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Herbs -- Introduction & References -
Esther Chambliss
Herbs are used in everything around us. Our medicine, crafts, culinary
and even products we make ourselves to use on our plants to help in
natural pest control and much, much more than people realize. Men and
women have used herbs from the beginning of time. There are herbals
that date back to the 1st century AD (DeMateria Medica by Dissorides)
- to the 17th century (The English Physician by Nicholas Culpepper)
- to herbals in current modern times.
In Europe, herbs were used and brought over to North America with the earliest colonists. Even the Indians the colonists first met used herbs that were found only in the new world and introduced them to their names and the use of them for medicine. Thomas Jefferson was known for his garden and the herbs he grew. Fortunate for us that in this day and time anyone can see these gardens through documents and programs on Thomas Jefferson done by PBS.
When the Shakers moved across America they, too, spread the knowledge of herbs by being the first to package seeds and sell their seeds throughout the countryside. So my friends as you see the plant world of herbs has had many an influence on the world around us.
This series of articles will tell you about the types of herbs, propagation, and how they are used in our lifestyles. The series will start with shade and semi-shade herbs, with sun lovers to follow later.
List of resources:
Herbs: Their Cultivation and Usage, by John & Rosemary Hemphill
Growing and Using the Healing Herbs, by Gala and Shandor Weiss
Mother Nature's Kitchen, by Judy Griffin
Mother Nature's Herbal, by Judy Griffin
The World of Herbs & Spices, by James K. McNair
Southern Herb Growing, by Madalene Hill, Gwen Barclay, Joan Hardy
Odena's Texas Herb Book, by James Conrad and Stephen Murry
Lavender Hill Farm, Odena Brannam
The Natural History of Medicinal Plants, by Judith Summers
Encyclopedia of Herbs and their Uses, by Demi Brown
Herbs for Texas, By Howard Garrett, Odena Brannam
The Herb Garden Cookbook, by Lucinda Hutson
Herbs (Reader's Digest), by Lesley Bremness
PBS Television
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