Herbs

Lavandula stoechas is also known as Spanish or French Lavender. It smells good and attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Like other lavenders, it is associated with hot, dry, sunny conditions in alkaline soils. Spanish Lavender is more fragile than common lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), as it is less winter hardy; but harsher and more resinous in its oils.

Marjoram is a somewhat cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors. It was known to the Greeks and Romans as a symbol of happiness. Considered a tender perennial (USDA Zones 7-9), Marjoram is cultivated for its aromatic leaves, either green or dry, for culinary purposes; the tops are cut as the plants begin to flower and …

Basil, Sweet Basil Recipe for Basil Pesto

Rosemary is one of those wonderful herbs that makes a beautiful ornamental plant as well as a welcome culinary seasoning. Its Latin name, Rosmarinus officinalis , means “dew of the sea” and rosemary is most closely associated with the cooking of the Mediterranean area. However you don’t need perfect sunshine, sea mist or even a never ending summer to successfully …

The epazote herb is commonly used in the cuisines and traditional medicines of central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. Epazote has a strong taste and aroma, so not everyone takes to it right away. It can be somewhat of an acquired taste, but it adds a wonderful rustic layer of flavor to many dishes. While it is best to use …

Catnip – Nepeta catara Nepeta cataria is a short lived herbaceous perennial, growing 50–100 centimetres (20–39 in) tall and wide. It resembles a typical mint family member in appearance by having the characteristic square stem that members of the Lamiaceae plant family have, but with brown-green foliage. The coarse-toothed leaves are triangular to ovate. The small bilabiate flowers can be white and finely spotted with pale purple or pink. …

May in our Sunnyvale garden is always full of flowers and growth. We had over 60 flowering plants plus fruit and vegetables.

Lemon Verbena has a citrusy fragrance and a pretty light green foliage. The leaves can be used in a variety of cooking: including limoncello. I grow it in a foot-square patch under a fruit tree It’s an herb with a strong lemon flavor.. Lemon verbena’s flavor is also rounded out by the lack of acidity that comes with lemons, and …

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum). Used for fresh green foliage, edible flowers that attract beneficial insects, and coriander-its dried seeds. Produces lots of excellent eating foliage with great flavor. A preferred strain of cilantro providing essential flavoring in Indian, Chinese, North African and Latin American cooking. The perfect accent to soups, salsas and bean dishes.Grows to 2′. Make successive plantings in well-drained …

Shiso (Perilla frutescens) is a staple in both sushi rolls and ornamental gardens. An annual warm-season herb, it flourishes in part shade or sun, with the level of sunlight intriguingly affecting the colors of its leaves. Perilla in sunny garden beds tends to bear burgundy leaves, while those in part shade develop light green foliage. In Sunnyvale, set seeds or …