PHOTOGRAPHS: XOCHI BALFOUR, ISTOCK
The natural aromas of culinary herbs have always enraptured me. Some of my earliest memories are of being sent outside by my mother to pick chives, basil or mint from her beloved herb garden for a Sunday roast, summer soup or anything that needed a bay leaf. But it wasn’t until I really delved into my journey of wellness and nutrition that I fully comprehended the immense, yet gentle, medicinal powers of herbs. Not only can they transform a bland dish into a riot of fresh, aromatic flavour – be it woody thyme, punchy rosemary or sage, cooling mint or sweet basil – herbs also allow us to easily harness some amazing healing properties with relatively little effort, cost or naturopathic know-how. Picked fresh and thrown into salads, blended into pestos or dips, dried and stored for last-minute use, or infused in oil or water for an extra je ne sais quoi, the possibilities are endless, and the return on the small investment tending them is infinite.
If you don’t have a garden, don’t worry – planting some pots on a sunny windowsill is just as easy (and a whole lot tidier). Be sure to keep them in plenty of light and well-watered when the soil gets dry on top.