Whisper Of Herbs

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

In our country, not so many gardeners and summer residents are fond of garden herbs. However, recently there has been a noticeable increase in herbal lovers. But in ancient times, herbs were very popular. The ancient Egyptians decorated their temples with luxurious bushes of papyrus and reeds. Monks in the Middle Ages grew bison and fragrant spike for flavoring alcoholic tinctures. Let's try to understand the rich modern assortment of herbs offered by our trade

Naturgarden

The deterioration of the ecological situation around the world has led to the emergence of natural gardens called "naturgarden". Such gardens differ in that they do not change the existing terrain, but adapt to it. They do not breed overseas exoticism, decorating gardens with natural plant communities in the vicinity of horticultural crops.

The main element of such ecological gardens is ferns and ornamental grasses, representatives of which are grasses and sedges with narrow elongated leaves and simple flowers in the form of spikelets and brooms.

Caring for herbs is much easier than caring for other representatives of garden decorations, especially exotic ones. Well rooted and grown, they do not require regular watering and fight weeds themselves, suppressing their growth.

Minimal care is required in the fall to prune perennials, cut diseased and dry branches, and mow lawns.

Pros of ornamental herbs

Ornamental grasses adorn the garden practically all year round. Dressed in white snow caps, their heads, even in severe frosts, steadfastly rise above the snowdrifts, swaying in the wind.

In early spring, freed from the winter veil, the emerald green of young shoots will shine under the rays of the sun, sharing with the whole world its vitality, stamina and tenacity. Looking at the herbs, you yourself seem to be filled with vitality and excellent mood.

Their endurance is amazing. After all, they grow on all continents, including Antarctica, where people met three types of cereals. They live in dry steppes and damp meadows. They can be seen in swamps and even in shallow waters.

Knowing the "character" of each type of ornamental grasses, you can always find a suitable place for them in your summer cottage.

Three groups of herbs

According to the requirements for growing conditions, grasses can be divided into three groups:

1) Inhabitants of dry places.

2) Inhabitants who prefer moderate humidity.

3) Inhabitants living in swampy areas and in shallow water.

Growing conditions

Ornamental grasses are one of the most unpretentious plants, even in nature, even at their summer cottage. They successfully put up with any conditions that nature or a hardworking summer resident has created for them. But, if you create for them the conditions to which they are accustomed in their homeland, then they will show all the decorativeness that the Creator has awarded them.

Inhabitants of dry places came to our gardens from the steppes and southern mountains. To grow successfully, they require well-drained soils with a high content of sand and lime.

Ornamental grasses growing in the wild in meadows and forests prefer to be located in places protected from strong winds. The soil they like is fat, rich in black soil, with a sufficient amount of moisture.

Inhabitants of swamps and shallow waters do not tolerate drought at all. They love abundant moisture and rich chernozem soils.

Ornamental grasses care

After the snow melts in the spring, the withered old foliage of the grasses should be carefully trimmed and taken to the compost heap, patiently waiting for the hardworking earthworms to process it into nutritious humus.

In no case should dry grass be set on fire, creating a fire hazard, destroying beneficial insects that hibernated in the grass. By burning the grass, you yourself provoke a summer invasion of insect pests that do not meet with resistance from their natural enemies, which burned down with the grass. After all, harmful insects reproduce much faster than useful ones.

By transforming with the help of fire an organic fertilizer, which is grass and which is much more useful than mineral fertilizer, that is, the ash remaining after a fire, you rob yourself. The ash is much less beneficial to your plants, and most of it will be washed away successfully by rains. And the grass in the compost heap will turn into humus.