A Garden of Herbs
NOWADAYS every one who writes a book, especially a
small book, offers an apology for doing so. But this book
is so unpretentious that an apology for writing it would be
absurd. There is an immense wealth of literature, both
learned and charming, on the subject of herbs, but there is
no small practical handbook for those who are going to
create an old-fashioned herb garden, and who want to know
how to use these herbs as our great-grandmothers did. The
fashion for “blue,” grey,” white or Japanese gardens has died out; the rock garden still fascinates, but, unless made and maintained by skillful hands, it is apt to look ridiculous, so let us hope that the herb garden is to be restored to its former pride of place.
Even those of us with the smallest suburban plots can make a delightful herb garden, and no matter how tiny it is a perpetual joy. Herbs ask so little and they give so much. All that the majority of our common herbs want is a fairly poor soil (the poorer the better for the aromatic herbs) and plenty of sunlight.
People who know nothing of herbs imagine that it might be a dull garden consisting of only foliage plants. But there is no blue more beautiful than that of borage, whilst valerian, mallows, marigold and the stately mullein (to mention only a few examples) make lovely splashes of color.
