, compliance with the measure can be considered the only restriction.

Melissa

Some culinary experts identify melissa with peppermint and consider it a type of mint. In fact, this spicy plant belongs to a completely different species and family of herbs. Lemon grass and lemon mint are popular names for lemon balm. This is directly related to the aroma of the plant, somewhat reminiscent of the smell of citrus peel.

The aromatic herb is most often used to make soft drinks and aromatic teas. But, besides this, it is noted that the spice goes well with:

• fish and dishes from it;
• meat, especially poultry;
• cheeses, feta cheese and cottage cheese;
• mushrooms, in particular, with champignons.

The fragrant plant is used for the preparation of marinades and pickles: the workpieces from this acquire a delicate aroma and a hint of freshness in taste. Herb leaves are used to flavor weak alcoholic beverages such as liqueurs. Salads are seasoned with ordinary table vinegar, infused with lemon balm for several months. From this they become more piquant and aromatic.

The aromatic herb has also been used in folk medicine and cosmetology. An alcohol-based tonic is used to wipe the face with a tendency to edema, and is also used in the fight against youthful rash. As an adjuvant therapy, lemon balm tea is recommended for those who are prone to migraines and insomnia, as well as for people suffering from:

• dyskinesia of the gallbladder ducts;
• flatulence;
• tachycardia;
• indigestion of food;
• bronchial asthma;
• menstrual irregularities;
• acute respiratory diseases.

In order to get rid of a toothache, traditional healers recommend chewing a leaf of this aromatic plant for several minutes. Melissa tea lotions help get rid of bags under the eyes and refresh the complexion. The positive effect of a decoction applied externally is noted in the fight against:

• eczema;
• dermatitis;
• cracking of the skin.

Melissa, like many other herbs, is a source of essential oils that are widely used in the production of perfumes and body care products.The limitation to the use of this spicy herb is the period of breastfeeding, because lemon balm is one of the most effective folk remedies used to stop lactation.

Parsnip

Parsnip has been known in Russia for a long time. But more like a vegetable, and not a spicy herb, because its rhizomes were most often used in cooking. The fruit was called the white root, and it was added when cooking clear broths and soups. Modern chefs, along with the roots, put the aromatic plant in dishes and the ground part.

The most popular use of parsnips is to add aromatic herbs to baked oily river fish dishes. The essential oils of the product block the unpleasant smell of fish oil, but at the same time do not affect the taste of the finished delicacy in any way. Young parsnip leaves along with the stalks are put into fresh vitamin salads, and also added to cold summer soups along with other herbs and fresh herbs. Dried foliage is used when kneading dough, and the product manifests itself especially well in a bulk dough pie stuffed with stewed cabbage or with minced sea fish.

Parsnips are used in traditional medicine to treat skin diseases. It is used to prepare allopathic drugs that can overcome even one of the most difficult diseases - vitiligo, which manifests itself as white spots all over the body of various shapes and sizes that do not lend themselves to sunburn.

Eating parsnip greens allows you to resist:

• stomach cramps;
• cardiovascular disease;
• weakness of the capillaries;
• venous stasis.

Nutritionists note that eating parsnips in large quantities helps the production of gastric juice, therefore it can cause an uncontrollable desire to eat and can provoke overeating. That is why the greens of this spicy plant should not be eaten uncontrollably.

Verbena

A spicy herb like verbena is cultivated by many gardeners for its decorative function. And few people know that the greens of this beautiful plant are used in the preparation of spicy aromatic seasonings. The best use of vervain is to use fresh shoots when pickling cucumbers. The leaves and flowers of this plant are infused with sweet syrup and then poured with vodka. The result is a surprisingly tasty liquor-like drink. Fresh and young herbs of this spicy plant (in small quantities) are put in salads and also used in cooking vegetable stews. Dishes from this acquire a delicate aroma and slight sourness, as when using lemon juice.

Verbena is a melliferous plant. Its delicate aroma attracts pollinating insects to the site and allows you to increase the yield of fruit crops. The scent of this plant helps relieve headaches and stimulates memory. In the old days, the plant was considered a symbol of love. Those who had this herb growing in their front garden were not threatened with family troubles and scandals, and their house was "a full cup."

A decoction from this plant helps with female diseases: it improves blood flow in the uterus and stimulates ovarian function. That is why drinking and eating dishes prepared with this spice are contraindicated for pregnant women.

Chervil

Chervil, which in some regions is known as "kupyr", is used in the preparation of many dishes. The scent of this green and fluffy spicy herb transforms the palate:

• fried fish;
• baked meat, especially poultry, lamb and beef;
• sauces;
• omelets and other egg dishes;
• baked potatoes.

This herb is added to butter and dairy products, combined with basil, celery stalks and tarragon. In the first case, the so-called green butter for sandwiches is obtained, and in the second, a vitamin drink with invigorating and tonic properties.

Chervil is also used in folk medicine and cosmetology. A decoction of this spicy herb has an astringent effect and helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and chronic diseases of the genitourinary system.

Kumin

Cumin, or cumin, is one of the most common herbs in the world. For the most part, the bitter seeds of this plant are used in cooking, but there are also such kitchens where the green shoots of this herb are used. Such a region is Gagauzia, which is a small territorial union in the south of Moldova. There, cumin leaves in combination with herbs and dill umbrellas, as well as onions are used in the preparation of quick salted cucumbers.

In other regions, young cumin leaves are used for:

• cooking light soups;
• making cold snacks;
• cooking salads.

From the greens of cumin, infusions are prepared, which are used along with decoctions from the grains of this plant. Healing liquids have antiseptic and wound healing properties.

Mustard

Mustard is a very valuable herbaceous herb, whose young shoots are used to make vitamin salads and drinks. The cultivation of this plant on the site is very unusual, because it is bred not so much for the sake of obtaining spicy greens, as for the sake of enriching the soil with minerals, since the plant in agricultural technology is considered a green manure.

In cooking, medicine and pharmacology, mustard powder is considered more popular, from which the well-known spicy sauce is prepared. Pounded seeds are also used in traditional and folk medicine, making mustard plasters, and small grains are entirely used in canning mushrooms and vegetables: they give the marinades aroma and add a touch of piquancy to the taste.

Lavender

Lavender is considered by many to be a beautiful flower rather than a spicy herb. But they are wrong. The fragrant inflorescences of this plant have long found application in both cooking and pharmacology, as well as in the perfume industry. French and Italian chefs season meat and fish dishes with lavender, and also use it with juniper berries for smoking. The aroma of lavender goes well with thyme and sage. It is this combination of spices that is most often seen in gourmet recipes.

In addition to flowers, lavender oil is especially popular. A few drops of the preparation transform the taste of any sauce or dressing for meat.

In folk medicine, this herb is used for insomnia and migraines. To get rid of these conditions, it is recommended to make small pads that are filled with dried lavender stems and inflorescences. One such bag can serve throughout the year. A decoction of lavender is used for taking baths that can alleviate the condition with:

• neurasthenia;
• rheumatism;
• urolithiasis;
• inflammatory kidney disease.

Dermatologists advise wiping the skin with an aromatic infusion to keep it in good shape, as well as to get rid of dryness and flaking.

Gardeners and gardeners alike appreciate this herb for its beauty and aroma. Most often, the plant is planted on alpine hills, where, in addition to its decorative value, lavender also serves as a protection against slipping of rocky soil. The only problem is that this herb is very thermophilic and does not grow in the northern regions.

Kolyuria

Coluria is considered a perennial spicy herb and belongs to the pink family. The plant is widespread in the western and eastern parts of Siberia and grows in the mountains and in the valleys of mountain rivers. It is not possible to grow this plant in the middle lane, but the cheapness of raw materials, qualitatively comparable to expensive spices, makes the agro-technical farms of Siberia to propagate the plant in a cultural way.

In cooking, the rhizomes of this spicy herb are used.When dried, they resemble the aroma of cinnamon cloves. That is why this spice is most often used in the confectionery industry for flavoring dough and drinks.

Alcohol is infused on the aromatic powder, and then the resulting product is used in the alcoholic beverage industry. The peculiarities of the plant also make it possible to use it in the pharmaceutical and perfumery industries, and even in the production of canned food.

Canooper

A spicy herb with an unusual name for the ear "canooper" has long been used in cooking. For making sauces; Dressings and pickles are most often used with fresh foliage and young stems of the plant, while confectioners prefer to use the powder obtained from the dried flowers of this plant. Botanists know this herb as balsamic tansy. This plant does not have decorative properties, therefore it is rarely cultivated by anyone on their plots. But experienced gardeners know that canooper has recently been grown in large quantities as a valuable essential oil crop.

Balsamic tansy, fresh and dried, is used in the manufacture of:

• beer;
• cheese;
• pickled apples;
• salted mushrooms;
• pickled cucumbers;
• kvass.

Tea is brewed with aromatic herbs, which resembles a drink with the aroma of bergamot. The only thing that should be said is that such a drink is a diuretic.

The oil obtained from the Canuper seeds has long been infused with olive oil. This tool was used as an antiseptic. Modern doctors use this oil to be applied to hematomas and wounds. Also, powdered seeds are used as a disinfectant. Dried canoper is used as a moth repellent.

Sagebrush

Wormwood is considered by many to be a weed, but in fact this plant is a spicy herb. In nature, there are a huge number of varieties of this plant, but the most common everywhere is wormwood, or Chernobyl. It is this herb that is used in the preparation of alcoholic beverages, for example, vermouth or absinthe.

One of the varieties of wormwood is the herb tarragon, the properties and human use of which are described in the subsection above.

In folk and traditional medicine, the tincture of this plant is used as a means of stimulating the appetite, and also when there is a suspicion of human infection with worms. In addition, the spicy scent of wormwood keeps fleas and bedbugs away. That is why its bundles are hung in animal sheds and other outbuildings, and are also often used to make panicles.

Ruta

Rutu is bred by a very large number of flower growers, because she has a special splendor of foliage and has a rich green color. But only the most curious know that this plant is a spicy herb that is used both in cooking and in cosmetology.

The genus of rue includes about fifteen varieties, among which there are poisonous ones. Culinary experts use fragrant greens of rue in cooking. Most often, the leaves are added to:

• salads;
• green oil;
• vinegar.

The leaves of the plant taste like wild garlic onions or young garlic, but the smell of the plant is more like parsley.

In cosmetology, an alcoholic infusion of rue leaves is used to treat dermatitis, and is also applied in the form of bandages to burned areas of the body during the period of tissue scarring. This helps to avoid scarring. The inimitable scent of this plant has attracted the attention of perfumers. Currently, the esters extracted from this spicy herb are used as a perfume in the manufacture of creams and perfumes.

Pregnant women should not eat the greens of this spicy herb, because the juice of this plant, taken internally, causes miscarriages at all times.

Donnik

Melilot is known more as a fodder or medicinal plant than as a herb. But in fact, this plant is used in the alcoholic beverage industry to infuse vodka. From this, the drink acquires a mild taste and becomes less pungent. In addition, this dried herb is added to the tobacco used in the manufacture of cigarettes.

This spice is not used in cooking because it has a pungent taste. Although it is this quality of the spicy herb that is valued in medicine. On the basis of the pollen of this plant, allopathic preparations are made that can cure rheumatism. It is also used as an anticonvulsant and adjuvant therapy for coronary thrombosis.

Despite the fact that the spice is rarely eaten, you should know that it is harmful to those who have low blood clotting.

Avens

Gravilat cannot be called a famous spicy herb, but nevertheless, many culinary experts respect this plant and use it in cooking. Most often, this spice is added to:

• kvass;
• beer;
• wine;
• butter dough;
• salads;
• sauces and dressings for main courses.

Wine or vodka, infused on crushed dried gravilat roots for a month, is used for medical purposes as a drug that prevents bloating, nausea and vomiting in some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Marigold

Marigolds, or marigolds, are a flowering, aromatic garden herb that has long been used as a spice in many mixtures and seasonings. The second name of this plant is "Imeretian saffron". This is exactly what the dried flowers of this plant are called in the Caucasus, where it is part of the world famous mixture of hops-suneli. Culinary experts all over the world use a fragrant seasoning to marinate meat and fish.

In addition to being used in cooking, this herb has found its place in folk medicine. A decoction of marigolds is drunk for diseases of the bladder, as well as to alleviate the patient's condition during the period of release of sand or small stones from the ureters. Dried leaves of the plant are used as a mild emetic, as well as for the treatment of febrile conditions in acute respiratory diseases.

Amateur flower growers "respect" this plant. Its exuberant and beautiful bloom pleases the eye from July to September, and its specific aroma is able to drive away pests.

Monarda

Monarda is a tall ornamental herb that growers cultivate for beauty. In some regions, the flower is called the blooming rue, although it has nothing to do with the rue family. The scent of monarda spreads far beyond the site. Culinary experts use both stems and leaves in cooking, but most often flower petals are used. They are put in small quantities in all kinds of drinks. It is noteworthy that a little dried monarda added to the teapot when brewing tea makes it possible to feel the flavor of bergamot.

Despite the fact that most herbs lose their aroma when dried, the flowers of this plant, on the contrary, smell stronger when dry. Fresh leaves have the aroma of citrus zest combined with nutmeg, and that is why the spice is most often used for:

• marinating meat;
• cooking fish dishes;
• canning.

Young herb leaves can be used in salads or used to make homemade spirits that taste like vermouth.

This herb is also used in medicine, because it has carminative properties. It is also noteworthy that by chewing on a leaf of this plant, you can easily get rid of an unpleasant odor in the mouth or stomatitis. A decoction from this plant is used as a gargle for sore throat, tonsillitis and an irritated palate, which is often annoying when wearing dentures.

Chives

Chives are also classified as a herb. The taste of this plant bears little resemblance to the familiar onion, although visually this plant is very similar to it. Small and thin chives are used fresh and dried. They are seasoned with:

• soups;
• salads;
• second courses of meat and fish;
• vegetable stews and side dishes;
• omelets.

Add spicy herbs to minced meat and pie fillings. The presentable appearance allows the aerial part of the plant to be used for decorating dishes.

From the point of view of traditional medicine, the consumption of chives in food stimulates the digestive function and aids in the easy absorption of food.

Ruccola

Many culinary experts use such a spicy herb as arugula in the preparation of light vitamin spring salads. The aroma of this plant in the dish is impossible not to notice, as well as the taste. This spicy herb belongs to the genus of milkweed and fully corresponds to the taste of this type of plant. Slightly tart and slightly bitter greens have an excellent vitamin composition, which is the best way to restore balance during vitamin deficiency.

In folk medicine, this herb has not found application, but in cosmetology it is used to prepare nourishing masks, which, among other things, also have a whitening effect.

Watercress

Watercress is also a spicy herb., but this vitamin greens belongs to just such a variety of plants. The rich mineral composition and saturation with essential oils make the plant a favorite of many culinary experts and nutritionists.

Fragrant and piquant greens are used exclusively fresh. This spice goes well with products such as:

• potato;
• tomatoes;
• chicken eggs;
• fish;
• fermented milk drinks;
• cottage cheese;
• cheese.

The leaves of the plant are used as a decoration for sandwiches and canapes, and are also added to the soup along with parsley and dill.

Like chives, watercress has the ability to improve digestion. Also, doctors note the fact that eating watercress greens helps to remove water from the body. The juice squeezed from the leaves of the plant was used in the old days as an antiseptic, and the oil that was obtained from the seeds was added during the soap production process.

Ramson

Ramson, although it is a semblance of an onion, but from a botanical point of view, it is a spicy herb. The whole plant is used for food as a whole, although its terrestrial part has a special taste. The taste of wild garlic is a cross between the taste of sweet onion and young garlic. In cooking, this herb is used raw and pickled. They add spicy wild garlic to salads, and also in combination with other seasonal vitamin plants are used in the production of drinks and green oil. Pickled wild garlic is served with protein delicacies.

Due to the saturation with phytoncides, this plant is widely used in folk medicine, especially in the fight against colds.

Citronella

The spicy herb, called citronella, performs a decorative function in the area of ​​most gardeners and flower growers. And culinary experts appreciate this plant for its taste, which are equally good both in a fresh plant and in a dried one. Green citronella leaves are great in Asian cooking. You should be aware that in this case, only the lower part of the leaf is eaten, while the entire leaf can be used to obtain a dry seasoning.

Add spice to:

• poultry and fish dishes;
• vegetable side dishes;
• marinades;
• the drinks;
• first meal.

The plant is considered a natural antiseptic and is capable of healing minor wounds. Doctors also note that lemongrass esters (as this spice is sometimes called) help to overcome anxiety and bad mood.

Nasturtium

Nasturtium is better known to our growers as an ornamental plant, which is often used for landscaping balconies and loggias. But in European countries, this flower is considered a spicy herb and is used in cooking, cosmetology and folk medicine.

The green part of nasturtium can be added to any vitamin salad, and from the buds you can make a delicacy that can easily replace capers in its taste and visual qualities.

An alcoholic infusion of this spicy herb is used in cosmetology. It helps to strengthen the hair follicle. You can use this product regularly every time you wash your hair. According to the reviews of those who have used the remedy from their own experience, we can say that the drug even allows you to get rid of baldness.

In folk medicine, a decoction made from a plant is used as a bactericidal agent, as well as a mucolytic.

We have listed and described only forty of the most famous spicy herbs, but this list can be continued indefinitely, because in each region they will be different. In addition, spicy herbs include not only those plants that visually look like grass. Botanists and culinary experts also consider them:

• vegetable (edible) chrysanthemum,
• calamus,
• katran,
• horseradish,
• ginger

and many other plants that do not even resemble grass in many characteristics.

Best combinations

The best combinations of herbs can be grouped into several groups. For convenience, we will present the information in the form of a plate, in which herbs and spices will be listed opposite the application, which can be combined arbitrarily. Herbs without pungency are usually added to food at the rate of one teaspoon to three liters of food, or to taste. Hot spices are dosed, solely relying on their own feelings.

Mix for:	What spices and herbs does it combine?
Meat	Dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, marigolds, sage, marjoram, fenugreek, thyme, cumin, cilantro, parsley, mint, chives.
Fish	Marjoram, tarragon, dill, cilantro, fennel; anise; marigolds, oregano, basil, lovage, lemon balm, mint, lavender,
Vegetables	Celery, basil, parsnip, parsley, dill, cilantro, borago, cumin, verbena.
Eggs and dairy products	Watercress, chives, chervil, tarragon.
Mushrooms	Parsley, dill, chives, canuper, parsnips, lemon balm, hyssop.
Desserts and drinks, including alcoholic liqueurs	Nasturtium, coluria, anise, fennel, monarda, mint, lemon balm, sweet clover, citronella, gravilat, wormwood, tarragon, lavender, verbena.

It should be remembered that it is advisable to add all spicy herbs to dishes at the end of cooking, and when infusing alcoholic beverages, the compositions should be kept for at least three weeks in a dark and cool room.

How to Choose Quality Herbs?

In order to choose high-quality fresh herbs, you must first of all know these plants, as they say, by sight. An important condition is the absence of dry spots on the petioles, but at the same time those plants that have too wet and short "legs" should be avoided. This may indicate that the spices were plucked a long time ago and all this time were stored in cool rooms in water. Of course, this is not the worst of the options, but it should be noted that herbs retain their spicy properties for several days after collection.

When buying, you should pay attention to the place of dressing the bouquets. In no case should they be black and excessively wet. There should be no yellowed or dry specimens among the bundle of leaves.

In order to understand how fresh the plant is in your hands, it is recommended to conduct a simple test. To do this, with clean, dry hands, you need to rub a leaf of spicy grass, and then smell it and your hands. A fresh plant can not only lightly stain the skin with juice, but will certainly amaze with its aroma already at some distance from the nose. The smell of herbs plucked, shall we say, a long time ago, can be felt only in the immediate vicinity of the leaf.

As for those herbs that use not so much the aerial part as seeds or rhizomes, it should be noted that these parts of the grass retain their qualities for a long time. Moreover, the former are due to the oils enclosed in a dense impenetrable shell, and the latter are due to the presence of spicy juice.

With regard to herbs sold in dried form, it should be said that the main criterion for product quality is dryness and compliance with the terms of sale. Undoubtedly, the specified characteristics of the spices can be learned only by tasting and smelling the spice. This can only be done where dried herbs are sold by weight. But this is where you have to sweat, because a huge number of aromas mix and do not allow you to fully feel the smell. All that remains is to trust the sellers.

The best solution in such a situation will undoubtedly be the cultivation and harvesting of herbs with your own hands. We will try to tell you how to do this as fully as possible in the next section of the article.

How to grow?

How to grow herbs in a personal plot, and also, which of them can be easily cultivated in an apartment? This question can often be seen on thematic forums related to cooking and floriculture.

The first thing a culinary gardener should do is to study the characteristics and requirements for the soil, lighting, humidity and space of each coveted spicy herb. It should be noted that most of the plants are very unpretentious and can grow both in open areas and in a city apartment right on the windowsill.

Herbs such as parsley and chives are easiest to cultivate. They grow fast, have lush greenery, and onions also bloom. It would seem that the simplest and most common plant, called dill, can also be attributed to this category. But this opinion is erroneous, because this plant is susceptible to pests and loves long daylight hours. Inconsistency of conditions will not allow you to get the desired result: the dill will stretch out and quickly turn yellow.

The easiest way to breed perennials. They have their own cycle and regulate it practically without human intervention. For full growth and fruiting, they need warmth and appropriate humidity. As a rule, such spicy herbs are very unpretentious to the soil, get along with most of the plants in the neighborhood and are not susceptible to pest infestation.

Spicy herbs are often grown in flower beds, and in European countries they are used to fill the space in gardens. There are even lands planted only with spices. Moreover, they have not only agricultural purposes, but also perform a decorative function.

In ordinary summer cottages, you can grow a huge number of varieties of spicy plants. All of them are unpretentious to conditions, although, according to agronomists, they will grow best in slightly shaded areas with loose soil. Like other garden plants, herbs like timely watering and loosening. A distinctive feature of the cultivation of spices is that they do not need to be fertilized. This, of course, is largely due to the fact that most often the seeds are sown in previously prepared and overwintered soil, and the fact that most of the plants fully ripen in a very short time. Perennials of herbs most often have a fairly developed root system and can feed on a large plot of land on which there is enough fertilizer.

Having decided to grow herbs on your site or right in the apartment, you should definitely clarify the following points:

• how the spice reproduces (seeds or cuttings);
• at what time you need to sow (in spring or before winter);
• Whether the spice is planted with ready-made seedlings or is sown with seeds directly into the ground;
• requirements for the soil, for example, its acidity or looseness;
• this plant is annual or perennial;
• whether the spicy herb is drought-resistant and will it survive frost;
• how tall the adult grass will be or how wide it spreads over the site;
• what plants can be adjacent to;
• what “neighbors” can inhibit growth;
• what pests are affected;
• how long should it take before the technical ripeness of the spicy herb.

You can buy seeds or seedlings of herbs (even the most exotic ones) in special agricultural (agrotechnical) stores. There you can also get advice regarding the rules and characteristics of cultivation. Often, the main characteristics of the plant and some requirements can be read on the seed packaging.

After sowing seeds into the ground, almost all plants need warmth and constant moisture. This is ensured by the use of a special shelter made of agrofibre, which has become very widespread in recent years. After the appearance of the first shoots, the fabric must be removed.

As practice shows, if you make a little effort and have enough space in the room, you can plant and grow spices such as:

• rosemary;
• tarragon;
• cilantro;
• mustard;
• watercress;
• parsley;
• celery;
• calamus;
• chives.

Caring for plants in the room, from sowing to harvesting, is not much different from the classic cultivation of herbs in the open field. The most difficult occupation is the cultivation of "water" herbs: calamus and watercress. They definitely need to provide high humidity in the room and be given the opportunity to grow in conditions as close as possible to wild ones. In addition, these plants definitely need to create a long daylight hours.

The easiest way to grow rosemary in the room, because it grows without much care. The plant looks like a shrub, so it also copes with the decorative function. The rosemary bush is a perennial that matures rather slowly and therefore can delight its owner for decades. You can learn how to grow herbs in the most unusual containers from the video.

How to prepare for future use and store?

Those who decide to grow plants with their own hands will most likely be interested in how to properly prepare spicy plants for future use and how to store these blanks later without losing quality.

The first thing every cook should know is that there are herbs that are used exclusively fresh. Of the plants listed above, the "fussy" ones include:

• watercress;
• nasturtium;
• tarragon;
• cilantro;
• mustard;
• borage;
• arugula;
• sweet clover;
• rue.

Some herbs can be frozen. These plants include:

• Dill;
• parsley;
• cilantro;
• celery;
• basil;
• chives.

It is fashionable to pickle ramsons and serve them in this form as a spicy and very vitamin supplement.

All plants, except those that are eaten only fresh, can be dried and prepared for the winter. Most often they are formed in bunches and hung or laid out on grates one by one (with leaves or petioles) in the fresh air or dried using a vegetable and fruit dryer at the lowest possible temperature.

Store dry herbs in dark glass jars with silicone or rubber seals on the lids, or in paper bags away from heat sources. Frozen herbs must never be re-frozen. Pickled spices and roots must be kept in the refrigerator. In such conditions, the spices retain their best qualities throughout the year.

Benefit and harm

Little can be said about the benefits and harms of using herbs. With the correct and dosed use of herbs in food, one should not be afraid of harm. Spices will not only bring fresh notes to any delicacy, but will also help you get a gastronomic pleasure.Do not neglect the advice, because the intentions of people warning against possible harm are only good. Nutritionists say that absolutely all plants containing essential oils cannot be eaten by those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, as well as stones in the gall, kidneys and bladder. This is due to the fact that oils irritate the digestive organs and can cause heartburn and discomfort, and also, the esters contained in them can cause the movement of sand in the ureters. Culinary specialists who have decided to add a spicy herb to a dish should always remember about the contraindications to the use of each seasoning, and also take into account the individual intolerance of the product.

We hope that after reading and studying this article, many novice cooks will be able to use the knowledge gained in their activities, and the dishes prepared by them will become even tastier, more aromatic and refined than when among the spicy herbs in the refrigerator (and in the garden) were just plain parsley and dill.

Perhaps no garden can do without fragrant, fragrant spicy herbs. These herbs are indispensable for the preparation of summer dishes, necessary for preparations for the winter. Many of these scented herbs can be grown not only by experienced gardeners, but even by novice gardeners. What could be better than such a bed with fragrant spicy herbs in the garden or a garden!

I present to your attention the top 11 herbs that can be grown in your garden.

1. UKROP (Anethum Graveolens )

Probably the most common plant in our gardens. Dill is one of the few plants on this list that is easy to grow by sowing seeds directly into the ground. Dill can be sown throughout the summer and prefers sunny locations. Dill is an annual plant, but it spreads easily by self-seeding, so next year you will probably see young dill plants where you planted it last year. Learn more about growing dill.

2. PETRUSHKA (Petroselinum Crispum )

Her one is a very popular herb in our area. Probably, there are no summer residents who would not grow parsley on their plot. Parsley can be root (both root and leaves are edible) and leafy (only leaves are eaten. Parsley must be dried well or frozen for winter consumption. Read more about growing leaf parsley.

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3. BASIL (Ocimum SPP)

The bright, showy basil leaves and aromas are inextricably linked to summer gardens and delicious food. Basil has many varieties, there are varieties with very beautiful leaf color, and there are varieties with different tastes. You can plant several different varieties of this wonderful plant next to each other. Basil can be dried or frozen in fall for use in winter. Basil is easy to grow from seed, or you can buy a containerized seedling at a garden center. Learn more about growing basil.

4. THYME (Thymus vulgaris)

Thyme or thyme is a fairly common herb that is also easy to grow. Thyme grows rapidly to restrict its growth, thyme can be grown in a container. All it needs is sun, good drainage and not too much watering, and you will be harvesting the fragrant thyme leaves over the next few years. Like sage, thyme also has edible and decorative species (inedible). Therefore, be careful when buying seeds. Learn more about growing thyme.

5. SAGE (Salvia officinalis)

This useful plant with gray velvety leaves looks extraordinarily impressive when planted along the edges of beds or flower beds. It does not need much moisture at all and it will grow remarkably all summer without much hassle in a sunny place or in partial shade. The harvested leaves can be dried and stored for a long time. And then use it as a fragrant seasoning for meat dishes.You can grow sage from seeds; it is better to plant it in a permanent place with grown seedlings. When buying seeds, pay attention to the fact that you buy an edible type of sage - medicinal sage, since there are also inedible, ornamental varieties of it. Read more about the cultivation of medicinal sage.

6. MINT (Mentha SPP)

This wonderful plant with a refreshing taste finds a variety of uses in cooking - and in the preparation of meat dishes, and salads, and refreshing drinks and desserts. Mint grows best in sunny locations, it is prone to overgrowth and if undesirable, mint can be grown as a container plant. It is best to grow mint seedlings. Learn more about growing mint.

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7. SOUL - OREGANO and MAYORAN (Origanumspp)

Confusion often arises around the names oregano, oregano and marjoram. The question arises - is it the same plant, or different? Both of these herbs are close relatives and belong to the same genus.Origanum... Outwardly, these herbs are similar, although they have taste differences. Oregano, also called "wild oregano", has a spicier taste. Marjoram has a more subtle and delicate aroma. There will be little hassle with the cultivation of these plants. They grow wherever there is adequate lighting and good drainage. Leaves are used as a seasoning and can be collected and dried. These herbs in the garden are best grown by seedlings. Learn more about growing oregano and marjoram.

8. LAVENDER (Lavandula SPP)

This plant is one of the favorite among many gardeners. Some love her for her stunningly beautiful blooms, others for her scent. Lavender is a plant from the Mediterranean that loves warmth and sun. But even in our latitudes, lavender can be grown as an annual crop with seedlings. Lavender is also great for container growing. Learn more about growing lavender.

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9. ESTRAGON (Artemisia Dracunculus ‘Sativa’)

This herb is native to France, where it is commonly grown in gardens. It is highly regarded in cooking and tastes and smells like licorice or anise. It is quite difficult to grow French tarragon in our latitudes, but it is the most fragrant type of tarragon. In our climate, you can grow Russian or Mexican tarragon, which, although less aromatic, is much easier to grow. Learn more about growing tarragon.

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10. ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis)

When looking at officinal rosemary for the first time, it is difficult to imagine that this plant with narrow, tough leaves can be edible. But this plant is used as a fragrant condiment. Rosemary is very common in Tuscany, where it grows in sun-drenched rocky soils. In our latitudes, rosemary can be grown in containers that can be placed near the house or in the garden for the summer, and with the onset of cold weather removed to a warmer place. Learn more about growing rosemary.

11. LEMON HERB (Cymbopogon citratus )

This herb, quite exotic for our gardens and orchards, is used to make tea and is also added to soups. It has a bright lemon scent. This plant, unfortunately, does not overwinter in the open field, it can be grown in a seedbed, as an annual, or grown in containers. Lemon grass looks very impressive in pots, which can be brought to a warmer place for the winter. Lemongrass propagates by cuttings or dividing the bush.

If you grow any other spicy herbs in the garden, then tell us about them in the comments!