Whilst at the library one day, I found a book on herbs and was hooked.  If my children were going to be sick and need antibiotics they always chose the week before payday when there was very little money in the pot. I worked out that if I added herbs to our diet to build up our immune systems and used herbs when they were sick, I could save money. I hoped to be able to cut down on the antibiotics which I did not like using as I felt they killed all the good bacteria as well as all the bad and also  damaged teeth.
So started my “Hubble Bubble Toil and Trouble” black hat and wart days. It has been a long and happy journey buying, planting and using herbs and I still have the first herb book I ever received. It was from my eldest son, then aged nine, and has a beautiful message written by him on the front inside cover. ​

 How to start growing Herbs
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Growing Parsely, Mint, Basil and Chives on the kitchen windowsill means that they are there as you need them.

Basil grows well in hot countries but here in England grow it inside as it can be a bit pernickety. Use in every tomato dish from bolognaise to tomato sandwich and of course in salads. Basil is the basis of Pesto sauce. I pick the leaves and eat as is. Once it start flowering pick the leaves and dry them for winter. Basil will repel flies in the kitchen and if you plant Basil next to your tomatoes it will help the fruit to resist disease.

Mint must be grown in a pot whether inside or outside as it has a habit of taking over. There are many different varieties – common mint, apple mint, spear mint, chocolate mint are just a few. Grow them well away from each other as they will cross breed and lose their individuality. The best one to grow in your kitchen is common mint. It likes plenty of water so keep it hydrated. Pick out flower heads as soon as they start growing as they take all the energy from the plant and it becomes straggly. Chop leaves into Greek yoghurt for a fresh salad dressing. Add to soft cheeses and butter for incredibly special sandwiches. Add a few leaves when cooking peas and obviously mint sauce for lamb. Take a thumb length of stem and place in a cup with boiling water for 3 minutes, remove plant and drink water slowly after rich food or for upset stomach. Rub an insect bite with mint leaves to relieve the pain. Throw hand full of leaves in a bath for a refreshing bathe. Bruised leaves around the house will keep mice away.

Chives are the infants of the onion family and we eat their leaves rather than their bulbs. Nip out the flowers before they open as the leaves will become tough. The garlic variety can lift any dish if you are partial to garlic. Cut leaves with a pair of scissors into small bits for egg or soft cheese sandwiches, salads or use your imagination. I eat them straight from the plant and eat while I am cooking. They do not like being cooked but can be added to plate for decoration. If you are a rose lover grow chives under your rose bushes to keep aphids at bay.

Parsely is my favourite herb. Parsely contains vitamins A, B and C so I use it in all my dishes and eat it as I am cooking. Use it chopped on a sandwich or in salads or add to stews or casseroles, sauces and stuffing. Sage and parsely stuffing for chicken – heaven. Add to butter and soft cheese to lift a sandwich. Your imagination will take you on an incredibly special culinary trip if you let it. Chew the leaves for fresh breath.
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Aloe Vera is another plant I keep in my kitchen for burns, dry or itchy skin and sunburn. I often cut off a leaf and squeeze out the gel and put it on my hands and face for its anti-aging properties.



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