Garden Tips & Resources

There is a marvelous amount of opportunities when you start your own Italian herb garden.  Italy is the source of some of the most popular and tastiest herbs in the world.  Some of the best cuisines come from Italy and are famous in part for their herbs.

Many Italian recipes use basil, one of the most popular Italian herbs in the world.  Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is also useful in the garden to other plants.  The flavor of peppers and tomatoes will greatly improve if they are grown right next to basil.  Plus, basil will also repel flies and mosquitoes in your Italian herb garden.

Parsley is a relatively hard herb plant to grow in an Italian herb garden but it is useful in not only Italian dishes but many other types of cuisines.  Many generations ago before there were breath mints, it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eradicated the bad breath left over from enjoying a flavorful cuisine.  It became a common tradition to serve parsley on a small dish after every meal.  This practice of using parsley as a garnish on a variety of meals lives on to this day.

Oregano is as decorative as it is flavorful.  When it is fully mature it will sprout pretty little purple flowers.  Oregano should be harvested after it blooms because this is when the plant is most flavorful.

Fennel seeds are known for improving the flavor of Italian sausages.  Interestingly, the fennel plant loses its flavor as it matures.  It is a perennial plant that should be divided and replanted in an Italian herb garden every few years to keep its aroma.

Rosemary, like basil, is another Italian herb that is beneficial to the garden.  It grows into a huge shrub that produces pretty tiny blue flowers.  It attracts bees, which in turn helps the Italian herb garden.  Although known for being a tough evergreen, it is quite sensitive to frost.

Garlic is probably the most popular herb in Italian cooking.  An Italian herb garden is not complete without this very useful herb.  Garlic gloves can be planted and will thrive in just about any garden with very little attention.  They can be preserved by freezing or by making them into pickles.

Sage is used in a variety of Italian dishes from meats to salads.  New shoots of the plant contain the most flavor so it is recommended not to let sage plants to get to woody by keeping them trim.  Young shoots will start to sprout.  Sage can be harvested after it blooms.

Although there are so many more herbs that can be included in an Italian herb garden, you really should consider which herbs you will use.  You have to determine whether or not you can provide the conditions necessary to grow these plants.

Yes, Italian herbs add flavor to food but they should also be looked at as more than that.  They also enhance the beauty of landscape designs.  They are popularly used for their color and aroma.  By planting Italian herbs amongst other plants, you will be graced with the sweet aromas straight from Italy.  Having an Italian herb gardenwill be just like strolling along an Italian hillside.

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