Plants are important to our health. Health and nutrition is what I hope to promote along with an increased appreciation of herbs. Herbs for Texas is easy to use because of the simple layout and the cross-referencing of common and botanical names. Herbs are the world's most interesting plants. They make beautiful landscape choices, and their ornamental qualities make them ideal for wreaths, garlands, and potpourris.
Some herbs are fragrant bloomers with interesting foliage, and many have decorative seed heads.
Herbs are also extremely useful for cooking, controlling pests, healing wounds, and improving the immune systems of pets and people. Some make you more alert, some make you feel better, and some can even help solve serious medical problems. For example, we've known for some time that cinnamon will at least repel and in some cases kill roaches and ants, but it may help protect against the deadly E. coli bacteria, and there is research to back it up. Food microbiologist Daniel Fung at Kansas State University has proven the power of cinnamon and four other common herbs in killing disease organisms. Another of Fung's studies combined the herbs with salami and other fermented sausages.