Italian Herb Garden
Having an Italian themed herb garden is fun and exciting. With Italian herbs straight from your garden you can delve into the delicious world of Italian cooking. Using your own fresh herbs will enhance it even more.
Basil is one of the most recognized Italian herbs and is used extensively in Italian cooking. In addition to its wonderful flavor and aroma, it is quite useful in the garden as well. Intermingling basil with tomatoes and peppers actually improve the flavor of those fruits. Another benefit is that basil is good for pest control, repelling both flies and mosquitoes.
Do not let the difficulty of growing parsley deter you from adding it to your garden. It is used in a number of cuisines and is a foundational herb. Its history as a plate garnish goes back centuries. Before breath-mints people would chew or eat parsley after a meal (especially one with garlic) to eliminate bad-breath. Soon, parsley was server on a small plate after the meal for this purpose. That tradition has evolved into putting parsley on the plated dish as garnish.
Oregano is used as an ornamental and culinary herb. It displays pretty purple flowers at maturity. For the most flavor harvest after it has flowered.
Popular for use in Italian sausage, fennel seed (aka anise) adds a depth to the flavor. Unlike oregano, fennel loses its flavor as it matures. It is a perennial and every few years should be divided and replanted to add to its flavor.
Rosemary, like basil, is a garden-friendly herb. It matures into a large, tough, shrub that displays beautiful small blue flowers. These flowers attract bees that work to pollinate the garden. Although it is an evergreen perennial provide it plenty of frost protection.
Garlic is a staple in any kitchen, especially the Italian one. It flavor and aroma brings a distinctively unique quality to any dish. Every Italian herb garden should have garlic planted in it. Plant the clove and let it go; it requires little maintenance. After digging the mature bulbs it can be used fresh, pickled, or frozen. When storing in the refrigerator or freezer keep it in an airtight container so its flavor does not invade other foods.
From salads to meat dishes sage is used in a variety of Italian dishes. It is most flavorful when harvested as young shoots. Keep the plant from becoming too woody by trimming it regularly. This pruning also encourages the production of new shoots. Allow it to bloom before harvesting.
Consider what herbs you will likely use before you plan your Italian herb garden. Understanding each herb’s unique growing needs will help you determine if you can give each its proper environmental conditions. Don’t limit your Italian herbs to kitchen duty. Many are extremely useful in landscape design, and as aromatic or ornamental arrangements. By planting Italian herbs in your garden you can take a sensory walk on an Italian hillside whenever you go to your garden.
Happy Herb Gardening!
