Steeped in antiquity, the Herb Garden ranks amongst the most popular gardens of today. The earliest known record of herb gardening dates back to 4000 B.C. to the Kingdom of Sumeria in the valley of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in Mesopotamia. Cuneiform records reveal that the Sumerians surrounded their temples with herbs and plants, grown specifically for food and medicinal purposes. They were administered by the priests. They also grew crops of barley, onions, vegetables and large date orchards. The ancient Assyrians and Egyptians extracted oils from almonds, lettuce, olives, radishes, safflower, castor and sesame seeds.
Plants began their wanderings around the world via ancient trade routes. For example, two of Mexico’s most exotic trees were brought to Jamaica from Tahiti by the famous English mariner Captain Bligh in his ship, THE BOUNTY, and migrated hence to Mexico. One, the BREADFRUIT tree bears 5 to 8-inch long fruit that weigh up to 10 pounds each. Fried, roasted or boiled the fruit is high in carbohydrates and a valuable source of vitamins A.B, and C. The other, the ACKEE (vegetable brain) tree, when in fruit resembles a decorated Christmas tree, its brain-like fruit is edible and very popular in Jamaica where it is sauteed and served with codfish.
Over the centuries, herbs have continued to play an important role in man’s survival. Unfortunately, many remedies have been lost or wantonly destroyed. However, many have been passed down from generation to generation to the present time. I vividly recall my mother making tea of wild catnip for colds, fever and insomnia. Recently, I saw it advertised in a shop window. For a cold she would stand over me while I reluctantly drank a very hot cup of ginger tea . A chronic asthma sufferer, I can still see her bent over a saucer of smouldering herbs, inhaling the vapor. If stung by a bee she would hastily collect three types of any weed, leaf or grass and rub it on the sting until the green juice covered the bite. It worked instantly. I was delighted to find a similar remedy in a recent Herbal magazine. In late Spring, following a winter without fresh vegetables, it was always a thrill to accompany her on her forage along the roadsides to gather weeds she called, sourdock, pigweed, lambs’ quarters, and others to boil as greens. My favorite green, called Fat Hen, grew only in the garden, a weed that we allowed to reach 6 or 7 inches before plucking it for a tasty lunch with homemade bread and butter. Another spring treat were the mushrooms that grew around our oak tree (identifiable from the poisonous toad stools when they peeled easily). The tastiest were the sponge-like, oblong type mother called correls that grew in the woods. Snowwhite puff balls that sprang up after a heavy spring rain were also delicious, sliced and sauteed in butter.
These once scoffed at old-fashioned foods, and remedies that kept our greatgrandparents hale and hearty(as they would say), are now being taken seriously by medical science. Hundreds of medicinal prescriptions of today could not have been filled 50 years ago because the drugs were unknown., Mexico, with its vast variety of herbs is a herbalists paradise. The ancient Aztecs, the first pharmacologists in the New World, knew and used 3000 herbs. Mexico still plays an important role in the medicinal laboratories of today.
The Mexican people still embrace the use of herbs, both for medicinal and food purposes. One sophisticated Mexican friend from Guadalajara declares that my garden is a farmacia. She brews me tea from the leaves of the bitter orange tree, lemon and lime, or a steaming cup of Lemon Grass. An elderly Mexican lady from Ajijic takes home bolsas of leaves, blossoms, flowers and lemon grass. Other Mexican friends have literally pounced on fallen Magnolia and Alamanda blossoms, extolling their medicinal virtues. Country friends from the mountain on the South Shore of Lake Chapala collect clippings and slips to plant in their own gardens.
I’ll confess that I was skeptical of my Mexican friends estimation of my garden farmacia until I began making a serious study of herbs. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that 13 trees, 7 shrubs and several perennials, planted for sheer beauty were herbaceous. For example, the blossoms of my glorious Magnolia tree make a fine heart tonic...made into a syrup it is given for paralysis and high blood pressure. I found that the fruit of the bitter orange tree I had been threatening to destroy makes good marmalade and tea made of its leaves and blossoms is very tasty and a good sedative.
The preparation of herbs is quite simple and easily done in your own kitchen.
Thinking of starting your own herb garden? Make a list of herbs you are most likely to use and check your existing plants for surprises before rushing out to buy seeds or plants. ACA’s Country Store at Jaltepec have a fine variety of potted herbs for sale. Happy Herb Gardening!
