Herb Gardening - Common Herbs – Chives, Peppermint, Parsley

Creating an herb garden is fun and practical. The aromas are wonderful, the view is beautiful, and many can be used as medicines or for cooking. Growing them is easy. They're hardy and thrive well in all kinds of soils. But for optimal results, it's helpful to keep in mind a few things about each specific one.

In these three we have herbs that smell great and make for an essential addition to any chef's toolkit.

CHIVES
Growing up to a foot, they make for little soldiers all lined up in a row, or a chaotic bunch of radicals. Either way, these beautiful green stalks with their violet-colored flowers are a delightful sight in the garden. A member of the onion family, they also make for a terrific addition to dozens of recipes.

Dried and chopped, the leaves will be delicious in omelettes, fresh salads, and tomato soup. The flowers can also be used for making potpourri where they add a spicy scent.

You can plant seeds or develop them from bulbs. As perennials, they'll come back strong year after year, as they winter over well. They take little care, though you may want to divide the plants every couple of years to avoid overcrowding.

PEPPERMINT
Another perennial, these fragrant herbs can grow up to two feet or more in height. The scent is familiar from Christmas candy, but the plant is a delight in nature as well. Their tiny purple flowers are as beautiful as the leaves are aromatic.

They've been used in cooking and natural medicines for centuries and they make for a useful addition to everything from chewing gum to soap. As a scenting agent for eau de toilette water they're divine. As a spicy addition to tea, they're superb.

They should be grown in soil that is kept moist and you'll need to trim them fairly often. They can grow in sun or shade, but a mixture is best. You may have to renew the beds every few years. All the extra effort is well worth the reward, though.

PARSLEY
Indispensable in the kitchen, these herbs are easy to grow and maintain. A biennial, they'll blossom every two years and they do well in containers or gardens. They sprout into dense mounds, but may reach as high as a foot if kept spaced eight inches or more. One type has mossy leaves, another a flat leaf, but either is great for cooking.

They can be started from seed, but in that case they should be planted indoors before winter ends and allowed to develop at room temperature for a few weeks. They love full sun, but will thrive in partial shade as well.

Their use in cooking is well known and every chef will have his or her favorite way of using them in soups, salads and casseroles. Just dry the leaves in air and crumble according to your favorite recipe.