Sweet, Sweet Marjoram - Sweet marjoram is the "sleeper" of the culinary herb garden. It grows quietly among the other herbs, not drawing attention to itself, only to reach the kitchen and blow away the competition...

Aztec Sweet Herb - Most of us have heard of the herb stevia, the new darling of the dieting world. But that's not the only herb that provides a sweet flavor. Aztec sweet herb (Lippia dulcis) is a ground cover herb native to Mexico and Central America...

Fall in Love With Lovage - When I was new to herb gardening I enjoyed discovering herbs that had gotten lost along the way as Americans in the nineteenth century moved from the rural life to the city life. One of them was lovage, a mainstay in Victorian herb gardens...

Society Garlic - One of the first herbs I planted years ago in my north Texas garden was society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea). The reason I planted this herb as soon as I could is that it doesn't like to be moved often and propagates slowly. My original 6-inch pot of society garlic reached about two square feet in eight years and is now, after twelve years, ready to be divided...

Cuban Oregano - A recent introduction to American herb gardens is Cuban oregano (Plectranthus amboinicus). This globe-trotting member of the coleus family originated in India but has spread throughout the tropics as an oregano substitute where European oregano grows poorly....

Skullcap: An American Native - Branch out in your garden this spring and grow one of the skullcap herb clan, a group of rather pretty native plants. They grow from 8 to 24 inches tall, depending on the variety. Scullcaps require little trimming and naturally form a flowery mound. Water new plants twice a week until well established....

Growing Remedies In a Pot - I've always found it interesting to view theme-based gardens. Some take up quite a bit of space and require more planning than most of us have time for. Then I came across the idea of creating a theme-based pot. Now that's something I can do in a weekend....

Growing Ginger in Texas - Want to add flavor to your cooking' Grow some ginger root on your patio and enjoy it fresh whenever you want. Ginger can be grown from roots purchased at grocery stores. In spring, select firm, healthy looking rhizomes....

Don't Get Frosted - Sooner or later it happens every fall - the weatherman predicts an overnight drop in temperature below freezing. For most Texans this just signals the need for warmer clothes. For Texas gardeners however, it can be a time of anxiety...

Herbs For Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving is the holiday of aroma. I don't think there-s any other time so strongly associated with sweet and savory smells wafting from the kitchen. An integral part of this is the flavor of parsley, sage, and rosemary - the holiday seasoning trio.

Texas Tarragon - Let me introduce you to a hardy native herb with bright fall color and good flavor. Texas tarragon (Tagetes lucida) is a tough perennial hardy to Zone 7. Its sturdy branches usually reach 2-3 feet...

Growing Garlic - If you love cooking, then you’ll want to grow garlic. This versatile seasoning can be easily grown in your garden if you plant it now. Plant garlic in the fall...

The Pleasures of Pesto - What do you get when you combine fresh basil, sunshine, and plenty of water? An explosion of luscious basil leaves just begging to be harvested and enjoyed....

Artemisias For a Fragrant Garden - If you're looking for a fragrant foundation for your garden, consider growing an artemisia. Their interesting shapes and leaf colors make them valuable....

Jerusalem Sage - I have one section of my garden that is a high-stress area for plants. It receives no shade all day, all year. Because it's near the street corner of our property, it is exposed to....

Sweet Woodruff - Most herbs we grow are native to the Mediterranean area and need full sun. But for those deep shade areas in your garden, where not much survives, try growing sweet woodruff ....

Patchouli, the Incense Herb - Some herbs are universally liked but others evoke either a “love it” or “hate it” response. The fragrance herb patchouli is one of those polarizing herbs....

The Chive Brothers - Onion and garlic chives are two members of the onion family that are happy to grow in almost any environment. Onion chives are small and will grow nicely in containers or in the garden...

Bringing Up Herb Babies - Even when the weather is still nippy, herb gardeners can get a head start on spring by starting plants from seeds indoors....

A Savory Herb For Soups - The cold weather months are the perfect time for a rich bowl of well-seasoned soup. Frigid temperatures make us all feel a little sluggish and inclined to hibernate....

Natural Holiday Decoration - There’s something about this time of year that spurs us to get in touch with nature and bring some of it indoors to decorate....

Spiced Nuts For the Holidays - As fall deepens toward winter and the temperature drops, all the nuts appear. I'm not just thinking of the pecans and walnuts we harvest....

Herb Companions For Bulbs - Although I’m a confirmed herb gardener, I confess to also having a weakness for flowering bulbs. Perhaps it comes from my childhood when I discovered the magic of ....

Help! There's a Child in My Garden - On any Saturday in your neighborhood you may see a gruff retiree out watering his garden. Suddenly his eye catches an approaching menace....

A Mulching We Will Go - Now's the time to mulch your marigolds, mums, and marjoram. Pound for pound, it's the best thing anyone can do for their garden....

Breaking Your Packaged Mix Addiction - Walking the aisles of my grocer's the other day, I surprised a woman in the packaged mix section. She was out of control, grabbing two of everything they had. Pausing I asked...

Flavoring Fish With Herbs - When I was a child, family vacations always revolved around Dad's trout fishing. I wasn't crazy about fishing, but I had fun poking around the stream's edge with a rod and my share of bait...

Holiday Gift Baskets - The holidays sends many of us out to the malls in search of gifts. If you've got someone on your list who has many of the big things, why not give them a collection of...

Something New For Your Thanksgiving Feast - Thanksgiving dinner is the big event in every cook's year. If the prospect of cooking yet another feast makes you feel less than thankful, perhaps it's time to spice things up a bit...

Herbs For Home-Cooked Soup - Ever had one of those days when you're behind before you even get out the front door? First downtown for two meetings and three quick stops, then a hurried lunch....

Lemon Balm Lemonade - Summer brings families outdoors in a big way. Our homes become alive with backyard barbecues, children running through the lawn sprinklers and everyone getting drinks from a pitcher of iced lemonade made by Mom...

When Basil Explodes - I can always spot a basil enthusiast. They're the ones in early spring you find at the checkout line with enough basil plants to start a small commercial farm....

Salad Herbs - Ah, the delights of summer. Time for picnics, barbecues, and pool parties. To complement these outdoor activities, we naturally reach for salad....