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The Perfect Mother's Day Book for any Gardener or... from National Garden Bureau members

A Book for Every Type of Mom!

Gardening Books
Looking for a great Mother’s Day gift for your mom, grandma, or another great lady in your life? We’ve got a book for her!  Whether she loves DIY, lives in a cold climate, has young kids, is into fresh herbs or is a foodie, is environmentally conscious, is contemplative or just likes a pretty garden,...
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Variegated Lemon Thyme

Growing and Using Herbs, Part 8: Thyme

Herbs
Common Thyme Thyme, a perennial hardy to Zone 4, can be grown from seed in a flat kept at about 55 degrees F. Germination takes three to four weeks. The first year plants will be small and not flower, growing more robust and flowering the second year. Thyme needs good drainage for its deep roots....
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Growing and Using Herbs, Part 7: Marjoram

Herbs

Sweet Marjoram This is a tender perennial best grown as an annual in most parts of the U.S. It is hardy to Zone 10. A member of the oregano family, sweet marjoram and oregano are often confused, but their flavors are different. Sweet marjoram can be very susceptible to damping off and can be difficult…

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Growing and Using Herbs, Part 6: Rosemary

Herbs
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) comes in many cultivars, and the same cultivar grown on the West Coast may look very different when grown in the Midwest. It is a pungent herb with hints of pine resin. Growing it takes little effort as it is a drought tolerant plant perfect for a rock garden or growing along...
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Growing and Using Herbs, Part 5: Parsley

Herbs
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a biennial plant with bright green, featherlike leaves and is in the same family as dill. This herb is used in soups, sauces, and salads, and it lessens the need for salt in soups. Not only is it the perfect garnish, but it is also healthy; rich in iron and vitamins...
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Oregano Garden

Growing and Using Herbs, Part 4: Oregano

Herbs
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) and its cultivars are the most familiar forms of oregano. This is a perennial hardy to Zone 5 and blooms with rose, purple or white flowers. As such, it makes a good ground cover coming back each season to deliver fresh herbs for the culinary gardener. Oregano is the aromatic star in...
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Growing and cooking with chives

Growing and Using Herbs, part 3: Chives

Herbs
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) come in several forms, but the most common one has roundish leaves that are used for their onion-like flavor. This perennial member of the onion family is hardy in Zones 3-10. In spring, it has lovely purple flowers made up of masses of florets. Chives are cool-season, cold-tolerant perennials that are planted...
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Dill in the garden

Growing and Using Herbs, part 2: Dill

Herbs
Dill (Anethum graveolens), a member of the carrot family, and is valued both for its flavorful foliage and for its pungent seeds. As annuals, dill plants die each year, but their seeds can winter over in the soil to pop up the following year. Dill grows well in gardens throughout zones 3-10. Dill is fast-growing enough...
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Basil for the garden

Growing and Using Herbs, part 1: Basil

Herbs
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae. It is also called the "king of herbs" and the "royal herb” possibly because of the name’s meaning in Greek. It is best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in Southeast Asian cuisines. Depending on the species...
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