Italian Herb Garden


Italian Herb Garden
Would you want your very own Italian herb garden? Think of the possibilities!  If you love to cook, you will thoroughly enjoy the idea of having your own, fresh Italian herbs available for your next venture into the world of Italian cooking.  So what herbs are well suited to Italian cooking?  There are so many! 
One of my favorites, it has to be basil, while some may argue; to me it is the staple Italian herb. It is the primary herb in the creation of Pesto and one of the three ingredients of "insalata tricolore", or, the three-colored salad (referring to the colors of the Italian flag).  Red from tomatoes, white from mozzarella and the brilliant green, of course, from fresh basil leaves.
If not used fresh and raw, cooked basil should be last in the preparation of the dish, as prolonged cooking destroys the flavor. The variety of basil used in Italian cooking is sweet basil.
Another herb to include in your Italian garden is Parsley.  Relatively easy to grow, parsley is not only useful in Italian cooking, but in other culinary aspects as well.  For instance, many generations ago, before there were breath mints, eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal freshen the breath and eliminated the after effects of a well-enjoyed feast.
The tradition arose to serve parsley, after the meal, on a small side dish.  The tradition continues. Even though we see parsley as a garnish on many dishes, few people remember it for its breath sweetening ability.
Let us not forget oregano.  As decorative as it is flavorful, when fully matured, it will sprout little purple flowers. Look to these as not only a source of beauty, but as an indicator of when you should be harvesting your oregano.  Wait until you see it flowering and harvest then, as this is when the plant is most flavorful
Fennel, rosemary and sage are three more staples of the Italian herb garden, so let us examine them in a bit more detail.
Do you Love the taste of Italian sausage?  Then you need to thank fennel and particularly the fennel seed, which lends its flavor to most Italian sausage recipes.  When growing fennel, keep in mind that it loses its flavor as it matures.  Fennel is a perennial and will lose a lot of its flavor after a few seasons.  To help keep it flavorful you should divide and replant it every few years.  The individual, smaller plants will maintain a stronger flavor than if you leave it to mature as a whole.
Rosemary is another one of the Italian herbs that has more than just a culinary benefit. It has considerable visual appeal, as it grows into a large shrub that spouts little blue flowers. It also helps the garden by attracting bees, which perform vital pollination duties. In most climates, rosemary considered a tough, evergreen perennial, however, it is sensitive to frost, and will not survive outdoors in severe winter climates.
Sage is an extremely versatile ingredient in Italian cooking, having a part to play in many dishes. The flavor is in the new shoots of the plant.  Keeping your sage trimmed ensures not get woody and continues to provide you with abundant flavor.  Trimming also encourages new growth so you will always have a supply of the youngest, most flavorful shoots available. Like oregano, wait to harvest your sage until after it blooms.
There are so many herbs included in an Italian herb garden. Take some time to think about the growing conditions, the needs and whether or not you will be able to provide them in your location and climate. Seek the advice of your local nursery staff, which will be able to advise you for your given area. Remember Italian herbs and their value in both culinary and visual applications are important.  For now, however, think about the ones that you would most like to see and use in your personal herb garden. 
Do a bit of research into the needs of each and make your decision about which ones to plant based on how well you can meet those needs.  Like with any other garden, a little preparation goes a long way in making your Italian herb garden a success.  Have fun and Buon Giardinaggio!
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