Winter is a great Thyme (excuse the pun!) for devouring yummy casseroles and hearty roasts… So what do you need to do to? Grow your own perfect flavour enhancers!

Rosemary for Remembrance…

Rosemary has been used in religious ceremonies for thousands of years and holds a special place in the heart of Australians. It grows naturally on the Mediterranean coast, including Gallipoli and has long been associated with Remembrance Day. It performs brilliantly in pots or in a sunny dry position and is a fitting tribute for gardeners to remember the 100th anniversary of World War 1.

Many different varieties of Rosemary are available, it hybridises easily and plant breeders have developed some fantastic varieties for gardens.

Favourite Rosemary varieties

Bush Rosemary – is the common Rosemary that was grown in every garden. A small scrawly shrub it responds to regular hard pruning.

Prostrate Rosemary – is the perfect groundcover for growing over retaining walls, on road verges and in large planters. It is drought tolerant, sun hardy and delicate flavoured foliage. When in flower the bright blue flowers cover the plant.

Beneden Blue Rosemary – has a fine foliage and a neat and compact shape. Only reaching heights of approx 50cm this variety grows well as hedges or borders. Perfect for small gardens.

Tuscan Blue Rosemary – has broad strong foliage and grows taller than other varieties, reaching heights to over 1m it needs to be planted to the back of garden beds. Develops long strong stems.

Pink Flowered Form – bears pink flowers, that are soft and delicate and a good selection for a perennial garden.

Variegated Rosemary – is very striking when planted on mass in the garden. Strong gold and dark green foliage stands out in a garden bed. Will tolerate very light shade.

Thyme anyone?

There are over 20 different varieties of Thyme available to grow in our gardens. They’re a highly ornamental perennial, perform well in sandy soils and are a favourite am

ongst the beneficial insects in the garden. Not all Thyme cultivars are classified as culinary varieties and can be broadly sorted into the non-edible ground covering forms and the edible varieties that add extra flavour to cooking.

Ground covering forms (non- edible varieties) are the perfect choice to plant between paving to create checkerboard effect and to break up a large hard surface. They are low growing and can be easily trimmed to ensure they retain a neat compact habit.

Culinary varieties have all the hardy characteristics of the ornamental forms, with foliage packed full of flavour ensuring they are an essential ingredient when cooking. English Thyme or common garden Thyme is known by many different names and is the variety that’s referred to when called for in a recipe.

Thyme tolerates hot dry conditions and culinary varieties reach heights of up to 25cm depending on the variety. Plant in a full sun position in groups of 3 or 5 for best effect. They look really good as borders to rose beds or pathways. When planting in a large container ensure that it’s large enough to hold at least three different plants. Trim back hard after flowering to encourage bushy growth.

Favourite Thyme varieties:

Common English Thyme – packed full of flavour, crush fresh leaves over tomato salsa for a taste sensation this summer.

Lemon Thyme – with its citrusy

BBQ Thyme – is a robust strong flavour that compliments steak and lamb. Mix in a marinade before cooking and contains a natural chemical that breaks down fats. foliage it compliments baked fish and perfect for use when cooking savoury cheese biscuits.

Caraway Thyme – as the name suggests the foliage tastes like caraway seeds, for use in baking breads and doughs.

How to grow the Tastiest Garlic

It’s time to plant garlic cloves and the good news is, it grows just as successfully in large pots as it does in garden beds. It’s the perfect plant to grow in limited space or for sunny balconies. Soil preparation in pots is minimal. All the cloves require is premium potting mix and by planting in late March – early April it allows maximum time for the cloves to develop leaf growth before cold weather slows the growth rate down. Fortnightly applications of Powerfeed for Vegies, until the end of August is recommended, this will encourage the plant to develop as much leaf growth as possible. By September, bulbs are developing and the plants require fortnightly applications of a liquid fertiliser with high potassium levels. Harvest in mid – late November when foliage starts to die back. The key to storing garlic for the following season is to harvest when plants are completely mature.

If garlic is in short supply in your kitchen it’s possible to harvest foliage occasionally as it’s jam packed with flavour.

Rosemary and Garlic Oil Focaccia Recipe – CLICK HERE!

* Information extracted from www.seasol.com.au & purplefoodie.com

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