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Bonsai
The word bonsai simply means planted in a pot. Bon means pot and Sai means to plant. So then we might think that anything growing in a pot is indeed bonsai, but there is more. Bonsai also means a dwarfed, trained plant that has been grown in a shallow pot. Bonsai is a true picture of nature in miniature. Unless a bonsai has the charm of a tree that nature has developed, it misses the boat. I have seen lots of plants in my travels that were called bonsai, but some of them didn't deserve a hoot in my eyes. The reason is that some of them were twisted, wired, and deformed, without the slightest idea of what the end result would be.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
Sustainable Gardening
It is easy to create beautiful gardens that suit our local climate and soil and have a low impact on our natural environment. Sustainable gardening can be introduced gradually e.g. as an exotic plant dies replace it with local plant. Sustainable gardens are low maintenance, as they require less watering, lower application of fertilisers and chemicals, and less mowing and pruning.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
Tomatoes
Almost everyone knows about tomatoes. There’s hardly anyone who doesn’t know what one is. A bright red, juicy fruit, the tomato tastes good on a nice burger, and has everyone more comfortable calling it a vegetable. But there’s much more than that to the tomato name. Not all of these round little fruits are quite like the well-known firm and red ones that you can buy in any store.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
Garlic
GARLIC AMONG ROSES brings a number of benefits to the flowering shrub. According to those who have studied how plants exude an essence or essential oil into the air, soil and water in their environment, the two make ideal companions. Many rose growers report that garlic planted with their bushes has prevented insects. It can also be an ally in efforts to banish such rose problems as rust mildew and blackspot, besides mites, thrips or any of the beetles which seem to favor feeding on roses.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
Herbs
There are three generally accepted definitions of an herb. Botanically, herbs are non-woody annual, biennial, and perennial plants that die back each year after blossoming. Another definition describes them as any of the herbaceous plants valued for their flavour, fragrance, or medicinal properties. The third is actually not a definition but a distinction between the culinary herbs and spices.
The botanical definition includes many plants that we ordinarily think of as weeds (and even eliminate from the garden when they appear) and therefore never cultivate as we do marjoram or sage. Many vegetables and ornamental garden plants also fit this description, but they are not usually thought of as herbs. Excluded by the definition are a number of shrubby and woody plants such as laurel and rosemary, which for centuries have been two of the most distinguished herbs.
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