Spring Herbs II
There was a corner of my grandfather's garden that got the most afternoon sun. That was where the basil lived. Next to it, coriander gone to seed. Thyme along the stone border. And somewhere, tucked in where you might not notice it, a small cluster of something soft and lemon-scented that his wife picked for tea in the evenings. I didn't know then what that tea was doing. Now I do. Part II of the spring herbs series, and the most personal one yet.
Spring Herbs I
You could smell it before you saw it. My grandfather's garden in Turkey announced itself long before you arrived, mint first, then dill, then parsley, then rosemary underneath it all. He knew something I've spent years arriving at through research: these plants are not garnishes. They are medicine in the most practical, everyday sense. Here's what the science says about five spring herbs, and one plant most people throw away.