Article from website Dave’s Garden
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/a-guide-to-gifting-herbs
A Guide To Gifting Herbs
by Anna
Burke (Anna Burke) December 7, 2015
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· Give a gift that keeps
on giving this year.
Herbs
make the perfect gift choice for gardeners, chefs and even loved ones without a
green thumb. These attractive plants are aromatic and practical, offering
culinary and medicinal uses for every home. Choosing the right herbal gift can
be tricky. Let this herbal gift guide help you make the right choice this
holiday season.
Choosing The Perfect Herb For The Gardener
Giving
a gardener a plant is a recognition of their passion and shows your
appreciation for the friendship you share. Herbs provide tasteful, aromatic
plantings for ornamental gardens and offer a culinary treat for the vegetable
gardener. Some gardeners enjoy making herbal teas and remedies with their
herbs. You might even find yourself the beneficiary of a handmade herbal sachet
in future holidays if you gift the right herbs to your gardening friends.
Here
are the best herbs to give as gifts for gardeners this year.
11 Herbs For Vegetable Gardeners
Vegetable
gardeners appreciate useful herbs. They want herbs that complement their fresh
produce, like:
- Basil
- Dill
- Chives
- Coriander
- Parsley
- Mint
- Thyme
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Oregano
- Rosemary
Depending
on where your gardener friend lives, these plants might need to spend the
winter indoors. Take a moment to read up on the herb's cold tolerance. If your
climate is too cold for the herb, put in in an attractive pot. That way your
friend can keep it indoors or in a greenhouse during the cold months.
12 Herbs For Ornamental Gardeners
Ornamental
gardeners appreciate aromatic herbs and herbs that attract beneficial insects.
Many of these herbs boast interesting textures and attractive blossoms. Here
are 12 herbs that bring subtle beauty to the garden, occupying sometimes
difficult to fill niches:
- Lemon
balm
- Lavender
- Thyme
- Chamomile
- Sage
- Catmint
- Sweet
cicely
- Dill
- Anise
hyssop
- Garlic
chives
- Borage
Try and choose a plant
that is suitable for your friend's climate. You can put it in a pot until
spring, but the ornamental gardener in your life will want to incorporate your
herb into their garden design.
12 Herbs For Container Gardeners
Herbs
make excellent container plants. Some, like mint, are best cultivated in
containers to prevent the plant from spreading. Your container gardening loved
one will appreciate most herbs, but especially those that do well in pots.
Consider accompanying your gift with a new herb planter.
Try
one of these 12 herbs for container gardeners:
- Basil
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Rosemary
- Tarragon
- Lavender
- Lemon
balm
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Sage
- Thyme
- Oregano
Choosing The Perfect Herb For The Chef
Every
good chef knows the value of fresh ingredients. Give your chef friends a potted
herb to spice up their recipes this year. With any luck, they'll even invite
you over for dinner. Here are 10 mouthwatering culinary herbs the chef in your
life is guaranteed to love.
1. Basil
Basil
is the primary ingredient in every pasta lover's favorite treat - pesto. Basil
flourishes year round in a windowsill and is delicious when served as a
garnish, slathered in olive oil atop tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese, or
ground into pesto.
2. Oregano
Another
Italian classic, oregano is a staple in sauces, soups, and seasonings.
3. Chives
Chives
add a taste similar to garlic and onions but packaged in crisp, green shoots
that bring out the flavors in soups, fish, potatoes, and other vegetables.
4. Cilantro
No
Mediterranean dish or salsa is complete without a hint of cilantro. Plus, the
plant's seeds, known as coriander, are another culinary seasoning no
respectable chef goes long without.
5. Parsley
Parsley
is called for in many meat and vegetable dishes. Its subtle flavor complements
any dish it is paired with.
6. Peppermint
There
is more to peppermint than its role as the key ingredient in a mojito.
Peppermint tea and peppermint hot chocolate provide necessary comfort drinks
during the cold months. This tried and true perennial favorite pots up nicely
for the kitchen windowsill.
7. Rosemary
If
there are lamb fans in your circle, rosemary is the gift to give. Rosemary is a
primary ingredient in many meat dishes, and it also comes in tasteful Christmas
tree shapes this time of year.
8. Sage
Poultry,
sausage, and sauces wouldn't be the same without the leaves of this herb. Sage
is not only tasty, it is beautiful, making it a decorative accent as well as an
essential seasoning.
9. Tarragon
The
anise-like flavor of tarragon adds zest to poultry, egg, vegetable and seafood
dishes.
10. Thyme
Everyone
needs a little more thyme in their lives. Chefs add thyme to soups, stocks, and
sauces to add its subtle flavor to the dish.
Giving Herbs To Friends With Black Thumbs
Not
everyone has a green thumb. Gardeners tend to forget that some of our beloved
family and friends might not share our passion for plants. Giving a living
thing as a holiday present comes with a commitment. Your friend will feel
obligated to keep the plant alive, and might even feel guilt if it dies.
It
is your responsibility to make caring for the herb you give them as easy as
possible. There are three ways you can do this:
- Choose
a hardy herb
- Provide
a plant pot
- Include
care instructions
Hardy Herbs
Choose
a hardy perennial herb for your black-thumbed loved ones like one of these 6
herbs:
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
- Lemon
balm
- Mint
- Lavender
Plant Pots
Whether
its over watering or underwatering, water is usually the cause of a plant's
demise. Consider purchasing a self-watering plant pot to accompany your
herbal gift to take the pressure off of your friend.
Care Instructions
You
don't want to sound condescending, but you do want to give your friend a little
"care card." Let them know if the herb likes shade or sun, requires
frequent or infrequent waterings, and most importantly, how to harvest
clippings.
While
you're shopping for herbs, pick a few up for yourself to brighten up your home
and garden in the new year.
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About Anna Burke
Anna Burke has been
farming and gardening for over 6 years. She graduated from Smith College with a
degree in English Literature. A few months after graduation she started a small
sheep farm in Upstate New York with her partner. Anna enjoys growing vegetables
and raising livestock.
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