The Heritage Herb Gardens at the Ozark Folk Center grace the park with visual colors and textures, sweet and pungent aromas. With their natural display, they help us to interpret the history of the human use of plants.

The holiday season is upon us and with it, the use of herbs in cooking traditional foods. Our religious celebrations have their origins in the eastern Mediterranean. Rosemary, native to mainly the coastal areas of the Mediterranean; sage, northern shores of the Mediterranean; and thyme, mountains of Spain and other European countries with shores on the Mediterranean are herbs that we can grow here in the Arkansas Ozarks for use throughout the year.

From the second chapter of Luke, which sites the road taken by Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.”

I really imagined that Joseph, Mary and a donkey were dutifully trudging along a busy road lined with our favorite culinary herbs. I visualized Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger made soft and fragrant with tiny tips of thyme. (Some legends hold that the manger straw was Our Lady’s bedstraw, Galium verum.)

It is possible but I cannot site specific references to these herbal fantasies. Israel is located on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, at the junction of three continents. The geographical biomes include Mediterranean, desert (Southern Judaea and east side of Jordan) and Alpine flora and fauna lives on the top of Hermon and Lebanon. The soil structure is limestone, chert, chalk, basalt and red sand stone. Today Israel grows rosemary, sage and thyme for commercial products and chefs use the herbs in fine Israeli restaurants. I am just not sure that our European herbs were naturalized in the time of Jesus of Nazareth.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (BioGIS Project) has a research web site for flora and fauna of Israel. Rosemary is not listed on their database at all even though the bush is steeped in legend and lore in relationship to Mary, mother of Jesus. To grow rosemary outside year round in northern Arkansas, chose a hardier upright variety such as ‘Arp’, ‘Madalene Hill’, ‘Salem’ or ‘Dutch Mill’.  

Salvia fruticosa is closely related to Salvia officinalis, common garden sage. The two were crossed and now produce a significant portion of the culinary sage, ‘Newe Ya’ar’ for the market. Both S. fruticosa and S. officinalis must be given excellent drainage, full sun and the addition of lime to the soil to thrive here in Arkansas.

A species of thyme, Thymus bovei grows in the deserts of Israel. Garden thyme is more adaptable to our milder climate than the desert species but still needs sparse competition, excellent drainage, rocks and limestone to enjoy a long life in Arkansas gardens.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all from the Garden Gals at the Ozark Folk Center. If I don’t see you in the future—I’ll see you in the pasture.