Summer herbs for flavour

On a visit to one of my favourite spots …The Benowa Botanic Gardens, these gardens are in Southport on the coast and if you are in the area are a must visit. There are several areas in the gardens where families congregate to relax, play, eat or just to explore.

My favourite area is a large native walk replicating bush, rainforest, grasslands and has some very large specimens of banksias, grevilleas and grass trees just to name a few. I missed the flowering of the stunning Gymea Lily. Botanic gardens are often found in medium to large country towns, as well as the larger cities, giving the garden lover much enjoyment as you wander around and take in the manicured garden beds, often maintained by friends of the garden groups, giving us beautiful displays all year round. The Australian Botanical Garden in Shepparton is a lovely garden to visit.

Summer herbs are looking and tasting their best with the recent rains and warm humid days. Lemongrass is putting on lots of new growth and if kept in a warm sheltered spot over winter will reshoot in spring for harvesting over the summer and autumn.

Basil is taking off at a great pace as the days warm up giving us that spicy addition to our spring/summer salads and plenty extra to make a fresh pesto. One of my favourite herbs is the Lemon Verbena shrub which, by using a few leaves in a pot, will give you the most refreshing tasting tea. Lemon balm can also be used for this tea as are the dried leaves of the lemongrass stalks.

It’s a great time to take cuttings of lavender, rosemary, thyme and oregano to pot up in a shady spot over summer then planting out in the autumn or the following spring once roots have formed.

So if you are looking for a lovely day out go and check out some Botanic Gardens …. Wouldn’t it be lovely if we had our own in our town?

Happy Gardening

‘Green Earth Gardener’