Nowadays fresh and dried herbs are widely available, but their aroma or flavor can not be compared to the ones that we grow and harvest from our own garden. We can enjoy their scents indoors as well as outside by using them fresh in flower arrangements or dried to make potpourri or herb pillows. Their main uses are in the kitchen where they become invaluable to enhance and enliven the taste of foods. Their curative and cosmetic properties are also best known for thousands of years, being used in many medicines and beauty cosmetics.
Culinary uses
Freshly harvested herbs are important ingredients in many classic combinations. Flowers may also be used in some cases as edible decorations. Aromatic seeds and spices are also most used. Certain herbs are infused in boiling water to make teas. Most of the teas are made from dried leaves, flowers or seeds, but they may also be made from fresh herbs.
Medicinal uses
Well known and used in many parts of the world is herbal medicine. The herb garden is a source of home-grown treatments for all sorts of ailments. The essential oils of many herbs are used in aromatherapy for body massage. It is not advisable to use herbs for medicinal purpose without specialist knowledge or advice.
Cosmetic and scented uses
Many herbs have beneficial effects on the condition of skin, hair or nails and are included in beauty products like shampoos, conditioners, skin lotions. Aromatic herbs may be enjoyed all year round if they are made into scented households articles such as pomanders and linen sachets.
