76 A GARDEN OF HERBS 



LOVAGE 



" This herbe for hys sweete savoure is used in bathe." 

 Henry Dethicke, The Gardener's Labyrinth, 1577. 



Lovage was one of the herbs introduced by the Romans, 

 and until the middle of the last century it was always grown 

 in English herb gardens. It has such a quaint, old-fashioned 

 name that one regrets its exclusion from the modern herb 

 garden. One old writer tells us, it " joyeth to growe by wayes 

 and under the eaves of a house, it prospers in shadowy 

 places and loves running water." Lovage grows wild on the 

 sea-coasts in parts of Scotland and Northumberland. Par- 

 kinson says of it : " The whole plant and every part of it 

 smelleth somewhat strongly and aromatically and of a 

 hot, sharpe, biting taste. The Germans and other Nations 

 in times past used both the roote and seede instead of Pepper 

 to season their meates and brothes and found them as 

 comfortable and warming." 



Lovage seed should be sown in March in any good garden 

 soil. 



LIME FLOWERS 



We are a long way behind our French neighbours in our 

 appreciation of the excellent virtues of lime-flower tea. 

 Lime-leaf Water is a famous old complexion wash, and in 

 France babies are still washed in it. 



LIME-FLOWER TEA. Pick the flowers when they begin to 

 open. Dry them in the shade and keep them in a dry place 

 in air-tight tins. For a cup throw a good dessert -spoonful 

 of them into boiling water and let it boil two or three seconds. 

 Leave it to infuse off the fire for a quarter of an hour and then 

 strain and sweeten. An orange leaf improves the taste. 



LIME-LEAF WATER. Pour boiling water in a good handful 

 of the leaves and leave till cool and strain. 



