Monthly Programs for Meetings

June - Rose Beads by Cindy Meredith

July - Sesame Seeds by Lois Atwood

Aug - Peppers by Barb McSpadden

Sep - More on Remarkable Trees of Texas by Ruth Hoese

Oct - Garlic by Barb McSpadden

Nov - Pot Pourri & Other Smelly Stuff!!  by Mary Ann Davis and Cindy Meredith

Dec - Christmas Luncheon at Barb McSpadden's

June Program- Rose Beads

We had fun making rose beads- that's making beads from Rose Petals which have been either dried, ground and made into a paste. Or, another way, cooking fresh rose petals over a 3-day period until they have become a mash-like consistency.

I'm making the rose mash now from some beautiful, fragrant pink roses Pat Baugh brought to the meeting. She collected them from the Dairy Queen in Rockport. Thanks, Pat!!

I'll let you know how the new method works out! 

For now, here are the recipes:

From Herb Companion Magazine:

Fragrant Herbal Beads
February/March 1993

http://www.herbcompanion.com/Projects/Fragrant-Herbal-Beads.aspx

By Kate Carter Frederick

There's a primitive satisfaction to making beads from natural materials and forming colorful strands of assorted shapes and textures. Little has changed since our distant ancestors fashioned beads from wood, nutshells, seashells, stone, bone, seeds, clay, and berries.

Beads of all kinds have served people since ancient times as adornment, talismans, symbols of wealth or class, and spiritual identification. The word “bead” can be traced back to the Old English word for “prayer,” but the object itself goes back farther still.

Aromatic beads are nothing new, either; many of our great-grandmothers had rose beads tucked away in a dresser drawer or Sunday purse. Back then, these scented mementos might have been produced in a convent, to which bride would send the roses from their wedding bouquets to be made into rosaries.

Besides rose petals, any fragrant plant material that can be reduced to a fine powder or puree—herbs, flowers, spices—can be fashioned easily into beads. I’ve tried lavender, lemon verbena, sage, lemon balm, peppermint, and rose.

The differences in hue and scent among these materials lend the beads a great deal of earthy charm. Herb beads can be strung alone or in combination with whole spices such as cardamom, star anise, tonka bean, nutmeg, or cinnamon; adding a few drops of essential oil will enhance and prolong their aromatic life.

What You'll Need

Strongly aromatic plants and high-quality essential oils make the best beads.
1/2 cup herb leaves or flowers, fresh or dried
Water (if using dried material)
All-purpose flour
15 drops essential oil to match or complement the herb

How To Do It

Strip off leaves or petals and discard stems and other coarse or nonaromatic parts. Puree fresh plant material in a food processor, blender, or old-fashioned meat grinder. A food processor breaks down herbs faster than any other method and can be used to finish blending the dough as well. You can finely mince the herbs with a sharp knife instead, but the finished beads will be coarser than those made from a puree or powder.

Process dried herb leaves or flower petals in a blender or spice mill, or rub the leaves across the bottom of a fine-mesh wire sieve until you have a fairly uniform powder.
Unless plant material is processed into a fine powder or smooth pulp, coarse beads will result.

Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of flour to the plant material, and enough water, starting with 1 tablespoon (if using dried herbs) to make a smooth dough. These are approximate amounts; you’ll need more flour if you’re starting with a soupy puree and more water if the herb powder is very dry. When blended, the dough should be the consistency of children’s craft
clay. If it seems too soft, add flour in small amounts to improve it; if too stiff, add a little water; if too coarse or crumbly, try adding both flour and water until the dough is workable.

Don’t add essential oil yet: it evaporates too quickly during blending.

Pinch off bits of dough and roll them into beads between your palms, or roll a long “snake” (this always brings back memories of my childhood) and slice off uniform lengths, then shape them into beads. Work with a light touch and keep your hands clean to prevent the dough from sticking to them.

Essential oil can be added at this point, or after the beads
are dry. When sizing the beads, remember that they will shrink a bit as they dry.

TO MAKE FROM FRESH PETALS:

Materials:
dark red rose petals
blender
cast iron pot
water
rose oil
Styrofoam
tooth picks
soft cloth
jewelry elastic or jewelry wire
clasp

Tips: Dark red rose petals are recommended because they tend to be more fragrant, although you can use any fresh rose petals that you can acquire. Through the centuries the rose beads have been cooked in black cast iron pots, which give the rose beads a deep and almost black color. If you do not own a cast iron pot or skillet, an enamel pot will work. The enamel pot will make the beads a very deep red color. So you can choose the option that works best for you. Aluminum pots should not be used!

Directions:
You can use fresh rose petals from your garden or purchase them from a floral shop. You will need approximately, a grocery bag full of rose petals. This is enough to create 60 rose beads, which will make a long necklace. If you don't have access to that many roses or to save money, you can make a shorter necklace or a choker instead. Pluck the rose petals off of the rose as this is the only part you will need. Discard any rose petals that are unhealthy looking.

Place the rose petals into the blender to chop them into small pieces. If you don't have access to a blender you can snip the roses into small pieces (right into the pot) with a pair of garden snips. This will just take a little longer.

Now you will need to add water to the roses. For every cup of rose petals you use, you will need to add 1/4 cup of water. Place the burner on low (just enough to simmer the contents) and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool overnight.

The following day, simmer the rose petals for another hour, adding a little more water if needed. Again let the roses cool overnight. On the third day repeat the process one last time. Let the pot of cooked petals sit for two or three days or until they are the consistency of wet clay.

Once the mixture is similar to wet clay, you can begin making the rose beads. Grab a pinch of the rose mixture and roll the mixture in your hands to form the shape of the rose beads. They should be about the size of a marble (as the beads dry, they will shrink to half that size!). Tip:To make your beads the same size every time, use a measuring spoon to measure the amount of mixture you use for each bead.

Set the beads on a tray lined with paper towels and let them dry for a day or two. They should be slightly firm. Now pierce the beads in the center with a tooth pick, all the way through the bead. Push the tooth picks with the beads on them, into a piece of Styrofoam. Allow the beads to dry, making sure to rotate them often. Allow them to dry for at least a week or until thoroughly dry.

Remove the beads and polish each of them with a soft cloth. String the rose beads onto your choice of necklace material.

HERBS: MORE THAN PARSLEY, SAGE, ROSEMARY, & THYME

There are times when I hear the comment “Herbs are ugly.”  Is a rose Rosa spp. ugly?  Is lavender Lavandula ugly?  I certainly don’t think so with both of them not only looking good but smelling good too!  What about dianthus Dianthus chinensis and nasturtiums Tropaeolum majus?  I love these herbs because they are both beautiful and quite tasty, whether they are in the ground, a pot or a salad!  

Climbing Pinkie Rose

Do you know that there are over 2,000 herbs which include roses? And do you know that many of our Texas Native Plants are also herbs?  Herbs have been used for thousands of years by many people from all around the globe.  Native Americans relied heavily on herbs (many of which are also considered Native Plants) for many purposes, especially for medicinal reasons.   Herbs are not only used for culinary purposes, as most people think, but they are also used for medicinal, cosmetic, household cleaning solutions, dyes, and art and craft purposes as well.  Some herbs have multiple uses that carry over into all of these categories. 

Furthermore, some other plants that are also herbs include purple coneflower Echinacea, sunflower Helianthus annuus, begonia Begonia semperflorens, pot marigold Calendula officinalis, and ginger Zingiber officinale. 

Some of my orchids that I grow in my greenhouse.

What can be said about the orchids Noble Dendrobiums Dendrobium nobile with over 1,000 species, other than how beautiful they are?  Dendrobium is a diverse genus of orchids with different cultural needs. Yes, they too are herbs with evidence that they were used as herbals in China and India about 7,000 years ago. 

You might be surprised to realize that some of the plants that you think of as “landscaping trees and plants” are also herbs.  The Vitex Agnus-castus, also known as a chaste tree, is an herb, along with citrus trees citrus, bay trees laurus nobilis, cedar trees cedrus, pine trees pinus, beech trees fagus, birch trees betula, and willow trees salix to name just a few trees which are herbs. 

Trifolia 'Variegata' Vitex in the foreground and Variegated Vitex behind it.

I really don’t understand such blanket statements about herbs being ugly, and I have to attribute the comment to the fact that many people don’t know what herbs, sometimes referred to as “the useful plants”, are, so the following is the definition of an herb:

According to The Herb Society of America's New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses by Deni Bown:

"The term "herb" also has more than one definition. Botanists describe an herb as a small, seed bearing plant with fleshy, rather than woody, parts (from which we get the term "herbaceous"). In this book, the term refers to a far wider range of plants. In addition to herbaceous perennials, herbs include trees, shrubs, annuals, vines, and more primitive plants, such as ferns, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi. They [herbs] are valued for their flavor, fragrance, medicinal and healthful qualities, economic and industrial uses, pesticidal properties, and coloring materials (dyes)."

© Deni Bown, 2001.
Citation: Bown, Deni. The Herb Society of America New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2001. p. 18

Many herbs, especially the salvias, a genus of some 900 species, are herb favorites of hummingbirds, including the same garden sage Salvia officinalis you grow for cooking.  Also some more are pineapple sage S. elegans, hummingbird sage S. guaranitica, autumn sage S. greggii, scarlet sage, a/k/a Texas sage S. coccinea, black and blue salvia, S.  guaranitica to name just a few of the salvias.  Many other herbs are hummer favorites including Turk’s cap Malvaviscus arboretum, foxgloves Digitalis, and anise hyssop Agastache foeniculum. 

Finally, I do think that culinary herbs are also beautiful with their wide range of scents, textures, colors and sizes, and they add greatly to gardens for both beauty as well as being companion plants.  And the best thing about them is that they taste good, and they can make a “just plain old meal” into a really “great meal”. 

Culinary Herbs

• Herb vs. spice or soft tissue vs. woody tissue;
• Herbs: Plants that do not develop persistent woody tissue;
• Spices: derive from the roots, barks, unopened flowers and seedpods of woody shrubs and trees; various aromatic vegetable products.
• Culinary herbs are herbaceous plants that add flavor and color to all types of meals.
• If you find that low fat or low salt foods taste bland, use herbs to enhance the flavor of virtually any dish, including desserts.
• Generally, herbs are delicately flavored, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes, or you can do like I do and add them at the beginning of cooking and then throw some more herbs in at the last minute, right before serving. 

The following herbs are some of the favorite culinary herbs:

BASIL Ocimum basilicum Lamiaceae Annual

BAY Laurus nobilis Lauraceae Tree

CHERVIL Anthriscus cerefolium Apiaceae Annual
CHIVES, ONION Allium schoenoprasum Amaryllidaceae Perennial
CHIVES, GARLIC Allium tuberosum Perennial
CORIANDER (English) a/k/a CILANTRO (Spanish) Coriandrum sativum Apiaceae Annual
DILL Anethum graveolens Apiaceae Annual
FENNEL Foeniculum vulgare Apiaceae Perennial
GINGER Zingiber officinalis Zingiberaceae Perennial
LEMON BALM Melissa officinalis Lamiaceae Perennial
LEMON VERBENA Aloysia triphylla Verbenaceae Tender Perennial
LEMONGRASS Cymbopogon citratus Gramineae Tender Perennial
MEXICAN MINT MARIGOLD Tagetes lucida Asteraceae Perennial
MEXICAN OREGANO Poliomintha longiflora Lamiaceae Perennial
MINTS  Mentha species Lamiaceae Perennial
OREGANO Origanum vulgare Lamiaceae Perennial
PARSLEY Petroselinium crispum Apiaceae Biennial
ROSEMARY Rosmarinus officinalis Lamiaceae Perennial
SAGE Salvia officinalis Lamiaceae Perennial
SALAD BURNET Poterium sanguisorba Rosaceae Perennial
SCENTED GERANIUMS Pelargonium species Geraniaceae Perennial
SORREL Rumex acetosa Polygonaceae Perennial
SWEET MARJORAM Origanum majorana Lamiaceae Tender Perennial
THYME Thymus vulgaris Lamiaceae Perennial

LINDA’S TOMATO & HERB *BRUSCHETTA

4 slices French bread, sliced ½ inch thick

2 tomatoes, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, either finely chopped or minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, first pressed virgin
2 tablespoons fresh basil, can be either finely chopped or chiffonade
1 tablespoon fresh chives, either onion or garlic, finely chopped 
1 teaspoon fresh oregano finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper and kosher salt to taste
Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients except bread in a small bowl and chill.  Brush bread with olive oil on one side; grill oiled side down until golden brown; then turn and continue to grill oiled side of bread.  Place oiled side of bread down on a serving plate and top with the remaining ingredients.  Top with Parmesan cheese.  Can garnish with whole fresh basil leaves.

*Bruschetta[broo-SKEH-tah, broo-SHEH-tah]

From the Italian bruscare meaning "to roast over coals," this traditional garlic bread is made by rubbing slices of toasted bread with garlic cloves, then drizzling the bread with extra-virgin olive oil. The bread is salted and peppered, then heated and served warm.

ROASTED GARLIC

Whole heads of garlic

Extra Virgin Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Fresh herbs of your choice (can use oregano, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, chives)  

Preheat over to 250°.  Cut just the very top part of the garlic off.  Place into a piece of foil and drizzle the olive oil over it, add some salt and pepper and herbs and seal tightly.  Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove and serve on crusty bread as a spread.  Very good with Italian dishes.

Using roasted garlic rather than butter on bread is a great way to reduce your cholesterol intake, and it tastes wonderful! 

Medicinal Herbs

Before pharmaceutical companies, man relied on herbs for medical purposes.   It is known that willow bark has been used for pain relief since the first century A.D.  The willow produces salicylic acid which was first synthesized in 1838 and provides the basis of our modern-day aspirin. 

Myrrh Commiphora myrrha

Myrrh Commiphora myrrha

Frankincense Boswellia sacra    

Also frankincense Boswellia sacra and Myrrh Commiphora myrrha are herbs which are scented plant resins from shrubs.  And yarrow Achillea, a plant that butterflies love, is an herb.  All three of these herbs have been used as medicinal herbs for centuries. 

Some more of the medicinal herbs are as follows:

AMERICAN GINSENG Panax quinquefolius

HOLY BASIL LEAF Ocimum sanctum
CHASTE TREE Vitex Agnus-castus; female hormonal balancer
FENUGREEK Trigonella foenum-graecum
BITTER MELON Momordica charantia
PURPLE CONEFLOWER Echinacea purpurea; native Texas wildflower, immune system booster herb
GURMAR LEAF Gymnema sylvestre
NETTLES, Stinging Nettles, Common Nettles or Small Nettle Urtica dioica; Like spinach, or any other green, it can be steamed or stir-fried with garlic and eaten and also makes a good tea. Good for anemia, asthma, diuretic, used as a green dye
PASSIONFLOWER Passiflora incarnata
ST. JOHN'S WORT Hypericum perforatum
GARLIC AND ONIONS Allium sativum and A. cepa
GOLDENROD Solidago; diuretic, respiratory herb

Evidence suggests valuable compounds found in onions and garlic actually lower glucose levels by competing with insulin in the liver.

Cosmetics Herbs including perfumes

ALOE VERA aloe vera

POT MARIGOLD calendula officinalis; also used as culinary and medicinal herb; Calendula salve will effectively treat burns, stop bleeding, soothe the pain of injuries and irritation, and promote the healing of wounds, insect bites and bruises; nourishing, soothing, and anti-bacterial; has anti-depressant properties
CUCUMBER cucumis sativus
ROSE rosa; also culinary and medicinal herb
LAVENDER lavandula
WITCH HAZEL hamamelis virginiana

Different types of herb gardens

An herb garden can be any size and any shape from the formal herb garden to an informal quaint kitchen garden with contrasting colors, textures, shapes, and sizes.  Some herb theme gardens include hummingbird, bee, culinary, potpourri, tea, dye, medicinal, color, Shakespeare, Bible, topiaries and astrological gardens.   

So before you make the comment “Herbs are ugly!” think about all of the beautiful plants that are herbs! 

Compiled and submitted by:

Herbie a/k/a Linda Turner Collins

Rockport, Texas
January 21, 2007

Herb Growing in Texas by Cindy!

Herbs are plants that are used as flavoring agents. The common herbs used in cooking are referred to as culinary herbs. Mild or savory herbs impart a delicate flavor to foods while the stronger or pungent herbs add zest to foods. A number of additional herbs are used for medicinal purposes. This publication, however, deals mainly with culinary herbs used in cooking. These herbs are attractive and varied so their ornamental value is also important.

The leaves of most herbs are the part of the plant that is used although the seeds or roots of some herbs can also be used. Herbs are used in small quantities, so usually only a few plants are necessary to provide sufficient fresh and dried herbs for the entire season.

To read the rest of the article here is Cindy's latest newsletter about Herb Growing in Texas. 

Trip to Earthworks in Victoria rather than the Antique Rose Emporium!

Calling All Herbies!

After talking to some of our members, we made the decision to cancel the trip to the Antique Rose Emporium for this coming Wednesday. It was going to be a 3 hour car trip both ways, and with touring the gardens and eating, it would make for a 12 hour day. And after several cancelations, there would only be 4 of us making the trip!

SO, how about a trip to Earthworks Nursery in Victoria instead?! I think that we will have just as much fun, and Laurie always has a great selection of wonderful plants. After visiting Earthworks, we can eat in Victoria and then head back to Rockport, thus making for a much shorter day!

So, let's meet at the Ace Hardware parking lot around 8:30 to 8:45 and head out at 9:00 a.m. sharp. We can get to Earthworks around 10:00, shop for a couple of hours, have lunch and then make the one hour trip back to Rockport and get here around 2:00 to 2:30 a.m.

So if you are interested, be there at Ace. And if you know anyone that is interested in going with us, please tell them what our plans are or have them call me if they have any questions. 

See you Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 8:45!

http://earthworksnursery.net/index.html

April 11, 2012 Program is a Field Trip & No Rockport Herb Festival

Hey Herbies!

On April 9, 2011, we had the 7th Rockport Herb Festival which was a huge success. See 7th Rockport Herb Festival for more information. However, it was a lot of work for such a small handful of our members, between 12 to 15, to put on such a well-attended festival, i.e. somewhere between 450 to 500 attendees. It was great! However, our group decided that it was just too much work for so few members to put on such a large festival. So we made a decision not to put the festival on this year, 2012.

I know that our group, Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, has been getting a lot of inquiries about the Rockport Herb Festival. We have been trying to explain why we are not having it this year. Lots of people want for us to have it again. However, unless we get a lot of new members, which is highly unlikely, it will not happen again in the future.

We have told inquiring people that we are more than willing to turn the festival over to a new group of people. We can provide all the information needed to get it going again! So if you or someone you know might be interested in taking it over, just give one of us a call. We will gladly give you what you need to know.

In the meantime on behalf of the Rockport Herb & Rose Study Group, I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone that has supported our festival over the years. 

We still meet the second Wednesday of every month at the ACISD Maintenance Department Formerly Rockport Elementary, 619 N. Live Oak Street, Room 14, Rockport, Texas at 10:00 a.m. to discuss all aspects of using and growing herbs including the historical uses of the herbs and tips for successful propagation and cultivation. So feel free to drop on by and visit with us.

Our April 11, 2012 program is a Field Trip to the Antique Rose Emporium Independence, Texas which is near Brenham, Texas. If you are interested in participating, please contact one of us. Or if you want to carpool up with us, meet us at the Ace Hardware Store in Rockport, on Highway 35 at 7:00 a.m. 

Great Gardening!

If you thought February was Exciting You should have been at the March Meeting

Pat Baugh told us all about reproduction in plants. Sexual reproduction in plants, and it was far more involved than any of us realized.  It is safe for work, but sorry I don't have the pictures to post.  I will get with her later and try to scan some photos and post them. 
Very good and interesting lecture, Pat.  Thanks for doing it.
UPDATE 1:
Linda posted these in the comments I'm transferring them to an update so you can all see them better:
Yes, March was a great program month! I've found a couple of websites that has information and photos that Pat used for her program. Enjoy!

Love Is in the Air

Love Is in the Air Photos

UPDATE 2 :
Today I was sent this beautiful video that is on the same subject:  Enjoy