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The Three Major Classifications and Subtypes of Herbs Gardens

February 27th, 2010 | by |

Herbs gardens

are classified specifically varied. They are grouped according to their usage and purpose. Their strength of flavors could also be they way they are categorized. And lastly, they could be grouped according to their timeframe of growth.

 

Gardens according to Herb Usage and Purpose

 

Culinary herbs are mainly used as seasonings or garnish for a lot of cuisines. Most of these herbs usually have strong taste, which is the intrinsic reason why they are used in cooking. Samples of this type are basil, sage, parsley, thyme, marjoram and mint.

 

Medicinal herbs, as the name itself suggest how these herbs are used. Samples of this type are basil – when crushed could be applied to warts; cannabis – used moderately by chemotherapy patients; turmeric - Hindi Ayuverdic traditional medicine; others that could aid digestive and circulatory problems are lemon grass, ginseng, dill and dandelion. Always keep in mind that most herbs when not properly pruned, boiled or dried could be poisonous during successive huge consumption quantities.

 

Aromatic/Therapeutic/Repellants herbs are those with strong smells which usually cause relaxing the mind through the process aromatherapy. A lot of culinary herbs have strong smells, so they can easily fall unto this type. However, there are some herbs that are solely used for their smells and oil essences. Samples are lavender, chamomile, lime flowers and malvorosa, which is a popular deodorizer and mosquito repellant.

 

Ornamental herbs are not merely for decoration. However, their flowers and leaf color are visually stimulating; hence they could serve multiple purposes. Mint, lavender, chicory and valerian are just some of these.

 

Cosmetics/Dye herbs. Some medicinal herbs are used for addressing skin problems. There are strong pigments in these herbs which are processed to extract dye. Through topical application, acne could be treated with pokeweed and plaintain. Some astringents also use their oils as an ingredient. Other herbs of this type are pot/scotch marigold, Holy Basil and mint.

 

Sacred/Spiritual herbs. Some herbs are revered in some religions. The Holy Basil, Tulsi, is worshipped due to its healing effects for some Hindis. Christians have the myrrh, frankincense and ague root as the Three Magis’ gifts to Jesus Christ. potency, virility, guidance, good luck and other spiritual gifts,are offered by herbs like mint, basil, rosemary, parsley, mistletoe and verbena.

 

Gardens according to Herb Flavors

 

These herbs are all the same as the culinary herbs garden. It would also be advisable to separate herbs with strong smell and taste so as the herbs could have optimized flavors.

 

Strong herbs are those with very intense flavors. Rosemary, sage, fennel and perilla are some examples of this.

 

Accent herbs are those that have strong flavors but do not overpower the other ingredients. Anise, basil, caraway, catnip, leeks and dill are some of this herb type.

 

Blending herbs usually complement the strong taste of other ingredients or herbs they were put with. Great palate cleansers can also be made out of them. Samples of these are borage, parsley, chervil, and coriander.

 

Gardens according to Herb Growth

 

Perennials are those that grow at all times of the year. They also bloom regularly. Samples of these are catnip, fennel, chives, comfrey, horehound and lavender.

 

Annuals have a life span of one year. During that year, they grow, bloom flowers and dies right after. Some kinds of basil, coriander, anise, chervil and borage are some of the annuals.

 

Biennials have two years to reach its fullest form. The first year is mainly concentrated on strengthening its roots, stretching its stems and growing leaves. Most of these require cold temperatures, like parsley, bristly ox-tongue, clary sage and caraway. Biennials are very limited.

 

Evergreens are very rich in foliage. They have leaves all year round and some species could survive even several decades. Samples of these are bay leaves, ombu, and the genus of bouvardia.

 

Note that some herbs would have characteristics that would fall on several of the categories given above. Case in point, the popular King of Herbs Basil: general varieties are annuals but some are annuals; it is mainly used for culinary purposes but also has medicinal and aromatic wonders; it has strong accent when included in dishes. The basil may be grown in a bed that is separated from other herbs in the garden because it has plenty of uses, so you may have to designate a bigger space for them.

 

So if you want to create your own herbs gardens, and just need an herb garden how to, well you can choose and mix-match the abovementioned classifications. Just be sure to take note of how the roots of the herbs have respective needed spacing.