What is Happening in the Herb Garden and Kitchens This Week?

By Barbara F. Smith

Which herb is “the most strongly flavored of the hardy aromatic herbs?” One that “lets you know its flavor just by its name?" Yet even “die-hard herb lovers seem to overlook?" Today, we’ll learn more about the herb savory, which has two main types: perennial winter savory (Satureja montana) (See photo above, taken in the BBG Herb Display Garden) and the annual summer savory (Satureja hortensia). We’ll discuss both, since they share many attributes. They are within the Lamiaceae family (mint), which includes many widely used culinary herbs. The genus name is taken after the “satyr,” a legendary half-man, half-goat creature known for lechery. In folklore, savory was reputed to have aphrodisiac power.

Native to the Mediterranean area, savory grows best with lots of sun and stony or sandy soil with good drainage. Its stems are woody at the base and have many branches with narrow, dark green leaves. Its small, tubular flowers that attract pollinators are very pretty. Savory is easy to grow, and it rarely suffers from pests or diseases. It is not an aggressive grower, and it does well in containers. Winter savory plants may last up to five years, but as they mature, they produce fewer leaves. It’s considered good practice to replace the plants when they are around four years old. 

Records dating back two thousand years reference savory. Over the centuries, savory has been used to “swill out wine barrels” before adding a new crop or used in bunches to deter fruit flies during fermentation. Likewise, households used savory to strew on the floor to ward off fleas, bedbugs and moths.

Savory has a distinctive, pungent taste somewhat like thyme or oregano. Some say it has a “strong, spicy flavor reminiscent of pepper.” A minority voice says that winter savory can be “overbearing and somewhat bitter.” (Generally, both savories may be used interchangeably in recipes.) Savory is among the main herbs used in the traditional French blend “Herbes de Provence,” which is used to flavor roasted meats, poultry and game, pasta, eggs and cheese. Savory is also used in herbal salt substitute mixtures.

In the kitchen, savory’s culinary virtues are many. It is often combined with beans or peas, so much so, it is referred to as the “bean herb.” Its best leaves are from new growth, when the flavor is most appealing. Savory is often used with marjoram and thyme in recipes, and it may be infused in vinegar to make a delicious dressing for three-bean salad. Savory may also be dried or frozen for later use. A 200-year-old recipe to make “Cheese of the Seven Herbs” calls for combining grated cheese, cream and sherry with a quantity of chopped herbs: winter savory, parsley, sage, thyme, tarragon, chives, and chervil. Warm these ingredients over low heat until creamy and pale green, then put them into small containers and use them when cold.  Sounds interesting!

Historically, savory has been used as a remedy for colic or flatulence, primarily in the form of teas, tinctures and oils. Also, a sprig of savory rubbed on a wasp or bee sting provides instant relief. More recently, research has shown that savory has anti-bacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties, yet more research is warranted to support the use for medicinal purposes.

John Josselyn, one of the early British travelers to colonial America, wrote a book on the “Rarities of New England” describing flora and fauna, published in 1672. That book included a list of plants introduced by English colonists; both winter savory and summer savory were on that list. Perhaps you’ll consider adding some to your garden next year?  

Just a few quick notes on common garden Sage (Salvia officinalis), as we come into the holiday season when many people start planning their favorite turkey recipes. Long regarded as a culinary mainstay, sage is a likely player in many holiday feasts. Beautiful examples of common sage are thriving in the BBG Herb Display Garden (see photos above).  

As one writer put it, “there’s more to sage than turkey stuffing or breakfast sausage” — common garden sage is widely used in flavoring meats, beans and stews, grain and pasta dishes, vegetables, liqueurs, and in fragrances. One variety particularly popular for culinary purposes is called “Berggarten” (meaning mountain garden), with the strongest taste and aroma of the numerous cultivars of garden sage.  

The name used by ancient Romans for sage likely derived from the Latin word “salvus,” denoting good health. Common garden sage has been used for years to support digestive health, and recent scientific studies support sage’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, to name a few. A 2025 scientific paper stated that common garden sage is being “re-interpreted as a game-changing tool at the intersection of sustainable agriculture, medicine and nutrition.” 

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE BBG HERB KITCHEN?

The Herb Associates Kitchen Crew in the warm kitchen were taking advantage of the seasonal bounty, making Apple Cider Sage Jelly and yet another new product: Apple Thyme Jelly. Try these on some buttermilk biscuits!  In the cool kitchen, following the period of infusion or drying, the Kitchen Crew bottled the Tuscan Herb Salt, the Opal Basil Vinegar, and a new flavored vinegar called Bobbi’s Mediterranean Vinegar, featuring marjoram, parsley, garlic scapes, and garlic. These flavored vinegars can zing up your dressings, marinades, glazes, and drinks!

The final step in the process of bringing these taste treats to our customers requires still other Herb Associates to label each with its name, its ingredients, and “use by” dates, as appropriate, plus an additional seal on the cap. Many hands make light work of all that needs to be done!  

Just when you thought lavender season was over, one of the Herb Associates harvested a great quantity of Lavandula angustifolia “Hidcote” (see photo above). The flowers are a luscious dark purple, contrasting nicely with their blue/green foliage. Although usually blooming in mid-season, with proper pruning, this variety of lavender has the potential for additional flushes of flowering, thereby enabling this cutting. The Kitchen Crew will set their minds to the best use for this bonus harvest.

Finally, a bounty of catnip mice created by the handwork of more volunteers arrived (see photos above)! These charming cat toys are a huge hit with our feline friends. Speaking of which, the BBG Harvest Festival is nearly here! Do stop by the Herb Associates display near the Center House and check out our wide range of delicious products, household accessories and catnip toys. Our wares are also available in the BBG Visitor’s Center Gift Shop.

Particular Resources this week: A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve, Harcourt, Brace & Company (1931); 100 Herbs to Grow: a Comprehensive Guide to the Best Culinary and Medicinal Herbs, by Jekka McVicar (2024); The Beginner’s Guide to Edible Herbs, by Charles W. G. Smith, Storey Publishing (2010); Culinary and Salad Herbs, by Eleanour Sinclair Rohde, Dover Publications (1972); The Complete Herb Book by  Maggie Stuckey, Berkley Books (1994); The Culinary Herbal, by Susan Belsinger & Arthur O. Tucker, Timber Press (2016); Essential Herbal Wisdom by Nancy Arrowsmith, Llewellyn Publications (2009); Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Claire Kowalchick and Wm. Hynton, editors, Rodale Press (1987); The New American Herbal, by Stephen Orr, Clarkson Potter (2014); The Journal of Functional Foods, Vol. 128, May 2025 “Beyond Traditional uses: Unveiling the . . . Benefits of S. officinalis in Human and Livestock Nutrition.”

The Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Herb Associates began in 1957 and has been making and selling products for the benefit of BBG ever since. At BBG, the Herb Associates oversee a display garden and production garden, both located near the Center House. Members/volunteers meet every Tuesday morning during the late spring through mid-autumn each year, coinciding when the gardens themselves are open to the public. Members plant, weed and tend the gardens, as well as harvest and process the variety of herbs.