Herbs in Single Stem Vases

August 23, 2011

20110823-060415.jpg My friend Catherine taught me to use fresh herbs in flowering arranging many years ago. She would mix in mint with heirloom roses to create a sumptuous bouquet. Since then, I have taken to using single stems of herbs in a variety of containers–drinking glasses, vases, tea cups, you name it. We found a really cool zinc planter a few years ago that we loaded up with herbs so we could use them while cooking. Our property on the island is quite wooded, and there are only a select few spots that get full sun throughout the day. A very large tree fell last year, opening up an area where we have placed the zinc planter, and it is bathed in sunlight throughout the day. The herbs are going crazy! While we were away in New York, the herbs went wild and seemed to double in size. Many also started to flower.

20110823-061500.jpg We cut things way back, and brought a load of herbs back with us into town. I placed stem after stem of the fresh herbs in single stem containers and set them about.

20110823-061729.jpg They not only are lovely to look at, but are also quite interactive. I love to rub my fingers on a leaf and pull out some of the divine oil of the fresh herb. The scent of the oregano is particularly spectacular, and the flower is quite pretty.