N.O.W: Herbs, Your Garden & Your Health

It is time to plant your garden in Vermont! If you're still in the process of deciding what to plant, think about creating an herb garden with a medicinal focus. All of the lovely, fragrant herbs you use to cook with, also have potent medicinal qualities that can be used in teas, tinctures and other ways. Here are some ideas to get you inspired:


Echinacea -- This flower is well known for its healing properties, with both the lay person and the seasoned (pun intended!) herbalist. Although it takes a few growing seasons to get a mature plant ready to harvest and use, it's well worth it. Once ready, you can use the roots for its immune boosting qualities.

Rosemary -- Not only is Rosemary wonderful with garlic and potatoes, but it is packed with many vitamins and minerals as well as antibacterial and antiviral properties. Dry your Rosemary and store it for later use in the winter. Use it to make a healing tea combined with ginger to open up the nasal passages and warm yourself when it is cold outside.

Parsley – This herb is easy to grow and a wonderful source of beta carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A), vitamin C, iron, potassium and calcium. You can also use it for its antiseptic properties. Eat it fresh off the vine to get all its nutrition or grind it up and use it to help heal insect bites this summer. (Warning: pregnant women should not eat excessive amounts of parsley as it is an emmenagogue and will stimulate uterine contractions).

So these are just a few of the many herbs you can use to spice up your garden and your medicinal arsenal. Get creative, go out and discover what appeals to your taste buds and do some research on the myriad uses your plants have to offer.