Text: Jane Griffiths. Photography: Jane Griffiths and Keith Knowlton. Article from the December 2012 issue of Garden and Home Magazine.
Zirkia Swart specialises in unusual medicinal and culinary herbs at her farm in the Magaliesberg.
Mountain Herb Estate has a garden that tempts you in and then keeps you entertained for hours. Masses of pink, white and yellow echinacea jostle in the spiralling pathways while a violet cloud of Russian sage forms a backdrop to luscious orange daylilies. Everywhere you look there’s a riot of colour and texture. The air is filled with the buzz of thousands of bees and the scents of anise, hyssop, tarragon and thyme.
When Zirkia Swart and her husband Dawid, both qualified teachers, bought this undeveloped piece of land near Hartbeespoort Dam in 2007 there was nothing on it but veld grass. “It took us several years to find out exactly what we wanted to do with it,” says Zirkia. “At first we were interested in essential oils and planted trials of wormwood, lemongrass, rose-scented geranium and Lippia javanica and drove all the way to Nelspruit to distil the oils.
We got good results but realised it would be too expensive an operation and we didn’t have enough land. By then we were so interested in herbs, we decided to start a little nursery specialising in herbs.” And not just ordinary herbs — here you’ll find a wide range of unusual medicinal and culinary herbs, from turmeric to black horehound.
“Our aim is to become the place in SA where you can find any herb – that’s why people from all over the country visit us. I’m always on the lookout for interesting herbs and vegetables. I love colour, which is why we also have a wide selection of ornamental sages and other fragrant plants.”
With no formal landscape training, Zirkia creatively makes use of various garden layouts, from patchwork and wagon-wheel patterns to a herb spiral culminating in a central pergola. Large swathes of plantings fill the estate, resulting in a beautiful yet functional garden. “That way we make the most of our land,” she explains. “It’s a working garden where we take cuttings for the nursery and harvest the seeds which we sell. The garden isn’t static and is always changing to fulfil our needs.”
Zirkia and Dawid propagate 98 percent of the plants themselves, using organic practices. The plants they sell are well-established, hardy, used to the sun and can be planted immediately. With every purchase, Zirkia includes a leaflet with useful information on both growing and using the herb.
Zirkia’s tips for growing herbs
When you buy herbs in bags or pots, look for strong, healthy plants.- Never sow herb seed outside in the garden. Rather sow it indoors in a seedling tray or pots. Stagger the sowings so your plants don’t all mature at once.
- Don’t transplant your seedlings directly into the garden; first plant them in pots until they are a little stronger.
- Most herbs need to be planted in full sun or a spot that receives sunshine for at least half the day.
- To enhance growth, prune your herbs when the plants start to get leggy or when all the flowers are spent.
- Herbs grow well in containers, but don’t give them too much water. Do the finger test: push your finger in below the surface of the soil to feel whether it’s dry. The plant will tell you anyway as it will start to wilt. Herbs in pots need to be fertilised once a month.
10 No-fail, easy-to-grow herbs that are a must for any cook
Thyme can be used with meat and vegetables as well as in vinegars and oils.
Oregano is great in a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes.
Parsley is particularly good in egg dishes, marinades and soups.
Celery makes a crunchy addition to salads, potato dishes and soups.
Rosemary is a versatile herb that should be used sparingly as it has a strong flavour. It’s great with lamb.
Sweet marjoram is a delicious addition to all meat and vegetable dishes; it’s particularly good in creamy sauces for fish.
Chives have a pungent flavour that adds a bite to fish, fresh salads, dips and omelettes.
Mint is sweet and versatile and can be added to savoury and sweet dishes as well as drinks.
Fennel adds a liquorice flavour to salads and savoury dishes.
French tarragon has a delicate liquorice taste that’s particularly good with egg dishes and creamy sauces. It’s good for flavouring vinegar.
Source: Mountain Herb Estate herbgarden.co.za Zirkia Swart 082 924 3076 or sales@herbgarden.co.za
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