Suggested first herb garden: thyme, oregano, French tarragon, chives, all sun-loving perennials; and basil, an annual that needs to be planted each spring.

Harvest herbs in the morning when the oils are at their highest level.

Herbs can be dried on a cookie sheet in an oven set at 110 degrees Fahrenheit, but will lose some oils in this method. Or, tie the stems together and hang in a temperate, well-ventilated, darkened room; in two weeks you should be able to pick off the leaves and throw away the stems. Herb leaves are dry if they crumble into powder when rubbed between your hands.

HERBED RICE

• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed fresh or dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon of both thyme and marjoram

Combine rice and all other ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to medium-low heat, stir and cover. Simmer 12 to 14 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Makes four servings.

Courtesy Billie Parus, Tidewater Unit, Herb Society of America

SHORT THYME DIP

• 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small Vidalia onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh marjoram

Mix well and bake at 350 degrees in oven for 15 minutes or until hot. Serve with crackers. Yields two cups.

Courtesy of Carol Jordan, Tidewater Unit, Herb Society of America

THYME HONORED

* Thyme is the 1997 herb as recognized by the Herb Society of America and the International Herb Growers and Marketers.

* The Tidewater Unit of the Herb Society of America meets at 1:30 p.m. the second Sunday of each month at the Norfolk Botanical Garden, September through May. In addition to lectures and demonstrations, the society takes field trips, tours gardens and prepares meals and refreshments using herbs. For more information, contact Billi Parus, 499-1881.

THYME AT A GLANCE

COMMON NAME: Thyme, derived from Greek, meaning incense or to fumigate, probably because it has such a clean smell.

SPECIES: Thymus, member of mint family

FORM: Perennials or small shrubs with handsome foliage. Falls into three categories: subshrubs 12-18 inches tall; creeping herbs up to 6 inches tall; and flat creepers 1-2 inches tall.

LEAVES: Depending on variety, small opposite green leaves.

PROPAGATION: Grow from cuttings or division in fall, winter or early spring. Or, pin a branch into the soil; roots will quickly form and the new plant can be cut away and planted.

VARIETIES: Golden lemon thyme with a lemony aroma; creeping thyme, edible, but grown mostly for its beautiful flowers; caraway thyme with leaves that taste like caraway; woolly thyme, edible but grown mostly for its foliage; mother-of-thyme, leaves used for seasoning in tea and potpourri; common thyme, a versatile culinary herb; lavender thyme; and others.

FLOWERS: Depending on variety, cluster flowers in white, pink, rosy red and purple.

CULTURE: Light soil, well-drained. Many varieties tolerate dry soil. Renew every two to three years. Plant in raised beds where climate is rainy or humid. Not recommended for containers.

USES: For seasoning meats, soups, sauces and dressings; aids in digestion of fatty foods. Also, some thymes are excellent landscape plants. For instance, caraway thyme makes good ground cover for an herbal lawn; creeping thyme forms a low mat.

WINTER PROTECTION: Hardy in mild winters.

PRUNING: Shear after flowering.