By Barbara F. Smith

Beautiful feverfew, chamomile’s tall and lacy cousin.

Magical pain relieving herb makes a bitter tasting tea.

Honey and lemon make it a palatable blessing.

— M.L. Kiser, American Poet

This brief poem nicely sums up the story of Tanacetum parthenium — feverfew — located in the insect-repellant bed of the BBG Herb Display Garden. Native to southern Europe, feverfew has naturalized throughout much of North America. Its small daisy-like flowers feature 10-20 white “rays”/ petals and button yellow centers; the scent of its aromatic foliage is strong, bitter and citrusy. Its leaves are feathery and green. The blooming period lasts June through September. Feverfew grows up to three feet tall, preferring full sun and good drainage. With optimal growing conditions, the plants usually self-sow. Although occasionally confused with chamomile, an easy distinction is to consider the plant’s position while growing: feverfew has an upright growth habit, while chamomile is procumbent, that is, trailing along the ground without setting roots.

Long used in traditional medicine, this perennial herb was considered as a “fever herb.” While its efficacy for that purpose is questioned, modern research now recommends feverfew for migraine relief or to aid with symptoms of rheumatism or arthritis. Feverfew has volatile oils with properties similar to pyrethrum, which act as a natural insecticide when steeped in water and applied to plants.

Feverfew’s dried flowers and leaves are featured in potpourri or floral arrangements. When fresh feverfew leaves are used with a chrome mordant, they produce a greenish-yellow dye with woolen fibers.

Another species of the Tanacetum genus is niveum, also known as silver tansy or snow daisy. This mounding, multi-stemmed, short-lived perennial herb has strong aromatic grey green foliage and “clouds of pure white daisies in dense panicles.” Similar to feverfew, silver tansy thrives in sun and adapts to various soil conditions. This “tough and easy” plant can be cut back after blooming for a second show. Niveum’s botanical profile suggests that it has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and insect repelling properties. It is currently blooming at the entry to the Herb Display Garden, on the right near the stone steps.

A quick nod goes to an annual herb recently added to the Herb Display Garden’s Tea Bed – Talinum paniculatum, commonly known as “Jewels of Opar.” This delightful name was borrowed from the title of a 1916 novel “Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar” by Edgar Rice Burroughs, in which Tarzan returns to the lost city of Opar to find gold, encounters danger, and Jane is kidnapped. This shrubby succulent has a dense mound of chartreuse foliage with erect, slender stems covered in tiny star-shaped flowers that mature to red-orange beads in late summer and early autumn. Florists love the flowers for distinctive autumn bouquets or wreaths. Other names for this plant are fame flower or pink baby’s breath. The plant can grow up to two feet tall and three feet wide. Its leaves and roots are made into tea, used in Asian traditional medicine for its tonic, anti-inflammatory and estrogenic properties. Jewels of Opar has been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, coughs, fatigue and reproductive issues. The leaves are edible, with a mild and peppery taste, often used as a spinach substitute; they are rich in iron, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids.

This week, the beds of the Herb Display Garden received a fresh layer of compost and dark mulch, which show off the beautiful plant material to great advantage.

In the warm kitchen, the crew was preparing a batch of “Foard’s Garlic Scape Jam,” named for a long-time Herb Associate volunteer. This intensely fragrant product always brings interested passersby to the kitchen to see what’s being prepared. This savory/sweet seasonal delicacy is unique and delicious!

Another customer favorite was assembled — “Herb Salt” — a tasty blend useful in so many ways. Add a dash to your scrambled eggs, season your poultry or fish, let your imagination decide.

In the cool kitchen, the crew prepared Tarragon Vinegar and Chive Blossom Vinegar. Freshly harvested garlic scapes were set to infuse vinegar to be bottled later when ready. Sage and Pineapple Shrub joined the family of tasty, fruity/vinegary syrups to add to your favorite summertime drink. A brand-new product debuted – Chive Butter, a delicious blend of butter, chopped chives, and salt. This product will be offered in the refrigerated cooler at the Gift Shop.

As ever, the behind-the-scenes work of the labelers and inventory keepers kept several Herb Associates busy! In this artisanal setting, all work is done “by hand,” which takes time but also adds to the intrinsic value of the products. We Herb Associates are a community where each member contributes their skills to the results – the beauty of the Herb Gardens, the products of the kitchens, and the sharing and preservation of traditional heritage. The proceeds from the sales of all products benefit the Berkshire Botanical Garden.

The Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Herb Associates began in 1957 and have 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.