Garden Grown Herbs as Gifts for Those Dear & Not so Dear to You

by TheLastLeafGardener

Benjamin Franklin authored a quote which may be apropos for the use of herbs; and it is this: "MUCH VIRTUE IN HERBS LITTLE IN MEN" (from in his book, Poor Richard's Almanack). While I have agreed with Franklin's quote regarding neighbors and hedges (which is "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR, BUT DON'T PULL DOWN YOUR HEDGE"),* I think — for the most part – that the virtues of mankind and herbs are not mutually exclusive.
My post today offers suggestions for how to give the herbs you grow in your garden as gifts to those who are near and dear to you.
The first image in this posting shows what you will need to package fresh herbs in a unique way.

simon garfunkel herbs as gifts for those dear not so dear to y z, crafts, flowers, gardening, mason jars

As you can see the image features garden clippers, labels, labels (left), cellophane bags (right) a "custom" stamper as well as an ink pad, and of course, garden-fresh herbs (in this image, Chives are featured).

Chives are one of the first harbingers of spring** or summer, and a close-up of the ones that I'm growing this year can be seen in the picture below, where my Kiwi Vines are providing a back-drop for them.

A bundle of flowering Chives make a nice bouquet and hostess gift as does the way in which I package them (seen below).

My chives have been clipped ever so carefully with the clippers seen in the picture below.

After my herbs are clipped, I set them to the side and create a label for their package using the materials in the following two images.

The first features a close-up of my custom stamp with an ink pad and the second features standard adhesive labels.

After I create the label I adhere to a pristine cellophane bag, the kind used to protect individual greeting cards when they are on the shelves in stores.

The result for the chives can be seen in the second image. I also grow an array of herbs that are all housed in a box (seen below prior to my planting).

And flourishing in the box (as evidenced below).

I call those my Simon and Garfunkel Herbs, because they consist of two types of parsley, three types of sage, rosemary and two types of thyme.

Each type of these herbs looks lovely in the style of packaging that I use as you might surmise from the picture below featuring one of them.

If I give someone a wide assortment, I usually put it in a plain bag tied with raffia or jute (as seen below).

But sometimes prior to giving herbs as a gift, I dry them in my kitchen (as seen below).

And then I grind them and package them in a stout mason jar (seen below) which I did with some rosemary,

or I put them in a "traditional" spice jar and create a label in the same way I do for my bagged herbs, as seen in the image below with my lemon verbena.***

In Gone With The Wind, Aloysia triphylla (Lemon Verbena), is mentioned as Scarlett O'Hara's mother's favorite herb. The scent is a luscious addition to my urban terrace garden. It is not a showy plant, but it does have delicately textured white flowers that appear mid-summer. Its pointed leaves are great to put in an ice-cube tray before filling it with water. A single leaf looks lovely in the cube which in turn can be used in Gin and Tonics. I recommend using Blue Coat Gin with a splash - just a splash - of "Q" tonic.

And with that, dear reader, I say Cheers, but not without asking how you like to package herbs you grow! Please let me know in the comments field.

References:

* Ben Franklin Quote: http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2011/05/love-thy-neighbor-but-dont-pull-down.html

** Chives, The First Harbinger of Spring @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2010/03/very-first-harbinger-of-spring.html

*** Lemon Verbena Info @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2010/06/aloysia-triphylla-lemon-verbena.html

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2 comments

Douglas Hunt on Jun 01, 2014
I love the idea of giving packaged herbs like that. They are so ridiculously expensive in the store.

1 Reply
- TheLastLeafGardener on Jul 04, 2014
  @Douglas Hunt Many thanks for taking the time to comment on my post. I've been absent from HT for over a month due to a major crisis which is finally smoothing out so I'm back on the air AND I hope you are well. BTW, over eight little guys and gals (one can be seen pictured here) have taken a liking to my herbs. I hope to write about it next week on HT.
  
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