Herbs are often some of the most important ingredients in recipes. They give Mom’s lasagna that special touch, add a distinctive flavor to Grandma’s pastries, and make Dad’s pickles the best around. But there is much more to herbs than just cooking.

Beauty Herbs

Many herbs are known for their beauty, and herb gardens are often planted just for looks. But herbs can also be used in skin creams to soften skin or treat skin conditions, or in hair treatments to lighten, darken, or moisturize the hair.

Chamomile can be infused in milk to make a great cleanser for oily skin. Mint can be used to make a good toner, and rosemary infusions can darken and condition hair. These are just a few of the many beauty uses of herbs.

Aromatic Herbs

Herbs are frequently used in gardens for their wonderful scent. Herbs such as lavender, hyssop and bergamot are often planted for both their beauty and their lovely smell. These characteristics make gardens easy on the eyes and a pleasure to walk by.

Fragrant herbs are often used in potpourri. They are also used in many formulations for aromatherapy. The aforementioned lavender, for example, has a soothing scent that is used to calm nerves and promote restful sleep. Herb stores often carry essential oils for use in aromatherapy, and many products such as lotions, soaps and shampoos also make use of herbal aromatherapy.

Medicinal Herbs

Herbal medicine has been around for centuries, and it is still thriving today. Herbs provide relief from a wide variety of ailments, and they often have fewer and less severe side effects than the chemicals offered by traditional medicines. It’s no wonder that more and more people are becoming interested in herbal remedies.

You don’t have to go to the herb shop to get an herbal remedy. You can grow the herbs you need right in your own garden. Herbs such as chamomile and garlic, for example, have a number of medicinal uses and can easily be grown in an herb garden.

Culinary Herbs

Although cooking isn’t the only thing you can do with herbs, it is one of the most fun. Fresh herbs can be used to make a variety of delicious dishes. And some herbs can be used for medicinal, culinary, and beauty or aromatic purposes. Herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme have a variety of cooking uses, and can be used for other purposes as well.

There are many herbs that you can grow in your garden, and most of those herbs have multiple uses. They are nice to look at and smell, and they may add flavor to your favorite dish, soothe your worries away with their scent, or cure what ails you.