Lemon Balm and Its Many Uses

Growing herbs is very rewarding. Last year I planted lemon balm in a small barrel. This year it's growing wonderfully. I just walked by and rubbed one of the leaves. I can smell the sweet scent and feel the essential oil on my fingers. I did a search of how to use the lemon balm thinking it could only be used for tea. Boy was I wrong! Click here for "20 Uses for Lemon Balm in the Kitchen & Beyond".

The perennial (come back every year) herbs I have growing are rosemary, thyme, garden sage, tricolor sage, English lavender, Mediterranean lavender, oregano, Mexican oregano, marjoram, catmint, catnip, Spanish tarragon, mint, spearmint, peppermint, and beebalm, I plant basil, flat leaf parsley, cilantro and dill as annuals. Although the parsley did last two years.

Last fall I invested in some spice jars planning on using my own dried herbs and also giving some as gifts. All of a sudden serendipity occurred. My nephew and his wife sold their condo in California and moved here to Northeast Georgia. I was able to put together a nice housewarming gift for them with some gardening books, an Appalachian cookbook some of my tomato chutney, and a number of my dried herbs. Tonight is a total lunar eclipse of the moon.