Tour of The Parterre Gardens

Welcome to the Tour of The Parterre Gardens at Mezzacello. These gardens which run between the pond and the main house (see map) are formal on initial observation, but that formal boxwood parterre hides a deeper reality. Each of those triangles is a different soil structure and the boxwood provides shade shelter and a microclimate for delicate herbs and flowers.

An Old Idea Made New

The idea of a parterre knot garden is NOT a new idea. It dates back to Mesopotamia, Rome and medieval monastic gardens (see The Cloisters in NYC). What is new is the nature of the triangular gardens in the parterre. Each triangle is a different soil type with a barrier that prevents different herbs from growing out of their specific soil.

The boxwood serves another purpose other than creating a neat and tidy parterre knot. The boxwood protects the herbs from winds, cold, and allows tender herbs and flowers to grow well into January. This is a very nice feature that comes in handy on cold winter nights.

Culinary and Medicinal Parterres

Remember that three of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals deal with food, health, and innovation, and access to fresh food. This is a very important aspect of Mezzacello. We take our responsibility to and care for our health very seriously here, and you should as well.

Some of the parterre beds are poor soil. Some are sandy soil or Mediterranean soil. Others are rich and sweet with rich humus.

These triangles are designed to grow very specific herbs and flowers. All of these have either culinary or medicinal value. They are either used fresh, dried, or used in a tonic.

So what is the value of these parterre ecosystems?

Parterre Herb Garden Update 2022

I wanted to provide an insight on the parterre herb garden update 2022. The culinary parterre is a delight to see and smell! Harvesting is a delight and a chore.

On a Wednesday in August we harvested the chives, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Then we harvested the mints, the lavender, yarrow, and the echinacea, chamomile, rose hips, and hibiscus. It was quite a haul.

Timing Is Everything

When you pull a full harvest, you must always be ready to prepare them. The herb porter I bought from Monticello works like a charm. The bag is set on the frame and has drain holes so water and air can move about.

I use both a dehydrator and air hanging to harvest the herbs. Both work equally well. But the dehydrator is faster. Air drying in the house is a really charming affair.

Preservation Tips

After everything is sufficiently dried, you must store them properly. I just use old spice bottles and new labels. The medicinal herbs I just store in boxes lined with parchment paper.

The worst thing one can do with herbs is to harvest and not be ready to preserve. I have lost herbs to rot because I was unready to preserve them. Just be ready to spend the two hours prepping the herbs to dry.

The Foodist: Savory Garden Polenta

This savory garden polenta is amazing! You can eat it fresh and hot. Eat cold (I don’t recommend that!) It’s best over the next week, sliced and fried in butter with salt and pepper and a fresh poached egg! Yummy!

This is one of my favorites, ranking right up there with peas porridge. This is super easy to make and it is a very satisfying meal. It is also full of flavor, calories, and nutrients! Obviously a skinny person is writing out this recipe. But seriously, this is worth the calories — especially on a cold winters morning.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • plus extra for grilling or saute if desired
• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh chopped
• 1 Tbsp thyme, fresh chopped
• 3 Tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 quart chicken stock or broth
• 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
  • We use instant polenta from World Market
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 ounces Parmesan, grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and salt and sweat until the onions begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat  to low, add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
4. Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock and lemon juice bring to a boil.
5. Gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking.
6. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven.
7. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent lumps.
8. Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper.
9. Slowly add in the Parmesan.
10. Serve as is, or pour the polenta into a bread loaf pan or fancy mold lined with parchment paper or PAM Spray.
11. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
12. Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles.
13. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or grill to serve.

Edit from Jim: sorry I had the Tbsp of rosemary and thyme it is correct now. Also for acid Rick added a rose wine I refused to drink. Cheers! Make sure you share your results.