Waterford Historical Society (CT)
Located in front of Beebe-Phillips House, this garden is named for Terry Wilmot, former president of both the Waterford Historical Society and the Thames River Garden Club, who designed it to represent a typical cottage garden of the 1840's. The garden club plants flowers and herbs and maintains the garden year-round.
Some of the herbs and their uses:
Rosemary - culinary, in sauces, on roasts. Also used medicinally to improve memory.
Tansy (tanacetum vulgaris) - Poisonous leaves and flowers, once brewed as a tea for colic . Used as a moth repellent. Also planted by doorways to keep out ants. Coffins were lined with it to lessen odors.
Thyme (thymus vulgaris) - culinary, in sauces, gravy, stews, dressings, tea.
Sage (salvia officinalis) - culinary, used with meat, fish, cheese, stuffing, squash, and breads.
Sweet Woodruff (galium odoratum) - for fragrances, in beverages such as cold fruit drinks, tea and wine. Also a stewing herb. Was also stuffed into mattresses for sweet dreams.
Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis) - for fragrances, as an ornamental, in lemon scented sachets, potpourris and teas.
Chives (allium schoenoprasum) - for culinary and ornamental uses.
Hollyhocks (alcea rosea) - ornamental, an old-fashioned flower favorite.
Mint (mentha) - culinary, used in fruit drinks, with lamb; and as a moth repellent.