Knowing how to use herbs for medicinal purposes I get very excited seeing them at the nursery but have not been overly keen on growing some of them because I'd need a huge harvest to be able to utilise them for their health benefits and some can be quite invasive. But now there are no excuses!

I'll admit I'm not a great gardener, but I love gardening and I'm only relatively new to it (my husband is a landscaper by trade and he's always done most of the outside stuff and we havn't had a lot of space until now) so now I can only give it a go and get better, right? 

I've always had some culinary herbs in pots and have recently been getting more and more into the vegie garden and doing a lot of reading. I've found out about some tried and tested organic gardening techniques to make my journey to having a satistying and sustainable backyard a little smoother! I find so many inspiring ideas in the huge range of magazines, seriously, I did not know there were so many out there until recently and now I find it hard to walk out of the newsagent with less than five mags! So with this article I'm being on of 'those' people who are writing from an academic point of view rather than from one of experience when it comes to gardening, with the following information being a collaboration of several resources because I'm excited about this information I love sharing what I learn, especially if it means you go out and get some more herbs in your garden too.

There are many plants you might like to put in your garden because they are good for YOU, or even your pets, but there are also plants that are really good for the PLANTS that are growing around them! These are called Allelopaths. These plants contain chemicals that have an effect on those around them (usually negative), but those such as Chamomile, Lovage, Nettles & Yarrow are very good to have around. 'Yes' I hear you say, 'that's Companion Planting' - absolutely, but these plants actually enhance the growth of whatever is growing near them rather than being beneficial for a particular companion. 

Many aromatic herbs can help disguise the smell of vegetable crops, which pests are on the hunt for, which means they have a protective effect from some. Combine this with interplanting flowers and vegetables in different garden beds rather than mass crops of the same plants means you have yourself a nice little garden full of biodiversity.

Here are some herbs that can be used to the benefit those of the non-human variety

Borage (also known as Starflower) is known to enhance mood, promote circulation and commercially produced Borage oil capsules are high in GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) which is beneficial for balancing the female hormonal system. Its leaves are known to repel pests while its beautiful nectar-rich flowers attract loads of bees which are essential for pollination. Some pest-eating predators are also drawn to the borage flower.

Chamomile is commonly used as a tea or essential oil for its calming & soothing effects on the nervous and digestive systems but in your garden it is also said to enhance the flavour and aroma of the surrounding plants.

Garlic Chives can be chopped up and added to almost any dish that you make for yourself, but don’t forget to add some to your chooks feed to protect their gut

Lavender is a highly aromatic herb that can disguise the scent of crops, making it a protective plant to have nearby, use it as a hedge to attract bees. The flowers can be put into the laying box in your chook house to stop mites and lice

Lovage is not commonly used anymore but apparently it can be added to a variety of hot or cold dishes in the kitchen. If you have some in your garden it is also said to increase the flavour and health of surrounding plants

Marjoram is another aromatic herb, but this one is also said to stimulate growth of those around it as well as have the same effect of masking the scent of the crops around it.

Nasturtiums can either be used to repel (their strong peppery flavour is off-putting to some) or it can be used to draw pests away from other plants because it is attractive to some pests (I did not come across anything saying which pests are drawn and which are deterred). Having it on the menu for your chooks is also a great way to keep them healthy

Nettle (Stinging Nettle) are one of the most nutritious herbs for us humans around, often used in tonics for convalescence or iron deficiency it ‘s also a great kidney tonic and mild diuretic so if you grow it you will also benefit nicely as long as it’s prepared in the right way. Nettle is also one of the Nitrogen fixing plants mentioned above, they are also great for the compost or makes nutrient-rich mulch from the actual plant as it decomposes quickly.

Peppermint is a great anti-parasitic for your chooks on the inside and out. You might like to join them with a cup of peppermint tea to calm your stomach

Rosemary (pictured right) is also highly aromatic herbs that can disguise the scent of crops and will attract the (beneficial) small birds and bees when in flower. The prickly nature means it can also serve as a physical barrier from small animals (or children) if planted as a hedge to border a veggie patch. Having your Rosemary near windows or doors can repel insects, making and consuming regular cups of tea with the dried leaves can enhance memory and concentration or it’s great on roast lamb or vegetables with some garlic & sea salt. 

Yarrow is one of the stars of YEP tea, (Yarrow, Elder, & Peppermint) which is used for colds & flu to accelerate fever and shorten the duration of the ailment. Yarrow has several benefits it the garden, it can be used as a compost accelerator, it is said to secrete chemicals from the roots that strengthen other plants, making them more hardy and disease resistant, Yarrow attracts beneficial predators like Lady birds & Hover flies and it is also beneficial for your backyard chooks, having antiseptic properties and being great for digestion. Yarrow is invasive so you’ll need to keep an eye on it, but it certainly is an essential addition to your organic backyard.

Alussum, Sage & Grevillea have beautiful flowers that are particularly attractive to bees, pest-eating predators or honey eating birds, making them protective plants to have nearby. Sage is also very beneficial for your feathered friends, being accessible for them to peck at will be good for their overall health

Comfrey (pictured right) leaves help to accelerate the composting process if you put a few leaves into the heap on a regular basis. It can't be eaten but if anyone in your hosuehold has a broken bone or sprain, crush the fresh leaves and apply as a compress (place leaves on affected area and wrap with a bandage), one of the names Comfrey has been known by is 'Knit Bone'

Cover your ground - Cover crops or ‘green manures’ are those that are planted between other plants or between crop cycles so your soil isn’t bare. These are generally used instead of traditional mulch, can be walked on, lock in moisture and prevent weeds. They will add nutrients to the soil as they break down when no longer needed, just pull them up and leave them to decompose or add to the designated compost. It's important not to leave your soil bare so cover crops are a great way to ensure this won't happen (I have found that pea straw moves around and leaves the soil bare at the base of the plant where it is needed most).

Some examples are

• Buckwheat
• Cowpea
• Linseed
• Fenugreek
• Oats
• Lucerne

There are also ‘Nitrogen fixers’ which, instead of stealing Nitrogen out of the soil, put it back in, thereby providing this important nutrient to the soil and plants around it.

Some examples are

• Beans
• Sweat peas
• Broad beans
• Nettle

So there you have a great list of plants that are available at many local nurseries, if yours doesn't have them then you can always ask them to get it in for you, or order seeds online.

This supplier has a great list and are stocked almost everywhere http://renaissanceherbs.com.au/herbs-a-z/,

www.citychicks.com.au have a good range of seeds that are hard to get a a regular nursery and have a branch in Melbourne so check them out too!

www.edenseeds.com.au have all these and more!

Happy gardening!

Resources:

Simply Organic Gardening (emg) No.2

Healthy and Simple Organic Gardening (emg) No.1

Organic Gardener (Gardening Australia) Jan/Feb 2012

Grow It Yourself Vol.1 No.1

www.renaissanceherbs.com.au

www.citychicks.com.au