Most Beneficial Herbs and Flowers

Common Culinary Herbs

• Anise has a sweet taste reminiscent of licorice. Use the leaves in salads and as garnish. Use the seeds in cakes and cookies.

  Basil has spicy leaves that naturally suit a variety of dishes, especially when paired with tomato.

  Oregano works well in many Italian dishes, ranging from sauces to pizza flavoring. You may also use the herb's leaves as a seasoning for lamb or beef.

  Parsley serves as a common garnish. The herb has high values of iron and vitamins A and C.

  Sage, a slightly bitter herb, adds a distinct taste to stuffing used in poultry, pork and fish. The herb is often used to flavor sausage.

  Thyme, works well in marinades, poultry stuffing, chowders, slow-cooked beef dishes and more. Its oil also appears in medicines and perfumes.

Edible Flowers

• Marigolds have a sharp taste that varies from spicy to tangy. The golden-orange petals add a yellow tint to soups, spreads and scrambled eggs, and the petals may also be sprinkled on pasta, rice and salads.

  Chrysanthemum petals have a tangy, slightly bitter taste. Remove the petals from the bitter flower base, blanch them and scatter them on salads or in stir-fries. You may also use the leaves to flavor vinegar.

  Dandelions have a sweet flavor that mimics honey when picked young, but becomes bitter as flowers mature. Eat dandelion buds raw or steamed, or make them into wine. Use the leaves in salads, and spring petals over rice dishes.

Natural Insect Repellents

• Members of the allium family -- including onions, chives and garlic -- effectively repel most garden insects and other pests.

  The English pennyroyal, a member of the mint family that sprawls along the ground, acts as a potent tick repellent.

  Lavender has little to no repellent properties while growing, but dried bunches of lavender can repel moths.

  A growing peppermint plant repels a variety of insects including aphids, ants, flea beetles, cabbage words and white flies. For added repellent benefits, harvest and crush the leaves before mixing them with water and spraying the mixture on infested plants.

Herbal Teas and Health Benefits

• Chamomile tisane, an herbal tea made from the flowers of the chamomile plant, relaxes the body and may help those with sleeping problems.

  A cup of peppermint tea helps aid digestion after a meal, and may stifle hunger pangs between meals.

  Lemon balm tisane, made from the leaves of the lemon balm plant, serves as a mild anti-depressant. Additionally, the tea helps relieve symptoms of fatigue.