Hildegard of Bingen, Medieval Herbalist By Shanon Sterringer Photo taken from an herb garden along the Hildegard Trail in Germany, 2019 The works of Hildegard of Bingen have become quite popular in the last few decades after they were unearthed by musicians and scholars following centuries of dormancy. Who was this 12th century German Benedictine nun and why is she emerging as one of history’s most interesting and brilliant women? The extent of her genius stretches beyond her skills as an herbalist to include musician, artist, preacher, healer, politician, philosopher, theologian, storytelle ..read more

German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is a well-known herb whose medicinal qualities have been put to good use for many centuries. Small children learn about chamomile’s calming effects in Beatrix Potter’s classic book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, where Peter Rabbit’s mother puts him to bed with chamomile tea after his harrowing escape from eating vegetables in Mr. McGregor’s garden. “Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some chamomile tea: One table-spoonful to be taken at bedtime” (Potter, 1902). Still today, some people sip on chamomile tea to redu ..read more

By Beth Schreibman Gehring From as early as I can remember, I have been completely smitten by the beauty and versatility of roses. As I have mentioned before, my father was a passionate gardener who loved heirloom roses. Being a trained biologist, he knew the value of gardening organically, and he promoted the benefits of mycorrhizal fungi in the late 70s to strengthen the roots of his garden plants. Instead of using fungicides and pesticides, he planted fragrant herbs among the roses, knowing that many common rose pests would be deterred by the essential oils that they released. He would alwa ..read more

By Peggy Riccio I love being able to step out into the garden and snip fresh herbs whenever I need them. Yesterday, I was making ham and bean stew in the crockpot. I was inspired to add thyme so I cut off a few sprigs from the thyme growing in the front of the house. I looked around and snipped even more herbs: cutting celery, oregano, sage, and rosemary. Except for the cutting celery, these are perennial herbs that should be in everyone’s garden. They can be tucked in the ornamental bed just like any other perennial plant. In the spring, you can purchase the small plants from a nursery or you ..read more

By Katherine Schlosser Though declared the most widespread of juniper species and appearing widely across the United States, there are eighteen states in which Juniperus communis does not grow as a native: NJ, DE, MD, WV, KY, MO, IA, NE, KS, OK, AR, TN, AL, MS, LA, TX, or HI. Those states may have other juniper species, or cultivated plants, but Juniperus communis is not native to their soil (Flora of North America) Robert P. Adams identifies 18 Juniperus species in the continental U.S. with an additional five varieties and three forma (Adams, 2019). The Flora of North America includes 13 spec ..read more

By Maryann Readal Chives, Allium schoenprasum, is a flowering herb in the Amaryllidaceae family. It is in the same family as leeks, onions, garlic, Chinese chives, and shallots. Its hollow, grass-like stalks and star-shaped purple flowers are edible.The bulbs are small, unlike other members of this family, and are typically not eaten. It is an easy-to-grow perennial herb that likes sun or part sun and well-draining soil. In warmer climates chives bloom in the spring, and in cooler areas the early summer. Plants die back in cooler regions but will return from the tiny bulbs in the spring. It is ..read more

By Bonnie Porterfield Of course, there are The Herb Society of America (HSA) founders, but let’s fast forward to those women instrumental in doing the arduous work of jumping through civic, political, and legal hoops to get the National Herb Garden in Washington, DC, started. We have a number of members to thank for doing this work. From the idea first being presented by Edna Cashmore in her 1966 President’s Report for a national garden, to the work on potential sites, garden designs, legal aspects, and fundraising, this was a monumental project. When Genevieve Jyurovat assumed the HSA Preside ..read more

By Julie Bawden-Davis Long before humans roamed the forests, fairies are said to have taken up residence in the cavities of trees, forming fairy houses where they took refuge. Dating back to the Middle Ages, fairy folklore says that these little beings possess supernatural powers.  Many believe that fairies come from the elements—in fact, from Mother Nature herself. For that reason, it makes sense to add fairies to your garden. Even better, adding fairy gardens to your landscape elevates the magic and mystery of your landscape. How to Make Your Own Fairy Garden Whether you believe in fair ..read more

By Maryann Readal Anise or aniseed, Pimpinella anisum, is The Herb Society of America’s Herb of the Month for March. It is a licorice-flavored herb in the parsley family (Apiaceae). This herb has feathery-looking leaves and resembles Queen Anne’s lace when in bloom. It is native to Egypt and the Mediterranean, but is also grown in the U.S., Europe, India, Spain, and Mexico. From seed it takes at least 120 frost-free days to reach maturity, and requires 70℉  temperatures to germinate. Anise develops a long taproot, which makes transplanting difficult. It does not like high heat and humidit ..read more

By Beth Schreibman Gehring It’s midwinter, and many of us are stuck inside due to cold weather. To beat the winter blues and celebrate St. Valentine’s Day, why not treat yourself to a homemade herbal spa day? A day spent like this is a perfect opportunity to connect with yourself and bring the beauty of nature inside. Herbal spa days are an easy and romantic way to soften your dry, parched winter skin using ingredients such as rose petals, essential oils, jasmine, and coconut oil. They can help you create lotions, potions, and body butters that are not only good for your skin, but also have a ..read more