Herbal Travels: Miami Beach Botanical Garden

Reader Contribution by Lemon Verbena Lady
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You can check out the Lemon Verbena Lady at her bloghttp://lemonverbenalady.blogspot.com.

The Herbal Husband and I set off for Miami Beach (specifically South Beach). My master gardening friends asked “Why?” Even when The Herbal Husband is on the beach, I can find a beautiful garden to enjoy when we are on vacation. So I was able to find herbs on the beach without being on the sand and near the ocean.

I was surprised to find a lovely herb garden at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden right across from the Convention Center and a 25 cent bus ride from our hotel. There were raised beds for vegetables, lettuces and herbs. I spotted chives and sorrel and both tomatoes and tomatillos. You see, when the temperatures are in the 90s tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos lose their flowers and do not produce fruit. As soon as the temperature decreases, vegetable plants can be planted and fruit will be produced.

There always has to be a beautiful rosemary plant. I am always so envious of all of you who can grow rosemary outside year round. The rosemary bush was no exception at this garden not quite as big as Peru, but really fragrant and sculptural.

A beautiful rosemary bush at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden.

I am also always looking for lemon verbena when I am away. This lemon verbena was not the largest I have ever seen, but it was what was on the herb garden tag that was different. There were small lizards everywhere!

Lemon Verbena and a surprise guest at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden.

Finally, I was thrilled to see a large cardamom plant, which is a seed that I have used in baking, but had never seen the plant. It is native to India and its black and green seeds are used in meat and vegetable dishes.

Cardamom plant at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden.

In Scandinavia white cardamom is used in baking. Cardamom is a pod that has an outer flavorless shell and tiny seeds inside that have the intense flavor. If unbroken, the pods keep indefinitely because it protects the seeds from deterioration.  So even at the beach when you are thinking sun, sand and tan, think herbs!

  • Published on Nov 13, 2009
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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