The Charm and Function of a Colonial Herb Garden

Colonial times weren't always the easiest at that time. People had to juggle and struggle to survive in a whole new world. But survive they did. In fact, they flourished as time progressed. Their struggles and innovations helped shape life in the United States as we know it today. During this bygone era, every part of the home and garden had to be functional. That didn't mean it couldn't be beautiful as well. One of the finest examples of this marriage between beauty and function was the colonial herb garden.

Colony families usually had a small garden in which they grew fruits, vegetables and herbs. Herbs were used not just for cooking, but for medicine and fragrance. Colonial era gardeners made the most of the often meager space they had. In a garden from this time period you might find herbs like lavender, rue, sage, mint and chamomile. If you wanted to grow your own colonial style garden, these herbs would be a good start.

Lavender is a beautiful and majestic herb prized for its purple color and crisp, alluring fragrance. Lavender can also be used to cook with and can even add flavor and color to lemonade or tea. Settlers also commonly used lavender medicinally for its antiseptic and anxiety relieving properties. Then there's rue. Rue was often dried and applied to wounds in poultice form. Colonial doctors also used it as a stimulating tonic. This herb has blue leaves and delicate yellow flowers.

Sage is a multipurpose herb that was used in colonial times (and even modern times) as a food enhancer and medicinal tea. It's thought that sage tea can alleviate some of the side effects of menopause such as hot flashes and night sweats. Mint is another multipurpose herb. Mint leaves can be used for tea. Oil can be extracted and used to flavor candy and chewing gum. Soap spiked with mint is invigorating and fragrant. Then there's the lovely chamomile. Chamomile is revered for its delicate aroma and calming properties. It is used for fragrance and for tea.

The colonial herb garden can be enjoyed in most any outdoor garden area. Most herbs prefer full sun, so choose a sunny location. Start your seeds indoors using a plastic container especially made for this purpose. Any garden center will have what you need to get started. You can not only keep your garden outdoors, but indoors as well. Most herbs grow nicely in containers placed in a sunny windowsill. Whether you choose an indoor container garden or a traditional outdoor garden, you're sure to enjoy planting, harvesting and using fresh herbs.

Container Gardening: Container Herb Garden

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