My Herb List.

It's been quite a challenge deciding on my list of herbs to investigate during this year long study. I'm not sure all of them are actually herbs but as nothing is set in stone I can add or drop one or two. Most of the herbs I have chosen are the classic culinary ones as I have these already on my plot.

Basil.

Bay Laurel.

Borage.

Chives.

Comfrey.

Dill.

Fennel.

Lemon balm.

Lavender.

Marjoram.

Mint.

Oregano.

Rosemary.

Sage.

Tarragon.

Thyme.

I've added two obvious Australian plants Eucalyptus and Tea Tree (melaleuca alternifolia) as they grow all around me here and I can observe them closely. Eucalyptus also grows well in Cornwall but I'm not so sure about Tea Tree.

There are also four 'hedgerow' plants that I would like to investigate as well. Hawthorn, Elder, Nettle and Plantain. That leaves me with one or two herbs to drop in as my study progresses.

My herbal ally will be Calendula.


This is the earliest photo I have of my allotment, when we took it on it was just a rectangle of meadow grass, creeping buttercup and milk thistles. 

Journal of a herb study.

Sorry Sarah, this has taken me longer than anticipated but I think I'm there at last.

A new blog mainly to journal my herb study and allotment. I am undertaking a herb study under the watchful eye of Sarah Head aka Kitchen Herb Wife. Sarah will be steering us through a year long study of twenty five herbs, of our choosing, plus a study of a herbal ally. 

In the study there are participants from both hemispheres and I, the awkward one, will be in both . Now until February I will be 'down under' in NSW Australia and then back to Cornwall UK for the rest of the study.  In NSW I have limited resources in growing area and of course I do not have my herb garden to study. At daughter one I have a large east facing balcony and at daughter two I have a newly made small backyard with a veg bed, lawn and deck area. At home in Cornwall I have a fair sized courtyard garden where I grow mostly in containers but do have some ground beds. A short distance from home I have a full sized allotment with ten raised beds, a 20ft x 10ft poly tunnel, a fruit garden and an area where I grow herbs plus all the usual shed, compost bin, water tanks etc.

A very autumny, untidy allotment, this photo was taken at the begining of October.