Gardening Makes Scents

May is gardening season here in Northeast Ohio. I always start out very enthusiastic, but get a bit less enthralled on hot August days when I need to water my plants so they don't dry up (then they would know what it feels like to have Sjogren's Syndrome :~) I have two raised garden areas, about 3' X 18' each. One is perennial flowering plants, the other is veggies and herbs. I decided that this year I wanted to reorganize the veggie/herb garden, and let the flower garden fend for itself (for the most part).
Yesterday I went to my favorite garden center, and browsed, and explored, and came home with 10 plants, twice the number I had planned to buy, but not unexpected. I have written in the past about how I like to drink water with herbs and/or fruit in it, so I was looking for plants that would give me tasty things to put in my water. My all-time favorite, which I buy every year, is lemon verbena. When you crush the leaves, they give off an aroma of lemon peel.(Now does my use of the word 'scents' in the title of this post make 'sense'?)
I planned to buy sweet basil, because I use it a lot in cooking, and I love its almost licorice-y scent. I did buy some, but I also bought cinnamon basil. How could I pass that up, when I love cinnamon so much?
There were so many varieties of mint, it was hard for me to choose: orange mint, chocolate mint, lime candy mint, spearmint, ginger mint (which I already have) and mojito mint, which is the one I ultimately bought. I chose it because I wanted a minty flavor, but mild, the leaves are a pretty crinkly bright green and because I like mojitos. Imagine taking a leaf or two from each of these plants and crushing them in your fingers. Mmmm... That would smell heavenly.
I bought some bee balm on a whim. I like the name, and the picture of the flowers on the label caught my eye. I'm not so sure I will like its tea-like flavor, but we will see. The other plants I bought were two tomato and three strawberry. To round out the garden, I already planted radish and beet seeds, which have sprouted mightily, and asparagus, horseradish, thyme and lavender, all survivors from last year. The horseradish is related to mustard, and is in bloom right now, with one-inch wide bouquets of tiny white sweet smelling flowers. Not what one would expect from such a pungent root. Two opposite scents form one plant.
My garden has lots of things going on in it, like my art. I don't have a lot of any one thing, because I don't need very much of each thing. This way, I get lots of entertainment for my eyes, nose and mouth. My ears will be entertained by hearing the bees sip on the nectar of the bee balm, and of my cat as she sits on her window perch (inside) and purrs as she watches them. My hands are already getting entertained by the feel of the soil, and the tender leaves of spring.
If you don't have time/room/energy/physical ability to have a garden, have a mini one indoors. You can get hanging pots, or pots that sit on your counter. You can get flowering plants, herbs, I've even seen strawberries and tomatoes in small containers. Many plants only need watering once a week or so. Cacti and other succulents may get by with only occasional watering  There is a plant out there to match every lifestyle. Having plants really livens up a room, and a soul. Have you had your green today?

Refreshing Herb Water to Drink

I have written about my garden off and on.  I want to share here one of the simplest ways I use my garden every day during the warmer months.  I love the smell and taste of fresh herbs.  Many of them are easy to grow.  I have a huge 'bush' of lemon mint that I started last year.  I also have lemon thyme also from last year, and lemon verbena, which did not survive the winter so this one was planted about 5 weeks ago.   You may notice a theme in the plants that I picked.  I also have cinnamon basil and lavender, newly planted this year. 
Every morning I go out to my garden and pick 2 bunches of mint and 3 sprigs of thyme.  Later in the season, I will vary which herbs I use, but right now I am giving the newer plants time to grow before I start using them.  I take my fresh picked herbs into the kitchen, and crush them a little to release their essence, then put them in a 64 oz. container of fresh water.  I add 2 teaspoons of xylitol, which is a natural sugar which is actually good for you.
I put the lid on the container and shake it.  I let it sit awhile to let the xylitol melt and the herbs to infuse into the water.  I leave the bottle on the counter, because I don't like cold (refrigerated) water.  After about 15 minutes, it is ready to drink.  I fill up my water bottle, trying not to let too many pieces of herb into the bottle (if some gets in, that is okay, I will munch on the bits of herb when they enter my mouth while drinking).  The herbs give the water a light herby taste, varying with the chosen herbs.  It is very refreshing, and encourages me to drink more water throughout the day.  When my water bottle is getting empty, I fill it up again with herb water from the 64 oz container.  At the end of the day, I throw the herbs into the sink disposal and grind them up to make my kitchen smell good.  The next morning, I make a fresh batch of herb water.
I have never been much of a pop drinker, and I never acquired the coffee habit that so much of the civilized world has. I mostly drink herbal tea or water, so this herb water is just my 'cup of tea'. It is very healthy to drink.  It likely has some vitamin/mineral/etc. content, though I can't tell you what or how much.  I can tell you that there is nothing in it that is unhealthy.  The xylitol adds the only calories, and very few, at that (10 per teaspoon, I believe, so a total of 20 in the whole bottle). Some people do have gastrointestinal issues with large quantities of xylitol, but this is not a large quantity.  No caffeine, no alcohol, no artificial sugars or additives.  Mint is very easy to grow, in fact, if you are not careful, it likes to take over garden areas.  You can use it alone, or with other herbs.  If you don't want to or can't grow your own herbs for some reason, you can still enjoy this herb water by buying herbs at your local store or farmer's market.  Happy sipping!