There are signs of spring everywhere, mating geese, nesting hawks, buried bulbs breaking out of the ground, but winter isn’t over yet. Before making a commitment to the inevitable, I still want to talk about herbs in winter. I’ve enjoyed seeing my evergreen herbs in the garden these past few months, and also their special qualities when I use them in the kitchen. I talked about the thyme, chamomile, lavender, parsley already. Oregano is a very companionable herb that stays a bright, happy green all winter long.

Oregano in winter, in the kitchen box at the foot of THE BELL.
After flowering in summer time I usually cut back the long dry stems of oregano. What remains all winter are the evergreen leaves. They don’t send off new shoots again until spring, but their color never fades. Continue reading →