Book Review: Herbs Their Culture and Uses by Rosetta E. Clarkson

The third book written by Mrs. Clarkson

Rosetta Clarkson became an herb junkie after spending time in England becoming familiar with Seven Oaks Herb Farm and Culpeper's.  That was in 1931.  This book was written in the 40's (I have the 1990's version.) after her first two books called Magic Gardens and Green Enchantment were published.  She didn't have an herb business, but she did have a large herb garden that she used for her herbal inspiration.  As I was taking notes, I was practically writing down each sentence.  It does not have glossy, color photos.  What it lacks in photos, it does have very solid information on how to propagate herbs, outdoor plantings, unusual herb plants, the culinary garden, the fragrant herb garden, indoor herb gardening, harvesting and drying, herb dyes, potpourri, herb products, herb vinegars, the uses of herbs in cooking, herb teas and beverages, the marketing of herbs, tabular paragraphs on 101 useful herbs and herb tables.

In a bit of over 200 pages, she jam packs each page with very useful information.  I especially like the last chapter of herb tables where she has 26 (Yes, one for each letter of the alphabet.) tables on various herb subjects, herbs that grow in shade or part shade, herbs for dry places, herbs for moist places, herbs for low edgings, ground cover herbs, etc.  I think you get the idea.  If you are looking for a good basic book on herb gardening, give this one a try.  It is available from amazon.com and bookfinder.com

If you are looking for additional information on artemisia, the 2014 Herb of the Year, check out Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh's post on artemisia and dusty miller. We are a balmy 21 degrees here and the temperature is only going to go up.  Although we are supposed to get snow in between rain and warmer temperatures for the weekend.  Hope you are warmer wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Sitting on a Cold, Freezing Windowsill!

Orphans from the Local Garden Center!

A lot of my gardening is smoke and mirrors, herbally speaking and because of The Herbal Husband.  The Herbal Husband went down to the local garden center to buy something he needed last year.   He came back with a bunch of basil cuttings that were pretty much lifeless.  He said, "They were just going to dry it.  I asked if I could have them.  I'm going to put them in water, root them and plant them."  I don't say no any more.  He has brought life back to many plants that I thought should go on the compost pile.  It does keep him out of further trouble!  So as you can see by the photo above, it worked.  We actually have had Greek style caprese salad a few times.  Adding feta cheese instead of mozzarella and olives.   I think though that the basil will have to come off the windowsill for the next several nights!  They might get frostbite or die!

A Greek style caprese salad in January!

For those of you in the U.S., I don't have to tell you that it is FREEZING!  Actually we are around 24 degrees at the moment but we are only going down.  The one saving grace about this cold is that we do have snow cover and it will be over by Wednesday for the 'Burgh!  But in the meantime we will be Zero tomorrow!  Hope you are staying warm wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Just Wanted to Mention, Herbally Speaking!

Lemon Verbena in Bloom

I added today all of the lemon verbena recipes that are sprinkled throughout this blog on the Lemon Verbena Recipes Page at the top of my home page.  Hopefully, it will make it a bit easier for you if you are looking for a recipe using lemon verbena.  Remember I suggest using fresh in cooking recipes and dried in all other ways.  I'll hopefully be starting on my posts for herbal teas shortly.  In the meantime it is snowing very fine snow at the moment.  I think we have a couple of inches and more is to come!  Hope you are safe and warm wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

Snow Covering the Herb Garden

Celebrating the 2014 Herb of the Year, Artemisia!

Yes, French tarragon is an artemisia!

Sweet Annie Waiting to be a Wreath!

Well, I thought I would come out of the herbal gate strong with a post on the 2014 Herb of the Year, Artemisia.  So here are two of my favorite artemisias, French tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus 'Sativa') and Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua).   French tarragon is sterile and so if you find tarragon seeds, they are mostly likely an inferior form of Russian tarragon which has very little flavor.  You must buy a plant or take a cutting from a fellow gardener's plant.  One of the best ways to preserve French tarragon is in white wine vinegar.  Once you have flavored the vinegar for about two weeks, you can use the tarragon just as you would fresh.  It is very well paired with chicken and has a wonderful anise flavor.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Sweet Annie which gives me a headache and maybe that is why I haven't done anything with this bag yet.  I may even have to work with it on a "warm" day outside if I have to!  It can be a terror in the herb garden madly self-sowing everywhere.  It is a very upright plant which I like for the back of the border.  It is an half-hardy (If it self-sows.) annual herb.   

I'm going to try (If I remember.) to do a post about different artemisias maybe once a month.  Adelma Simmons wrote a whole entire chapter on artemisia in her book, Herb Gardening in Five Seasons.  So hopefully, I will glean some new information for you and me.  As maybe you can see, I have changed some things around and delete some unnecessary information.  I'm going to be doing a few more travel posts while we are out of the garden to finish some trips that were unfinished and some suggestions from you.  I'll be busy, but that's good, herbally speaking!  Hope you had a great new year celebration.  Very cold here, but it is January, 2014!  Talk to you later.

Happy New Year!

Hope you all have a wonderful and peaceful New Year's Eve and Day!  Hasn't been my most prolific year of blogging, but I hope you have learned something new in 2013.  If you have any suggestions for 2014, please let me know what you would like me to talk about.  I think right off the top in January it will be a mix of ending vacation trips that didn't get finished and talking about and making different herbal teas and maybe herbs of the Bible.  I think that will keep me busy and you as well.

It is really cold here more like Canada cold.  Stay warm.  Hope you have a favorite tea in your tea cup or mug.  I'll talk to you in the new year, 2014!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Decorated Rosemary Tree with Peruvian Christmas Cloth!

Well, I'm going to take a few days away from blogging.  We're going to have dinner with friends tomorrow and Christmas dinner on our own on Wednesday.  Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and I'll be blogging again later in the week or next week.  It is colder here, but no snow.  Talk to you later.

A Touch of Gray and Green in the Herb Garden!

Oh, The Weather Outside Is . . .

Always Like to Take a Look Around After It Has Been Cold and Snowy!

A Lot of Brown for the Wildlife!

A View From the Bench Into the Herb Garden!

pretty soggy, but warm instead of cold and snowy.  As you can see in the photos above, our snow is gone.  The stuff covering the fig on the hillside behind the herb garden is shredded paper!  Now that it's wet, it hopefully won't get around the neighborhood if the wind picks up!  I always try to get outside and check on the herbs and other plants when it gets warm and make sure the plants haven't heaved up.

As you can see by the banner photo, I got some decorating done!  I think it looks cute.  Hopefully you have had time to decorate and get ready for the big day.  We took a Christmas tour of Hartwood Acres mansion near us yesterday with our friend, Shelley.  It is a beautiful house and decorated for the holidays.  If you are in the Pittsburgh area, you have to get out to see it.

The Christmas Tree in the Great Hall at Hartwood!

Hope you had a great day!  The Winter Solstice is here!  If winter were only this mild!  The real winter comes back on Monday!  Talk to you later.

I Finally Figured It Out, Herbally Speaking!

Today was my last day of jelly making for 2013!  Yippee!  I got three recipes of rosemary garlic jelly made.  I finally figured out how to get the bits of rosemary and garlic suspended throughout the jelly.  You would think that after the hundreds of jars I have made over the years that I would have figured it out before this!

Once the Certo is added and it is boiled for exactly a minute, take it off the heat and start stirring for five additional minutes.  This will take away what little foam there is and it will suspend the bits throughout the jelly!  So I have updated my recipe for you in the link above.

We had a beautiful day here in the 'Burgh.  Very bright sunshine and it's going to get warmer!  Rainy and warm!  Typical December weather!  No white Christmas for us this year!  It will be cold, but no snow.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.  Oh, finally got a wreath on our front door.

Some Last Minute Herbal Gift Ideas!

Past Inspiration for Christmas Decor!

Gosh, the time is zipping by!  Is it because I'm getting older?  More to do with less time?  I don't know.  I do know that if you are looking for the perfect gift for the herbie person in your life.  Here are a couple of links to those posts for some hints:  Herbal Gifts for the Holidays! and Herbal Gifts for the Holidays, Part 2!  I hope that I have given you over the years some good ideas for homemade holiday gifts.  Some of my best ideas are on my page for Mother Earth Living links at the top of my home page.  The December links from 2011 are two of my favorites, using old potpourri and spices to make wreaths.  Well, you are on your own now!  If you need more help, just ask me.  I'm always available for questions.

It is still cold here.  Going to warm up over the weekend.  It will be in the 60's!  What?  So I think we are NOT going to have a white Christmas this year!  Hope you are having a great day!  Talk to you later.