MIni Cucumber

Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum)

Thymus serpyllum, known by the common names of Wild Thyme or Creeping Thyme is a species of thyme native to most of Europe and North Africa. It is a low, usually prostrate subshrub growing to 2 cm tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm long, with oval evergreen leaves 3-8 mm long. The strongly scented flowers are pink-purple, all 4-6 mm long and produced in clusters. The hardy plant tolerates some pedestrian traffic and produces odors ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the plant.

How to grow
sow the seed and cover with 1/8 inch of rich, slightly alkaline, well-drained soil. Keep the soil moist during germination. Spacing is 10 to 12 inches apart in rows about 18 to 24 inches apart. Temperature 66 to 70F, germinate within 3 to 6 days. USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9

Uses
It is a source of oil of Serpolet by distillation, and is used as an aphrodisiac in herbal medicine. It is used as a seasoning for many meat dishes (being commonly used in beef stews), cabbage or green salads, and vegetable dishes containing zucchini and eggplant. The dried leaves are used for a herbal tea throughout Europe and the United States.

Broad-leaved Sage (Salvia officinalis broad-leaved)

The broad-leaved sage herb is a very useful and versatile culinary herb. This Sage is a virtually hardy evergreen in the northern hemisphere and can grow to about 2 feet (60cm). It is origin to Europe and widely cultivated in Mediterranean coast.

How to grow
Sage prefers a sunny location with a dry, alkaline soil. It grows best in a warm climate but will withstand English winters if protected from the frosts.

To grow from seed, plant seeds in a container and place in a sunny window sill. Place the seeds 5mm deep in the soil, and water. Be sure to keep the soil moist, but not too wet, while you wait for the seeds to germinate. You should see seedlings in about 14 to 21 days. After several weeks, thin out the seedlings and select the strongest ones for planting out in the garden or in containers. You should have large enough leaves to pick and use some in cooking a few weeks after that.

Keep the plant well pruned to encourage young shoots with a strong flavour. Pruning also keeps the plants from becoming leggy and twiggy. If you are growing for culinary uses, be sure to pinch out any flowers in order to encourage the tasty leaves.

Uses
For culinary use, sage adds a special flavour to biscuits or scones, as well as bread. For medical use, sage tea is used as a gargle for a sore throat and is excellent for treating colds, mouth ulcers and sore gums because of its antiseptic qualities. In addition, sage can be used in cosmetics for fragrance, as an insect repellant and makes an excellent hair rinse for dark hair. Sage was also one of the herbs used for strewing in medieval times.

Evening Primrose (Oenothera lamarckiana)

Evening primrose is a beautiful perennial or biennial that gets unique yellow flowers with adorning a spiked stem . The flower's name comes from the fact that blooms typically open in the late afternoon and close up before dawn. The yellow flowers bloom in June and July, are attractive to bees and butterflies.

How to grow
The plant prefers full sun. cover with 1/16 inch of soil, use well-drained soil. Temperature is 65 to 70F. keep soil slight moist during germination; the evening primrose prefers a dry soil once it becomes established. Germination period is about 2 to 4 weeks. USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) 迷迭香

Rosemary is a hardy evergreen sub-shrub grown chiefly for its aromatic leaves which are used in culinary seasoning and which yield an oil once used in medicine. Small light blue flowers are borne in April or May, in loose clusters that spring from the leaf axils. The foliage is white and woolly on the under side and dark and shiny above. Plants can grow to a height of 6 feet and last for years if given winter protection.

How to grow
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10. Rosemary prefers full sun, dry, well-drained and alkaline soil.
Given the difficulty in germinating rosemary seeds, it is recommended that the seeds be frozen for three to five days before sowing and then soaked in room temperature water for a few hours before sowing. Sow indoors in sunny location or under plant grow lights eight weeks before last frost. Sow at 1/4 inch in well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Spaced 18 to 24 inches (45-60cm) apart. Good air circulation is essential. It will germinate in 10-21 days.

Uses
The fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine as a herb; they have a bitter, astringent taste, which complements a wide variety of foods. Rosemary is extremely high in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6.

Rosemary is a popular component of herbal vinegars and infused oils where the herb will impart its aroma, flavor, and a tinge of color to your favorite oils or vinegars.

Rosemary is popular is in the cosmetic industry. You can find the herb included in many hair care products, soaps, lotions, oils, and even toothpaste. Rosemary also exhibits medicinal properties and is used for ointments, teas, and essential oils.

Then there are the other ornamental uses for the gardener and landscaper. Because of the ease with which the plant can be pruned and trained, Rosemary makes a great herbal bonsai plant or topiary.

Ambarella / Golden Apple (Spondias dulcis)

The Ambarella also known as the Hog plum or Golden apple is one of the newer fruits on the ever expanding list of exotics quickly gaining in popularity. This highly ornamental tree is a rapid-grower reaching a height of 12-to18 m with upright growth. Deciduous in habit, its leaves turn bright yellow before falling in the cool season. The small white flowers are borne in large bunches with male, female and perfect flowers within each cluster. The long-stalked fruits dangle in bunches of a dozen or more.

While green the fruit will fall to the ground over a period of several weeks. As they mature the skin turns golden-yellow with an orange-yellow pulp surrounding a single large spiny seed. When ripe they have a pleasant pineapple-like fragrance. This pleasant tasting acidic fruit has a pineapple-mango flavour and a crunchy texture. The part nearer to the peel is quite sour getting sweeter near the seed. The ripe fruit is also much sweeter than the less mature green fruit.

How to grow
The tree thrives in humid tropical and subtropical areas growing up to 2 metres in a single growing season. It grows on all types of soil, as long as they are well drained. It has been noted that some trees can suffer from some nutritional disorders if the soil is too alkaline.

Trees are cold sensitive when small and should be protected from serious frost and strong wind. Trees do best in full sun, but will produce some fruit in light shade. As a large and vigorous tree they prefer not be planted underneath other large trees and unlike some mango varieties they are not too fussed on salt spray.

The tree is easily propagated by seeds, which germinate in about 4 weeks. Seedlings may fruit when only 4 years old.

Uses
Unripe fruits can be made into jelly, pickles or relishes, or used for flavoring sauces, soups and stews. Young ambarella leaves are appealingly acid and consumed raw in southeast Asia. In Indonesia, they are steamed and eaten as a vegetable with salted fish and rice, and also used as seasoning for various dishes. They are sometimes cooked with meat to tenderize it.

English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 薰衣草

English Lavender is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the western Mediterranean region, primarily in the Pyrenees and other mountains in northern Spain.

It is a strongly aromatic shrub growing to 1–2 m tall. The leaves are evergreen, 2–6 cm long and 4–6 mm broad. The flowers are pinkish-purple (lavender-coloured), produced on spikes 2–8 cm long at the top of slender, leafless stems 10–30 cm long.

How to grow
English lavender is commonly grown as an ornamental plant. It is popular for its colourful flowers, its fragrance and its ability to survive with low water consumption. It does not grow well in continuously damp soil. It is fairly tolerant of low temperatures, generally considered hardy to USDA zone 5.

Directly sow the seed into the soil and cover lightly as seeds benefit from light and use fertile, loose, well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. Temperature is 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, full sun or partial sun will be fine. Spacing is 18 inches between plants in rows about 18 inches apart. The seed will be germinate 2 weeks or more. Germination rates can be improved by wrapping the seed in a moist paper towel and keeping in a refrigerator for a week prior to sowing.

Uses:
In addition to its use as an ornamental plant for garden landscaping, the flowers and leaves are also used as an herbal medicine, either in the form of lavender oil or as an herbal tea. The flowers are also used as a culinary herb, most often as part of the French herb blend called herbes de Provence.

Lavender essential oil, when diluted with a carrier oil, is commonly used as a relaxant with massage therapy. Products for home use including lotions, eye pillows—including lavender flowers or the essential oil itself—bath oils, etc. are also used to induce relaxation