Herbs in History - Food, Ceremony and Gardens

Welcome to HerbSeed.co.uk, the site where you can find useful information about various popular herbs and growing them from seed aswell as tips for finding cheap seeds to sow and grow yourself. If you want to grow your own herbs, create a herb garden or learn more about their uses then you've come to the right place!

Herbs and their cultivation have a long and venerable history going back thousands of years. Many were used in ceremonial rituals, for instance the bay leaves twisted into a circlet for the Greeks to honour their poets, and hyssop that was used in purification ceremonies in temples. Certain plants and infusions have been recognised through the ages as having medicinal and healing properties. In early Egypt those exponenets of the use of herbs were respected and their knowledge was recorded and passed on to the early Greeks and then to the Romans. By this time their use as important additions in the preparation of food, enhancing the flavour and appearance, was being recognised and used. It is believed that the Romans depended to such a degree on herbs, both in their food preparation and for medication, that the armies on the march carried bundles of herbs in their baggage. Not only were herbs used in these ways but, as time went on, the more fragrant herbs were used to disguise the smells of insanitary living conditions, unwashed clothing and the rushes on the floor. It is hard to imagine how our ancestors would have managed if they had suddenly been deprived of such a wonderful resource. However, there are always downsides to every good thing and, at times in our history, women (and sometimes men) who were learned in the use of herbal remedies were considered to be witches or in league with agents of the devil and were condemned to death for ill-wishing or harming animals and humans. However, none of this stopped those who were skilled in the use of these plants.

Because there is such a profusion of plants that can be considered to be herbs, and each had quite specific attributes, there came a time when it just wasn't practicable to throw a few seeds of different herbs on the ground and then wait for them to grow. This, in the 1400s, was when the formal herb gardens started to appear. The first ones were usually in monastery gardens where the monks would often make herbal infusions to help the sick and injured in the area. Honey was used as a sweetener and, as some herbs are particularly attractive to bees, these were planted near the hives to attract them. Savory, thyme, rosemary, lavender and lemon balm were all planted by the hives as they also served to add flavour to the honey. Many of the herbs planted were kept for their fragrance and use in cosmetics or confectionary.

By the mid 16th century the passion for herbs was translating itself into the desire to make the herb garden into a place of beauty as well. It was at this time that the formal and visually beautiful herb gardens were created in the grounds of great houses where they were designed to give pleasure as well as have more utilitarian uses. Some of these gardens were laid out in the shape of a wheel and the spokes, radiating from the centre would be such herbs as hyssop, rue and thyme. The spaces in between would be filled with lower-growing, less compact herbs. Some herb garden designs were marvels of geometric patterns and would incorporate lines and curves of clipped shrubs like lavender and box. Always included were the fragrant and sweet smelling plants.

Find herb information, cheap herb seeds and bundles of garden, greenhouse and window-box fun. Grow your own salad garnish, traditional remedies and essential cooking leaves. For bargain seeds and gardening tips come to HerbSeed.co.uk.

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