About Us

Sanford “Sandy” Kirkland

Herbs have been our hobby and passion for 39 years.  It all began in 1974 when we read the amazing book, Herbs Their Culture and Uses written by Rosetta E. Clarkson.  This book was originally published in 1942, yet it’s still relevant and   available today.

We were so excited after reading this book that we immediately created a small garden in the backyard to grow herbs and learn about them.  It took us awhile to locate sources for  herb plants and seeds, but we did find them.  We kept a list of these sources and reordered from them over the years.  One of our favorites still is Nichols Garden Nursery in Albany, Oregon.  Nichols had a variety of herbs and garden vegetables, both plants and seeds. This was true 38 years ago and remains true today.

There are many varieties of herbs to grow such as  thyme, basil, savory, rosemary, parsley, oregano and mint.  However, one of our favorites is Bergamot, also known as Bee Balm or Oswego Tea, a member of the mint family. The Latin name for Bergamot is monarda didyma.  We love the tea  brewed with the leaves of this delightful herb. Plus, we’re still amazed by Bergamot’s gorgeous red blossoms that attract bees and hummingbirds.  This herb takes its name from the bergamot orange a Mediterranean citrus fruit, because it smells much like this fruit. By the way, the oil from the bergamot orange is a key ingredient of the famous Earl Grey Tea.

So, for 39 years we have grown, harvested, dried and used herbs in cooking, baking, making candy, brewing teas, creating wreaths and potpourris, and for our own health.  Also, during this time, we studied and learned about exotic and new herbs as well, such as stevia and Mexican oregano.  We collected and read many herb books, articles and periodicals.  Also, we are a member-at-large of the Herb Society of America, which provides its members with a wealth of  information about herbs through its publications, its districts and units, and its many educational opportunities.  Plus, we are members of the Herb Growing and Marketing Network, the largest trade association for the herb industry with around 1000 members.  The network is based in Lancaster, PA and is headed by Maureen Rogers who edits and  publishes an annual, comprehensive, herbal reference The Herbalpedia.

Today, we are fortunate to have a source of herbs close to us. Alloway Creek Gardens, just outside of Littlestown, Pennsylvania carries many of the herbs we need and purchase for our herb garden.  Typically, when we have trouble finding particular herbs, we usually order over the internet from such merchants as Richter’s Herbs in Canada.

Our business is a small one person operation, but hard working.  We look to provide a fast and friendly user experience. Unlike the large corporate companies out there where you often have to take a number and wait, you will find that we are readily available to you, our customers.  This philosophy applies to this website as well as our Facebook fan page, Plant Your Herbs (https://www.facebook.com/plantyourherbs).

We embrace the Entrepreneurial Spirit and we consider ourselves “Boot Strap” Entrepreneurs. That’s because we spent a great deal of time looking for a way to enter a market and provide valuable services. Initially, we decided to start small and to build our business from the ground up. For this reason we like to refer to ourselves as “boot strap” entrepreneurs. Our business was built on a shoe string budget. Although we started small, we appreciate that a business is as only good as its personnel. That is why we do our best to provide you with great information about herbs and an enjoyable shopping experience.  That way we can look to the future as an opportunity to grow and expand our visitors and our business.

We hope that you enjoy learning about herbs here and shopping with us. If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact us by email.