A Stroll Through My Herb Garden at NYBG

September 23, 2010

A Stroll Through My Herb Garden at NYBG

On Tuesday of this week, I traveled to the sensational New York Botanical Gardens (NYBG). Since its creation in 1891, NYBG has become a national historic landmark and the foremost botanical garden and cultural institution in the world. You may recall my blog more than a year ago, about creating The Martha Stewart Culinary Herb Garden at the NYBG. This wonderful garden contains more than 50 types of herbs. The purpose of my visit the other evening was to demonstrate some of my favorite recipes featuring the herbs in this bed. Please enjoy Part One of my visit and a little stroll through the garden.

: The entrance into The New York Botanical Garden

: Within The Edible Garden is The Culinary Herb Garden which my team and I designed.

: There are miles of lovely paths throughout the gardens.

: The amazingly beautiful Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is temporarily closed through the autumn for planned structural and interpretive refurbishment.

: A mixed border in autumn

: An aromatic variegated thyme

: Pesto Perpetuo Sweet Basil – frequently used in Italian cooking, is the main ingredient in pesto. This variegated form has an especially mild, sweet flavor.

: Saltwort is often used in Asian cooking.

: Golden Oregano

: Throughout the herb garden are helpful tips.

: Climbing nasturtium ‘Spitfire’

: Another sign

: And another

: Yellow transparent thyme

: A very good tip

: The tall plants inside the boxwood are cardoon. I love the architectural foliage of the cardoon, a plant cultivated for its edible leafstalks and roots.

: The flower of cardoon, also called artichoke thistle – The leafstalks of cardoon can be cooked like carrots or parsnips. In Italy they are dipped in olive oil and eaten raw.

: The brick walkways are elegant with benches strategically placed on which to sit and ponder.

: The sign says it all.

: Shaun, my gardener in Bedford, took great interest in this hops plant. The female flowers of this climbing plant have been utilized in beer brewing since the 11th century.

: In addition to providing bitterness and balance to the beer flavor, hops have preservative qualities that inhibit the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms.

: The bright flowers of nasturtium are edible.

: They have a mildly spicy flavor.

: Thai basil is a cultivar of sweet basil that is popular in stir-fries, curries, and salads.

: Jean Graham – Director of Community Relations for MSLO is admiring a fragrant standard bay tree.

: French sorrel has a wonderful sour flavor and makes great soup – one of my mother’s favorite.

: The silvery foliage is a curry plant, not at all like the popular curry spice blend used in Indian dishes. It’s fragrance is more like that of sage or mugwort.

: I’m so happy with how this herb garden is filling in.

: My friend, Sal Gilbertie runs the largest herb farm in the United States and provided this garden with herb plants. http://www.gilbertiesherbs.com/about/about.html