COSTMARY AND LAVENDER 65 



foliage thus marked is healthy, so I cannot account 

 for the whiteness. 



Costmary, or Alecost, is another Herb that is 

 seldom seen or heard of in these days. We have 

 grown it for the last seven years, and it puzzles the 

 most accomplished gardeners who notice it in our 

 borders. It has long, narrow, pale green leaves, 

 finely jagged at the edges and smelling exactly 

 like weak Mint sauce. It has much the same 

 flavour, too, except that it leaves an after-taste of 

 bitterness. Why it so greatly resembles Mint in 

 smeU and taste we cannot imagine, as it has no 

 family relationship with Mint whatever, but belongs 

 to another order. Beer and Negus used to be 

 flavoured with it. 



' Costmary that so likes the cup, 

 And with it Pennyroyal.' 



Our great-grandmothers loved to tie up bunches 

 of the white Costmary flowers along with Lavender. 

 These they would ' lye upon the toppes of beds, 

 presses, etc., for sweet scent and savours.' Grown 

 in the shade, Costmary goes strongly to leaf, but 

 will not flower. 



Perennial Herbs, to be grown successfully, 

 should be lifted and transplanted every three or 

 four years, or, if not transplanted, should each 







