by Liz Hamill Scott

Thyme. Photo: Gwen O’Neill.

Most cooks and gardeners in the United States think of herbs solely as seasonings. But in fact, most common “culinary” herbs were originally used in Europe and Asia for medicine rather than for flavoring. Now, Western-style scientific analysis is proving that these herbs contain strong antioxidant, antiseptic, and even cancer-fighting compounds. With their medicinal powers at peak when fresh, and with many herbs being among the easiest plants to cultivate, you can grow a veritable pharmacy in your backyard.

Thyme: The Antiseptic

So easy to grow it can be used as a ground cover and so tasty it’s a staple flavoring in world cuisine, thyme also has several medicinal uses. Thyme kills bacteria — sprinkle it on salads not just for flavor, but to kill contaminating bugs.

Hardy and drought-tolerant, thyme does well outdoors in flower beds or inside in sunny windowsills. While it thrives in full sunlight, it grows just fine in partial shade. Unhappy with overwatering, thyme can be dry-farmed in Coastside gardens. Nurseries and home-garden centers sell thyme starts — for a variety of flavors, try the lemon, lime and nutmeg thymes.

Sage: The Brain Food

Want to cultivate a great memory as well as a great herb garden? Plant some culinary sage. The old-school herb healers were onto something when they prescribed sage to enhance brain function. Steep sage in soups and sauces to improve short-term memory and buff up brain cells.

Drought tolerant to the point of drought-loving, sage makes a great perennial planting in rock gardens or areas where you plan to water rarely or never. Culinary sages come in many pretty colors, including purple, golden and variegated. All prefer the sunniest spot you can give them.

Oregano: The Super-Herb

What herb contains more antioxidants than an ounce of fresh fruits and veggies? An ounce of oregano. Though you probably won’t want to chow down on handfuls of the pungent herb, it’s easy to add oregano to pasta sauces, pizza sauce, soups and salads. With its super-strong nutritive qualities, including lots of dietary fiber, oregano can easily add a healthy kick to your diet.

Although oregano likes sunshine, it grows acceptably in partial shade conditions; oregano also does well in containers on a sunny window ledge. An aggressive self-sower similar to its cousin mint, oregano can come back every year, whether you want it to or not.

Rosemary: The Painkiller

Herb healers use the scent of rosemary to decreases pain — especially headaches. A bouquet of rosemary on your bedside table might help diminish your migraine symptoms. Infuse oil with fresh rosemary to create a soothing rub for those gardener’s aches and pains. Chop the fresh leaves of rosemary to season all sorts of foods, from fish and poultry to lamb and beef.

Rosemary is a hardy, drought-tolerant perennial that’s so tough it’s often used as a California highway beautification planting. Both the creeping and upright bush forms produce edible leaves, so pick whichever will look best in your garden. Because rosemary likes to grow large, it’s not the best choice for an indoor container garden.

Peppermint: The Belly Soother

Even in the 21st-century world of pills for every problem, common wisdom states that a cup of peppermint tea after dinner aids the digestion. Modern research backs up the wisdom — the menthol present in peppermint oil soothes upset stomachs and quiets menstrual cramps by reducing the muscle spasms in the abdominal organs.

Peppermint is almost too easy to grow, and it loves the conditions that pervade the Coastside: some sun, some shade, plenty of moisture. All mint plants reproduce via underground “runners” that can grow under concrete and into lawns, easily taking over a whole garden. Consider confining peppermint to pots, and keep cutting it back — easy if you take tea every evening.

For more information about the health benefits of common herbs, check out The World’s Healthiest Foods website. To get the straight scoop on growing herbs in your garden, consult any recent edition of the Sunset Western Garden Book.