A visit with Farmer Roger

Here are two herbs from our cut-your-own herb garden, anise hyssop and thyme.

Anise Hyssop blossoms

Anise hyssop is a mint with a distinct licorice flavor. A tall plant, anise hyssop grows rapidly without requiring more than basic care. You can establish a bed of anise hyssop in your garden that will return year after year. Bees and other polinators love to visit the flowers. I like making a simple syrup with anise hyssop, using both the leaves and flowers. The licorice-flavored syrup is refreshing over shaved ice or mixed with fizzy water.

Thyme blossoms

A bee’s-eye view of thyme flowers.  Thyme plants are small and compact. A little fresh thyme goes a long way. Anyone who enjoys both gardening and cooking should consider dedicating some room in the garden for thyme.