The Burren Perfumery herb garden

The Burren Perfumery was one of the highlights of our visit to Ireland last year. Not so much for the lovely creams, perfumes, soaps and more, that they produce. But for the herb garden. The creams are fabulous too (and we bought quite a few) but the herb garden was delightful. We were there in mid-June, so expected a riot of colour, but it had been a very cold wet spring so the colour palette was more muted. This however allowed us to see the beautiful sculptural stone walls and paving as well as the more subtle coloured flowers and the range of greens, greys and browns of the leaves and bark.

The following is really a photo essay of what we saw with some self-explanatory signs and a few comments from me. Set in the West of Ireland  there is a unique limestone region of outstanding floral diversity known as The Burren. I have written about this wonderful part of Ireland here. The Burren Perfumery is in the middle of this region where 70% of Ireland’s wildflower species can be found. To find out more about the perfumery and their products go to their website

Many of the diverse plants that grow along the roadsides and in the fields of the Burren are in fact medicinal, culinary or cosmetic herbs. You’ll recognise the names if you have any interest in herbs at all, or even if you have just read about them in historical novels. Now you can see some of these in the following photographs.

First of all some more photos of The Perfumery Herb Garden

And now a gallery of some of these mostly native to Ireland herbs.

I love the legend associated with Lady’s Mantle, that if you collect the water droplets from the leaves and rub them into your skin that you will banish wrinkles.

Bee hives in The Burren

Edible day lily flowers

More tough herbs that are easy to grow and will withstand both drought and heat. And they are useful too!

Aloe vera Aloe vera
Description: Fleshy leaves with spiked edges, sometimes spotted.
Growing notes: Perennial clumping plant. Grow by dividing off small side-plants in spring. Frost tender, needs excellent drainage.
Uses: Used medicinally for all sorts of skin complaints. Rub the fresh sap onto bites, burns, sunburn, fungal infections, eczema and other rashes, minor cuts and grazes.

Aloe vera

Garlic chives

Samphire Crithmum maritimum
Description: Pale green, succulent aromatic leaves and green flowers.
Growing notes: Perennial grown from seed sown in spring. Sprawling shrub grows well in coastal regions.
Uses: Leaves are high in mineral salts and vitamin C. Young leaves are cooked as a vegetable, or added fresh to salads, or used as a garnish.

Samphire

Garlic chives Allium tuberosum
Description: Strappy bright green leaves, strong garlic/onion flavour.
Growing notes: Perennial. Divide clumps or sow seed in spring or summer. Lift and divide every 2 yrs.
Uses: Add leaves to any dishes (both fresh and cooked) that would benefit from the garlic flavour. High in vitamins A and C and iron and calcium. Antiseptic and antibiotic. Insect repellent against aphid and thrip. Good edging plant. Grows well in a pot.

Tansy Tanacetum vulgare
Description:  Dark green, aromatic, fern-like foliage. Bright yellow flowers.
Growing notes:  Herbacious perennial. Grow from root division in spring or autumn. Very vigorous spreading clump.
Uses: Strongly pest-repellent, use against fleas, flies and mosquitoes. Plant near doorways, windows and eating areas to repel flys. Add to compost to increase potassium and other minerals, and to speed up decomposition. 

Day lily Hemerocallis species
Description:  Strappy leaves and bright yellow/orange flowers.
Growing notes:  Perennial. Grow from seed or by dividing clumps in spring.  Add compost in spring.
Uses: Flower buds are eaten fresh and dried, their musky flavour being essential to a range of Chinese and Japanese dishes. Add to salads, soups, stir-fries and meat and noodle dishes.

Tansy

Pelargonium Mabel Grey

Scented pelargonium Pelargonium species
Description:  Soft, rounded leaves vary in size and scent depending on the cultivar.
Growing notes:  Woody perennials generally grown from cuttings in spring. Add compost in spring. Sprawling bushes Cut back regularly.
Uses: Scented leaves are used in fruit salads and cakes. Also to make delightfully flavoured teas. The leaves dry well and hold their scent for scented sachets and pot pourri.

Now is a great time to plant herbs, Botanic Gardens, Melbourne

It’s starting to feel like spring at last and this is a time when most plants start moving and growing again and it is an especially good time for herbs. Herbs grow prolifically through spring, so plant them now and reap a bountiful harvest of fragrant leaves and flowers in a very short time. Many of you will already have common herbs like parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, growing in your gardens, but what about others like tarragon, or hyssop or five-seasons herb. Let me introduce you to some less common culinary herbs that are easy to grow, look fantastic in the garden and are really useful in the kitchen.

Blue hyssop flowers attract butterflies and bees

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is shrubby herb that reaches about 50 cm in height and width forming a compact bush, thus making it a useful low hedge or border plant. It also grows well in the pot. Hyssop has woody branches with small, dark green, narrow leaves with a lovely slightly bitter mint scent and flavour.  The flowers grow in one-sided whorls at the ends of the branch and are usually a dark vibrant purple-blue and very attractive to butterflies and bees. There are now forms with pink or white flowers. Although hyssop is not deciduous, older plants will sometimes die back in winter and should be pruned after flowering, generally in late autumn. New plants can be grown from seed sown, or tip cuttings taken, in spring, or root division in autumn. Hyssop likes a sunny, well drained position with some added compost or manure in late spring, but not too much as it will make the branches sappy and weak and lessen the flavour. The tiny flower buds add piquancy when sprinkled over a mixture of salad leaves and hard boiled eggs, while fresh finely chopped leaves (which are much more strongly flavoured) can be added sparingly to any salad, cooked vegetables (especially carrots), soft cheeses, sauces and dips.  They also combine well with most pasta dishes.

French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) has smooth narrow dark green leaves on stalks that grow from a spreading rootstock. It grows to about 40 cm, rarely flowers, and almost never sets seed. Of all the herbs discussed here, French tarragon would be the most difficult to grow, but once the right position is found, it will thrive. Its other drawback is that it dies back completely in autumn and does not reappear until mid-spring. So it is often dug up or replaced in the belief that it is dead, or it just get forgotten. I lost my last plant when my husband decided a path had to be widened and couldn’t see any plants growing. Propagate French tarragon by root division in mid-spring. Its main requirements are good drainage, compost-rich soil and sunshine for about half the day. In very cold regions the roots may need to be protected from heavy frosts with a layer of straw. Every two or three years, dig up the whole plant, break it into several clumps and replant or the plant will lose its vigour and die out. Russian tarragon is often sold as a substitute for French tarragon, and it is similar to look at, but much more vigorous; it both flowers and sets seed. It you are offered tarragon seed it will always be Russian tarragon. Even though it is much easier to grow, the flavour of Russian tarragon is no substitute for French tarragon and I don’t bother growing it. Try chewing a leaf and if the tip of your tongue goes numb then you can be sure that you have French tarragon.

French tarragon is a classic culinary herb

This is a classic culinary herb with a beautiful warm, aniseed flavour and no good cook should be without it in the garden. It doesn’t maintain its flavour well when dried so use it fresh. It combines beautifully with salads (in small amounts), sprinkle finely chopped leaves over a simple French omelette, or roasted mushrooms or stir into soft cheese. Add to any chicken dish (try roasting a chicken with half a lemon and sprig of tarragon instead of stuffing). The flavour can be preserved for winter use by adding to vinegar or by chopping finely, mashing into butter and freezing the butter. French tarragon is an essential ingredient of fines herbes, a traditional French blend of four subtle herbs, the others being parsley, chervil and chives. Fines herbes can be used in most of the same ways as tarragon on its own.

Grow winter tarragon in warmer regions where French tarragon won’t grow

If your climate is fairly tropical and you have trouble growing  French tarragon then try winter tarragon (Tagetes lucida). This herb is also known as Mexican tarragon and sweet mace and is an easy-to-grow perennial reaching about 60 cm in height with erect stems and linear leaves. The golden-yellow two to three petalled flowers occur in clusters at the top of the plant in summer creating a vibrant and colourful display. Plants will thrive in any average soil in full sun with regular water. This plant is frost tender so does best in warmer, frost-free regions, but can be grown as an annual in frosty areas. The leaves of winter tarragon dry well and maintain their flavour. In warmer climates, cut the whole plant back to ground level after flowering has finished, it will re-shoot soon after, and every three or four years, dig and divide clumps in early spring. You can also grow new plants of winter tarragon from seed sown in spring or tip cuttings in late spring. The leaves have a distinct anise scent and flavour which is similar to French tarragon but stronger and more spicy. In Mexico this plant is prized for its affinity with corn, choko, squash and all poultry. It is also crushed with pecan nuts to make a pesto sauce. The leaves can be used in the same way as French tarragon but should initially be used more sparingly until you are used to the slightly different flavour.

Five-seasons herb (Plectranthus amboinicus) is also known as Cuban oregano, five-in-one herb, country borage, Indian borage, Spanish thyme and Mexican mint. The whole plant is succulent and softly hairy with sprawling pale green stems growing from a central root to a height of 70 cm. The thick, scalloped, opposite leaves are pale green, sometimes with reddish markings. There is a variegated form where the leaves have pale yellow margins. The flowers are pale pink and grow in short terminal spikes. The whole plant has a strong scent similar to oregano, but with an extra spiciness. Five-seasons herb is a perennial tropical plant that will not survive cold, damp weather. Grow new plants from seed or cuttings taken in spring. It grows well in a pot and makes an interesting candidate for a hanging basket. In cooler regions, try moving it inside to a sunny windowsill in winter, don’t over water, and it should stay alive through winter. Grow five-seasons herb in a sunny position in well-drained soil — don’t ever let it get too wet. From time to time, nip back new growth to encourage a bushier habit. Sprinkle finely chopped leaves sparingly into soups, stews, and egg and tomato dishes. Trying using it instead of oregano in tomato based meals like pizza and pasta sauces. In Malaysia and Indonesia, leaves are added to strongly flavoured fish, and meat dishes like goat and mutton. The flavour of the leaves combines particularly well with beans, so try stirring a finely chopped leaf into bean salad or soup. In India, leaves are dipped in batter and fried while the Vietnamese add them to sweet and sour soup.

Five-seasons herb is also known as Cuban oregano

The succulent leaves have a spicey oregano flavour

Corn salad has mild, almost melt in the mouth leaves

The lovely autumn days entice me into the garden where I have been madly weeding and cutting back the prolific summer growth. I love this time of year when the soil is still warm, so plants are still growing, but the intense heat has gone. Two plants that come into their own now are corn salad and landcress. These are both annuals (landcress is sometimes biennial) that self sow around my garden providing salad greens right though autumn and winter.
Corn salad (Valerianella locusta) is also known as lamb’s lettuce, and has a delicate very mild flavour with soft leaves that almost melt in the mouth. The leaves are pale green and rounded and grow in small clumps. You can pick the leaves individually or cut whole plants just above the ground, they will re-shoot. Plants only reach about 30cm in height. There are cultivars with golden, extra large and darker green leaves. Grow corn salad in temperate and cold regions from seed sown in autumn, winter and spring—in hot weather it goes to seed almost immediately. I find that mine goes to seed in spring, then disappears until autumn when the plants appear again in a dense clump.

Lancress has a hot, spicy flavour, perfect for winter salads

In contrast landcress (Barbarea vulgaris) self sows in summer and plants appear again in odd corners all over the garden all year round, but most prolifically in autumn. Landcress is also sometimes called winter cress or yellow rocket and is easily grown from seed planted in autumn and spring. It’s a tough, undemanding plant that grows as a rosette of dark green leaves from which stalks, with smaller leaves and a profusion of yellow flowers, grow in summer. It can grow as tall as 70cm when in flower.
Both corn salad and landcress will grow in most soils as long as they are well drained, and they like open sunny or semi-shaded positions. Landcress has hot, spicy crunchy leaves, similar to watercress, that are high in minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin C.
Salad
One of my favourite cool season salads is made by combining these two leaves, the mild, soft corn salad leaves beautifully compliment the strongly flavoured cress, add the last of the summer’s tomatoes, or later in the season gently fry some leeks and stir them in, delicious! —PW

Perennial chamomile adds calcium and ‘sweetens’ the compost.

Just as the success of a meal depends on the quality of the ingredients, so too does the success of a compost heap. If you add only kitchen scraps you’re likely to end up with a slimy, black mess and if it’s all leaves and twigs then the chances are that is what will still be there months later. The fine detail of a compost recipe varies depending on the expert you are consulting, but all compost systems require free drainage, adequate moisture and a mixture of strawy, open material and green plant tissue. The purpose of composting is to break down garden and kitchen ‘waste’ into humus that can then be added to the garden to supply nutrients in a form that can be readily used by plants.

Compost can just ‘happen’. This one has kitchen scraps, straw and green waste.

Ingredients

Basic compost ingredients are kitchen scraps, manure (chook, cow, horse), soil, shredded paper, straw and green waste from the garden. This green waste can be made up of grass cuttings, leaves, weeds and leafy prunings. Sticks and branches are also fine as long as they are cut or mulched into small pieces.  These ingredients should added in layers in much the same way as you would make a moussaka, but instead of eggplant, meat and cheese sauce your layers would consist of kitchen scraps, manure, garden waste and straw or shredded paper. If you are like me and not organized enough to have all these ingredients ready at the same time, then you can just add them as they are available. In the words of the old Zen master, ‘compost happens’. It may take longer but it will get there in the end.

Healthy compost is full of worms

Don’t add diseased plants, or weeds such as couch, oxalis and onion weed, but conversely there are some plants, including some weeds, that will actually add specific nutrients and even help the compost to break down more quickly.

The herbs

My compost recipe requires regular additions of annual and perennial chamomile (Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile), comfrey (Russian comfrey, S. x uplandicum Bocking 14 is the best cultivar to use), dandelion (Taraxacum species), nettles (Urtica dioica), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

Regular handfuls of chamomile, dandelion and yarrow leaves and flowers will all speed up decomposition of the compost with yarrow being the most effective. Yarrow also adds copper, nitrates, phosphates and potash while chamomile adds calcium and ‘sweetens’ the mixture. Dandelions contribute copper, iron and potash. Nettles are problem weeds but they actually improve the quality of the soil they are growing in and when added to the compost they contribute iron and nitrogen. Tansy adds potassium, which is very important for plant growth while valerian increases the phosphorous content so essential for good flowers and fruits. Probably the most useful compost plant is comfrey. The leaves are rich in potassium, nitrogen, calcium and phosphates. I keep a clump growing next to the compost and add a handful of leaves whenever I throw in kitchen scraps.

Dandelion leaves and flowers help to speed up decomposition.

Yarrow adds copper, nitrates, phosphate and potash to the compost.

We all know that adding herbs to food increases the flavour and enjoyment of the food. Adding herbs to compost doesn’t quite make it good enough to eat, but it speeds up and improves the composting process. It also ensures that the compost you add to your garden has a good balance of nutrients thus promoting the health and fertility of the soil, so essential for healthy plants.