HERBS THAT CAN BE GROWN AT HOME
“At Granny Mouse Country House and Spa, we love our beautiful gardens that grow exquisitely throughout the year”, says Granny Mouse Country House & Spa General Manager, Sean Granger. “We also love to grow our own herbs which not only smells gorgeous, but are used in our culinary art which we are super proud of!”, he added.
If you don’t have a big garden, it’s so easy to have herbs growing and no matter how small your deck, patio, porch or window sill is, there is no excuse not to grow herbs which bring with them an extra dimension of beauty with their colours, fragrances and textures as well as providing divine flavours and nutritional value.
Some potted herbs that are perfect for small places that we recommend to grow at home are as followed:
- One of our favourites is Basil which is an annual herb and grows super well in a sunny spot. Easy enough to plan from seed make sure you water well during our humid hot summers, but in the day not at night. Basil is perfect in salads, pasta dishes and of course to make pesto.
- Parsley, another firm favourite for many of us can grow inside and outside, thriving in pots, and awesome that you can harvest regularly. Parsley also grows super well with Basil and remember when potting, a little shade in summer and a sunny spot in winter. It’s a fantastic herb to downplay the pungency of garlic dishes.
- Then there is Mint, oh and what a delightful smell, and interesting to know there are so many varieties thereof. They spread easily and best grown in large pots and not in gardens. Mint really grows well under a dripping tap. The water keeps the compost and soil moist and makes it grow like crazy. Try keeping the plant in part shade if you can. Keep cutting, and see it just keeps on growing. Great with lamb, couscous and bulgur wheat salads and even in a refreshing summer drink.
- Another herb that loves a window sill are Chives, just make sure you don’t forget to water. They do live for a good few seasons and are perfect chopped up and added to salads, stews and any meat dishes.
- A bay leaf is an evergreen tree that can become enormous if left unpruned. Plant your bay leaf tree in a large colourful pot and place near a sunny window. It really is a pretty tree and you can use fresh or dried in your soups, stews, casseroles or even curries adding a lovely flavour to your dishes.
So give it a bash, and add some greenery and lovely fragrances to your kitchen and home while enjoying nutritional value from these superb herbs!
