Mulberry Creek Herb Farm: Catalog/Hardy Perennial

Hardy Perennial

Thyme, Provencal

Thymus vulgaris 'Provenca'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 8 - 12in.
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Culinary, Medicinal, Ornamental

""Thanks for the Memories""Don't just look at it! Smell it! Taste it! At our HerbFair both author Susan Belsinger and culinary instructor Lynn Nelson of ""The Provincal Kitchen"", absolutely fell in love with this variety. So will you. The flavor's strong, but balanced for any Italian or French cooking. Very nice blue-gray color too!

Thyme, Red Mother-of-

Thymus pulegiodes

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun Only to Full Sun
Height: 1 inch
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Bees, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Walk About

Like the mother of a toddler, it hugs (the ground) and moves briskly to fill an herb lawn, pathway or rock garden niche with glossy green leaves and dark pink, spring flowers within a couple of years. Mother of prostrate thymes, maybe, but red, definitely not!

Thyme, Rose-scented

Thymus X 'Rose-Scented'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun Only to Full Sun
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Culinary, Ornamental, Rock Garden

I confess. Occasionally I found out about Mark's new finds when I edit the catalog. His description inspired me to hunt it down and you know it is distinctly ""English Rose"" scented with larger foliage for kitchen prep east. Forms a delicious blue-green, fast spreading carpet for in between stepping stones, under Ebony Wonder Basil, or in rockeries... anywhere, it makes scents!

Thyme, Sage, Rosemary CHICKEN STEW (Cacciucco do Pollo)

serves a crowd!
marinade:
1 tsp. cumin, ground
1 T. fresh sage, finely chopped
2 c. chicken stock
2 c. carrots, julienned
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 T. garlic, minced
4 c. red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
6 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. lemon juice
3 c. celery, thin sliced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
salt/ pepper
1 c. dry white wine
3 c. fennel bulb, thin sliced
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chop
2 chickens, cut-up
2 c. whole tomatoes, pureed in juice 1/2 # mushrooms, sliced
3 T. Italian parsley, chop

Directions:
Marinade cut-up chickens in the above mixture from cumin to salt/pepper, for 1/2 hour to 48 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a large baking dish with 3 T. olive oil and arrange drained chicken in the dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Add chicken stock, 3 T. minced garlic, lemon juice, and white wine. Bake another 20 minutes.

Gently mix tomatoes, carrots, red onions, celery, fennel, mushrooms, and Italian parsley. Season with salt & pepper and arrange on top of chicken. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, basting occasionally. Remove chicken from dish and remove bones. Return meat and stir. Bake a final 20 minutes. Serve with thick slices of Tuscan bread.

Thyme, Spicy Orange

Thymus X 'Spicy Orange'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun Only to Full Sun
Height: 2 - 4in.
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Culinary, , Garden Railroads, Ornamental, , Tea, , Walk About

A narrow leaved, blue-green creeping variety that is simply outstanding between stepping stones and two pieces of fish, butterfly chicken breasts, or in tea. You gotta try this one.

Thyme, Wine & Roses

Thymus praecox 'Wine & Roses'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun
Height: 2h x 18w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Walk- About Groundcover

Rose-red, wine flowers pour over this deep green groundcover that sunbaths between stepping stones. Great partner at the foot of roses to prevent splash (and possibly "Black Spot"). Offers up a pleasant aroma as you step on it to gather a fresh bouquet of roses.

Valerian \ Garden Heliotrope

Valerian officinalis

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Shade
Height: 3 - 5 feet
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Medicinal, , Ornamental, , Shade, , Tea

Considered by many horticulturists to be one of the finest hardy perennials for the shade. Fragrant 5"" pinkish-white flower clusters in mid-summer perfume the early evening air. What irony then, that the medicinal roots should smell so bad. A cold tea made from dried 2 year old roots is used for colds, insomnia and nervous disorders.

Valerian, Garden Pink

Valerian officinalis 'BLBP19'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P. Shade – P. Sun
Height: 32h x 18w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Medicinal, Butterfly

Pinkish-white umbels tower over fern-like foliage flagging down some resident butterflies and moths. The particularly high essential oil, valeric acid and extract make the roots appealing to humans to normally be used as a nerve tonic and relaxer. It is best to allow the plant at least two years of growth before harvesting some of its roots.

Verbena, Butterfly

Verbena bonariensis

Cold Tolerance: Zone 10a 10b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 3-3 1/2 Feet
Water: Normal
Soil: Loamy
Common Uses:Butterfly, , Cut Flower, , Ornamental

Pinkish purple blossoms sway on top 3 foot slender stems, attracting the eye and horn of many drivers. It's a natural cut flower which also lures every butterfly in the neighborhood. Warning: it's a self-sowing annual which happens to be O.K. for us. Use bark or other mulch where you don't want it to self-sow.

Wild Indigo \ Baptisia

Baptisia australis

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 3 Feet
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Ornamental

True blue, June flowers form on this, one of the longest lived perennials known. It even has delicious edible flowers (yes, we where surprised too!). Just strip flowers from stalks and pop into your mouth, green cap and all, for a fresh pea fix. After a short bloom, the unique foliage contrasts with neighbors all summer and then it turns purple after a freeze! Place it next to yellow conifers for excellent winter color. It's a nitrogen fixing legume to boot!