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The National Gardening Bureau has declared 2012 the Year of the Herbs.
The Year of the Herbs–what a sweet year it will be because of the endless possibilities, the endless excitement and the endless world of herbs. They can be found in gardens, window boxes, salads, bouquets, crafts, containers and even medicines. Herbs provide fragrance, flavor, spice and beauty to our lives. They are versatile and easy to grow and come in a variety of shapes, textures and colors.
Imagine looking through a cookbook that never mentions herbs, or think of a world without fragrances and air fresheners. Contemplate brushing your teeth with no mint in the toothpaste. Visualizations of this sort can lead to the realization of the many ways that we interact with herbs every day and to a better understanding of why they are so valued for their fragrance, flavor and medicinal properties.
What is an herb?
A very fitting definition of what is really an herb was coined by Holly Shimizu, director of the U.S. Botanic Garden. She says, “Herbs are defined as plants (trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, biennials or annuals) valued historically, presently, or potentially for their flavor, fragrance, medicinal qualitites, insecticidal qualities, economic or industrial use, or in the case of dyes, for the coloring material they provide.” This definition defines herbs by their usefulness, rather than by their appearance or botanical structure. Thus, trees (such as witch hazel), bulbs (such as garlic) and shrubs (such as boxwood) are included.
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