Jekka’s Herb Garden - Herb Petal Planting

By Jessica Rogers April 6, 2023 22 mins read 45 Views

Elevating the everyday is our mission. At Belovedsaffron.com, we think the world deserves more than conventional cuisines — and more than take-out from chains. Our goal is to celebrate cultural flavours through spices, herbs and organic food from sustainable farming.

Saffron is our love affair; a culinary crescendo that evokes a warmth of its own. But cooking is so much more than a single ingredient — it’s also about respect. It’s about respecting people from different cultures who dedicate their lives to creating something extraordinary with every dish they serve; family meals or five-star restaurants alike.

And that’s why we’re inviting everyone to join us – to share their recipes, explore new flavors and be part of something special. We know everyone has something delicious to offer!

For now, love yourself and enjoy this one ...

Jekka created her Herbetum in 2013 for her collection of over 400 culinary and medicinal herbs. She wanted to inspire and educate today's visitors and preserve the history, culinary, and medicinal uses of herbs for future generations. Jekka's vision is being realized by Jekka's Herb Garden, Jekka's Herb Farm, South Gloucestershire. The garden was slowly becoming a reality for those who visited us in 2022 on an open day or masterclass. Its progress can be seen in Jekka’s Herb Garden Timeline .

Jekka's Herb Garden is built around two interconnected circular beds that mimic the infinity sign. This allows visitors to either wander the herb garden in peace and contemplation, or, as they are constantly being told, become inspired by the variety and medicinal uses of the herbs. Read more about Jekka’s Herb Garden at the main page.

In the eyes of the infinity symbol, each of these rectangular beds is home to a large, eight-petalled flower or an oval bed. These herb petals are used to create small herb gardens that visitors can use to get ideas and inspiration to plant in their own gardens.

Gravel gardens are found around the petals and circular bed, displaying Jekka’s beautiful and extensive collection of Thymes & Oreganos.

Jekka's Herb Garden

Preparing the herbs petals for planting

The beds are covered with steel edging, and then filled with compost from the herb farm. This compost is peat-free and contains horticultural grit.

Jekka creates her designs on computer. Each herb is represented by a symbol approximately equal to its final spread. This prevents over-planting, which can lead to stressing the plants and ultimately the loss or removal of some. Jekka advises against creating the Chelsea Flower Show garden as soon as possible. These illusions can only be created over time.

Jekka's Herb Garden Design

Jekka's Herb Garden Design

After the beds have been prepared and filled, Jekka will lay out the garden. She will simply place the potted herbs in the appropriate positions and see if they work. This is a guideline and some herbs may need to be moved.

After carefully removing the herb from its pot, teasing any roots, plant it at the same depth that was in the container . Finally, water the herbs according to the season. Jekka's Blog contains her 6 best steps to "Grow on" your herbs .

These are some additional blogs and guides that may be helpful in the design and construction of your culinary herb garden:

Jekka's guide on how to grow herbs
Jekka's guide to being a sustainable herb gardener
Jekka's Tips for Planting a Culinary Herb Gardens
Jekka's Tips for Growing Herbs In Containers
Marcus Wareing's Herb Kitchen Garden
Jekka's Riverstone culinary garden herb garden

Also, please visit the main page about Ekka's Herb Garden

Laying the plants for pollinator herb petals

Jekka's flower petals

Each petal can be used to create a garden. There are eight gardening themes available. The petals measure approximately elliptical in size, with a diameter of 5m x 2.5m for the larger circle and a width of 4m x 2m for smaller ones.

These are the 8 gardening themes:

Annual
Culinary
Edible flowers
Evergreen
Herbal Infusion
Medicinal
Pollinators
UK Native

Each herb is linked to its respective page on Jekkapedia, where you can find more information.

Annual herb petal

Anethum graveolens (Dill)
Anthriscus cefolium (Chervil).
Amaranthus tricolor 'Red Army' (Red Amaranth)
Borago deficinalis (Borage).
Calendulaofficinalis (Pot Marigold).
Coriandrum sativum (Coriander)
Monarda Citriodora Lemon Bee Balm, Lemon Bergamot
Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil)
Salvia Viridis (Painted Sage and Red Topped Sage).
Viiola tricolor Heartsease, Wild Pansy

From left to right: Chervil and Painted Sage

Culinary herb petal

Achillea timeratum (English Maverick)
Allium Tuberosum (Garlic Chives and Chinese Chives).
Aloysia citrodora (Lemon Verbena)
Artemisia dracunculus 'French' (French Tarragon)
Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
Levisticum Officinale Lovage
Punica Granatum (Pomegranate and Carthaginian Apple)
Petroselinum crispum (Parsley)
Salvia Officinalis Sage, Common Sage
Sanguisorba minor (Salad Burnet, Pimpernel)

From left to right: Sage

Petal of edible flowers

Agastache Rugosa 'Golden Jubilee (Golden Agastache
Allium Choenoprasum (Chives).
Borago Officinalis 'Alba’ (White Borage).
Calendulaofficinalis (Pot Marigold).
Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet)
Hesperis Matronalis Sweet Rocket
Primula vulgaris (Primrose)
Salvia Officinalis Sage, Common Sage
Salvia rosemarinus (Rosemary).
Tropaeolum Majus 'Empresse of India' Nasturtium Empresse of India

From left to right: Sage and Borage

Evergreen herb petal

Dianthus "Mrs Sinkins" (Clove pink Mrs Sinkins)
Escallonia resinosa (Curry Scented Escallonia).
Helichrysum italicum (Curry Plant)
Luma chequen (Chillean Luma, Chilean Myrtle)
Myrtus comunis 'Variegata(v) (Variegated myrtle
Ozothamnus Hookeri (Kerosene bush)
Salvia rosemarinus (Rosemary).
Salvia Officinalis 'Purpurascens (Purple Sage).
Santolina rosmarinifolia subsp rosmarinifolia (Green Lavender Cotton)
Teucrium marum (Cat Thyme)

From left to right: Variegated Myrtle and Curry Scented Escallonia.

Herbal Infusion herb petal

Aloysia citrodora (Lemon Verbena)
Chamaemelum Nobile Chamomile, Roman Chamomile
Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
Melissa Officinalis (Lemon Balm).
Mentha longifolia subsp. schimperi (Desert Mint)
Micromeria fruticosa (Mediterranean Rock Mint)
Monarda Didyma Bee Balm Bergamot and Red Bergamot
Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens "Red Shiraz" (Purple Basil).
Origanum majorana (Sweet Marjoram, Knotted Marjoram)
Salvia lavenderifolia (Narrow Leaved Sassa)

From left to right: Desert Mint , Lemon Verbena, and Roman Chamomile

Petal for medicinal herbs

Artemisia absinthium (Wormwood)
Echinacea pallida (Echinacea Coneflower)
Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet)
Hyssopusofficinalis Hyssop, Blue Hyssop
Inula helenium (Elecampane)
Linum perenne (Flax, Linseed)
Mentha pulegium 'Cunningham Mint' (Creeping Pennyroyal)
Nepeta cataria (Catnep, Catnip)
Origanum vulgare (Oregano)
Tanacetum parthenium (Feverfew)

From left to right: Meadowsweet, St John's Wort and Flax

Petal of a UK native herb

Achillea millefolium (Yarrow, Woundwort, Milfoil)
Angelica archangelica (Angelica)
Centaurea cyanus (Cornflower)
Centranthus Ruber (Red Valerian).
Cichorium Intybus (Chicory and Succory).
Digitalis Purpurea Fairy Gloves, Foxgloves
HTML3_ Echium vulgare Viper's Bugloss
Fragaria Vesca Wild Strawberry
Rumex Acetosa Sorel, Broad Leaved Sorrel
Papaver Rhoeas Field Poppy, Common Poppy)

From left to right: Woad and Viper's Bugloss.

Petal of the pollinator herb

Allium fistulosum (Welsh Onion, Japanese Leek)
Cedronella canariensis (Balm of Gilead)
Hyssopusofficinalis Hyssop, Blue Hyssop
Isatis tinctoria (Woad)
Inula helenium (Elecampane)
Lepechina hatata (False Salavia, Pitcher Sage).
Monarda Didyma Bee Balm Bergamot and Red Bergamot
Nepeta cataria (Catnep, Catnip)
Origanum vulgare (Oregano)
Salvia Officinalis Sage, Common Sage

From left to right: Lavender and Oregano.

Jekka's gravel herb gardens

Between the flowers and Jekka’s Herb Garden's framing is a gravel yard, which is planted Jekka’s Thymes and Oreganos featuring feature herbs. This list will help you create your own thyme lawn. We get asked a lot about making them.

Thymes

Thymus of 'Dillington’ (Dillington Thyme).
Thymus "Fragrantissimus" (Orange Scented Thyme).
Thymus 'Iden' (Iden Thyme)
Thymus 'Jekka' (Jekka's Thyme)
Thymus 'Jekka's Rosy Carpet' (Jekka's Rosy Carpet Thyme)
Thymus 'Lilac Time' (Lilac Time Thyme)
Thymus "Pinewood" (Pinewood Thyme).
Thymus "Porlock" (Porlock Thyme).
Thymus caespititius (Cretan Thyme)
Thymus pulegioides 'Bertram Anderson' (Bertram Anderson Thyme)
Thymus pulegioides 'Foxley' (v) (Foxley Thyme)
Thymus serpyllum 'Annie Hall' (Annie Hall Thyme)
Thymus serpyllum 'Elfin' (Elfin Thyme)
Thymus serpyllum 'Pink Chintz' (Pink Chintz Thyme)
Thymus serpyllum 'Vey' (Vey Thyme)
Thymus var. albus (Creeping White Thyme).

From left to right: Foxley, Bertram Anderson and Creeping white Thyme

Oreganos

Origanum "Hot and spicy" (Hot & Spicy) Oregano
Origanum dictamnus (Cretan Oregano)

Feature herbs

Crithmum martimum (Rock Samphire and Sea Fennel).
Dianthus "Mrs Sinkins" (Clove pink Mrs Sinkins)
Mertensia maritima (Oysterleaf, Oysterplan, Sea Bluebells)
Olea europaea (Olive Tree)
Punica Granatum (Pomegranate and Carthaginian Apple)

Want more information?

Jekka has a blog, videos and a book called 'A Pocketful of Herbs.' You can also find out more about herbs by browsing Jekkapedia or exploring our herb-based recipes.

You can also visit South Gloucestershire's herb farm at one of our Open Days or Master Classes, or Herb Experiments (see our calendar).

You can find advice on how to grow and maintain herbs in Jekka's Seasonal Tips blog series. This includes tips for what to do with your herb garden in the early spring, mid-summer, summer, autumn, winter, and late spring. These are the foundation of Jekka’s guide to growing herbs.

You can also visit Jekka’s herbs of month blogs: Bay, Rosemary (February), French Tarragon(March), Angelica (May), Alliums/June), Lavender [July], Basil (August], Basil (September), Mint (September), Szechuan Pepper (“October”), Thyme (November), and Curry Tree (December).

You can order herb plants from our South Gloucestershire herb farm or at one our Open Days. For availability, please see our Looking Great List. You can also use our webform to send your list to us ([email protected]). Although we no longer offer general mail ordering for our plants, we occasionally offer Jekka’s Culinary Herb Boxes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the disadvantages of using herbs?

Herbs are a great way to keep your body healthy because they contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, phytonutrients, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, essential oils, carotenoids, sterols, and sterolins. Some even contain cannabinoids.

But there are also lots of side effects associated with herbal remedies. For example, taking too much herb could cause liver damage or even death. Herbal supplements may interact with prescription drugs, which means that they might affect how well the drug works.

Some herbs can interfere with blood clotting, while others may increase bleeding when taken with anticoagulants (blood thinners).

There are also safety concerns for pregnant women and children.

The bottom line is that herbs aren't safe for everyone. If you're considering trying them out, do your homework. Look up each product's side effects and warnings and read reviews online.

What spice is good for inflammation?

Turmeric is one spice that can be beneficial for reducing inflammation. It contains the active ingredient curcumin, which has been studied extensively and shown to have anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Other spices like ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, garlic, and cardamom may also reduce inflammation in the body. Adding these spices to your diet can help reduce inflammation and promote overall health.

Another spice that can be used to reduce inflammation is black pepper. The active ingredient in black pepper, piperine, has been studied and found to have anti-inflammatory properties. It may also help reduce pain associated with inflammation. Additionally, the spice contains antioxidants which are beneficial for overall health.

Adding black pepper to your diet may help reduce inflammation and promote overall health. Be sure to talk with your doctor before adding any spice to your diet, as some spices may interact with your medications or supplements. Eating various healthy foods, including spices with anti-inflammatory benefits, can help keep your body balanced and reduce the risk of chronic inflammation-related illnesses.

In summary, adding spices to your diet can be beneficial for reducing inflammation and promoting overall health. Spices like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, garlic, cardamom, and black pepper have all been studied for their potential anti-inflammatory effects.

What is the difference between basil and oregano?

Both of these herbs belong to the Lamiaceae family. They share similar flavors, but the differences are obvious.

Oregano is more pungent than basil. It also adds an extra layer of flavor to foods.

Basil leaves are smaller than oregano leaves. They are also softer and less aromatic.

The two herbs are often used interchangeably. Although they are quite similar, each has its distinctive qualities.

What herb is best for healing?

Herbs are a fantastic way to help heal our bodies. Herbal medicine has been used since ancient times and continues to grow today. There are thousands of herbs known to cure various ailments.

Some herbs are excellent for treating colds and flu, while others can treat anxiety, depression, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

There are also herbal remedies for skin care, hair loss, weight loss, sexual health, energy, sleep, digestion, and much more.

The list goes on and on. But one herb stands above them all regarding its ability to heal. That herb is called aloe vera.

Aloe Vera is considered to be the world's most powerful healer. For centuries it has helped people heal themselves naturally without any side effects.

It's incredible how well aloe vera works. It's even better than prescription drugs and surgery.

In addition to its natural healing properties, aloe vera is highly versatile and can be used in almost any area of life, including food, beauty products, and household cleaning supplies.

You may not realize this, but aloe vera contains hundreds of active compounds, which include vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sulfur, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chloride, fluoride, iodine, selenium and more.

These nutrients are essential for human body functions such as cell growth, metabolism, immune system support, healthy bones and teeth, healthy blood pressure levels, healthy eyesight, healthy cardiovascular systems, healthy digestive systems, healthy lungs, healthy nervous system, healthy reproductive organs, healthy skin, and healthy libido.

Statistics

The global herbs market is expected to reach more than $125 billion by the end of 2025.
Herbs are among the most popular and widely used medicinal remedies. According to a survey conducted by the National Institutes of Health, herbs were used by over 38% of adults in the United States.

External Links

How To

How To Upcycle Herbs After Making Infusions, Oils, Tinctures, And More?

There are more ways to use herbs than you might realize. This is why it's essential to keep an open mind when learning how to make herbal infusions, oils, tinctures, and more.

You'll find that there are many methods for making these products, and even though they may seem similar, each method has its benefits.

For example, some methods include creating decoctions, boiling water or alcohol with the herb(s), and letting them simmer for a while. These infusions are solid and potent because they contain higher concentrations of active compounds.

Another type of infusion includes macerating the herb(s), which means soaking them in liquid for a few hours or even overnight. Macerations tend to produce milder results because the plant material isn't boiled.

Some cold-infused forms involve steeping herbs in cool liquids such as ice cubes or cold water. Cold infusions are gentler than hot ones, often used to treat minor ailments.

Herbal oil extraction involves heating the herb(s) to release the essential oils. You can either do this yourself or have someone help you out with it.

Finally, there are tinctures made by mixing herbs with alcohol. They're usually taken orally and are very effective for treating coughs, colds, and flu symptoms.

The best way to learn how to create infused products is to experiment with various techniques. Each technique offers a different potency and effectiveness, depending on the herb(s) you choose.

Once you've tried a few different methods, you'll begin to develop your preferences. In time, you'll be able to determine which techniques work well for you and which aren't worth pursuing.