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For most people, herbs are plants solely used to flavour food. In the past it was the medicinal qualities of a herb that were valued the knowledge of which was gained by trial and error over a long period of human history. In the strict botanical sense, a herb is any plant that is soft or non-woody, such as herbaceous annuals, biennials and perennials. Many vegetables and salad plants come into this category and were formerly known as pot herbs. Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in both culinary and medicinal herbs and it is with these that this book is concerned. There are a number of reasons for this renewed interest, including reaction to the bland, processed foods so generally on offer, and skepticism about modern, synthesized drugs, which can have alarming side effects. Much though man depends on, and even enjoys, his highly civilized existence, the more he is cut off from the natural world the more he seems to yearn for it. Hence the upsurge of interest in gardening, health foods and herbal remedies. Many herbs plants are not only useful but are visually attractive or fragrant and a bed or corner devoted to them can be an appealing garden feature. Once these beds had very formal bounds, usually geometrical in shape, sometimes edged with box (boxwood) hedging, trimmed down to 30cm (1ft) tall or below. Less rigid designs evolved later but a formal approach is still popular. If more than half a dozen different sorts of herb are to be grown, it is worthwhile making a feature of them. A paved area of grey stone or concrete makes a good background and provides clean, dry access at all times. A checkerboard pattern can be adopted, flagstones alternating with open soil squares for the plants. Alternatively, a square, oblong, circular or other geometrically- shaped bed can be made in the center or to one side of a patio or similar paved area. If large enough, the bed should be bisected with small, paved access paths and be either at ground level or raised. Raised beds add a new dimension to the garden and are helpful to gardeners with back trouble. As a change from stone or concrete, red bricks or titles can be used but they need greater skill in laying well and if done by a contractor are expensive. If there is little garden space, a wide variety of containers can be used, from pots to window boxes, tubs and troughs. There are a number of advantages to this method of growing herbs. The containers can be sited within easy reach of the kitchen door; soil preference can be observed, for example moist and rich soil for mint, poor, sandier soil for thyme. Herbs needing shade can be placed in the shadow of a nearby tree or building. Half-hardy herbs, such as rosemary and sweet bay, can be easily moved in severe winter conditions to a shed or greenhouse without root disturbance. Invasive herbs, such as the mints, can be confined in containers and prevented from becoming a nuisance.
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