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Mothers Day
Herbal Gift Ideas For Mum

By Jenny Jones

Are you looking for something a little different for your Mum on Mother’s day? You could make a simple card by cutting out herbal pictures or glueing to a plain card and add a pack of herb seeds to the front. A gift of fresh herbs is a pleasure she will be able to use all through the growing season and beyond. Garden centres already have a good range of herb plants in stock so there are plenty to choose from.

Make A Herb Planter

First decide on the herbs you want to plant. I have chosen the most often used in traditional culinary recipes, sage, thyme, rosemary, chives and parsley. However, if your Mum likes Mediterranean cooking then perhaps you should include marjoram and basil in your mix, and for Asian food try coriander, lemongrass and basil.

Once you have decided on the herbs, choose your pot size. My 5 herbs are in a 34cm diameter pot. Make sure the pot has drainage holes in the bottom, and fill with about 4cm of grit. Most herbs like a well drained soil. Fill the pot with good soil or potting compost to a depth that will raise your plants to about 6cm below the rim once they are out of their pots. Put the tallest plant in the middle, and place the others around the edge. Fill between the plants, being sure you leave no air spaces around the roots.

Press in firmly, water in, and you’re done. Encourage your mum to cut them regularly to keep them in good condition and producing more.

Make A Herbal Lunch

If you are feeling particularly generous on the day, why not make lunch for your Mum using her herby gift? Start with an egg or prawn cocktail garnished with chopped chives and parsley. The main course could be a chicken stuffed with a mixed herb stuffing using all the herbs. For dessert make a a nice cake like the one below.

Rosemary Drizzle Cake

Make a sponge cake mix to fill an 8 inch cake tin. Bake as usual. Whilst the cake is cooking put a tablespoon of chopped rosemary and tablespoon of caster sugar into a small saucepan. Just cover with water and, over a low heat, bring to a rolling boil until it thickens slightly, watching it doesn’t burn.

When the cake is ready, remove from the oven, and, leaving it in the tin, stab holes evenly over the surface with a cocktail, kebab stick or something similar. Drizzle the rosemary syrup evenly over the cake and allow it to cool in the tin. Turn out onto a serving plate and serve with mascarpone cheese into which you have stirred the rind of a lemon and icing sugar to taste.

Other ideas include making some herbal pamper products or why not give a gift subscription to the Herb Society?

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