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...Tour
groups commonly roam this scratch-and-sniff playground while Bill
Varney chronicles the farm's history and extols the virtues of herbs.
As visitors stroll the garden paths, Bill pauses to note planting
themes or catalog the plethora of pansies, petunias, and nasturtiums
with the sweep of his hand...
Of
the farm's five gardens, the Star Garden shines as the most scenic.
An antique windmill stands guard over the arrangement, which spans
180 feet from one point of the star to another. The beds in each
point express different uses of herbs — aesthetic, medicinal,
cosmetic, culinary, and ornamental.
...The
poet John Keats would surely have drawn inspiration from the farm's
Secret Garden, a quiet sanctuary for after-tea meditation and relaxation.
Indeed, the entire grounds suggest a romantic atmosphere.
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...the
Varneys succeeded in that most Texan endeavors. They struck it
big in oil —
aromatic oils, that is. Their latest venture responds the resurgence
of aromatherapy, the ancient practice that combines the sensations
of touch and smell. ...a massage at the farm's Quiet Haus, where
a licensed therapist kneads aching muscles and rubs tired feet
with fragrant, natural oils...the Poet's House offers unusual
canned goods, candleholders, incense, and a variety of handmade
herb and flower candles. Skilled candlemaker Doug Clark will even
customize a candle to your specifications.
...Inside
the farm's apothecary, natural essences appeal gently to the senses.
Shoppers peruse labels, ponder preserves, and mull over mustards.
Culinary uses of herbs are showcased here in and the adjacent
Tea Room, where spice-laden sweets —Lemon Balm Bars, Peppermint
Fudge Brownies, and Rosemary-Orange Rum Cake — rate top billing
on the dessert menu. Bill's Peach & Lemon Verbena and Chocolate
Mint Chambord ice creams claim their share of aficionados, too.
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Herbs
like basil, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, and thyme ... allow people
to decrease sodium, sugar, fat and cholesterol without sacrificing
flavor. Though most herbs do not supply significant amounts of nutrients,
they can enliven foods that do.
...The
Varney's products have spread well beyond Texas' borders. On New
York's Long Island, Tricia Foley sells several of their herbal offerings
in Bellport General Store...
...Fredericksburg
Herb Farm endures as a quiet slice of Eden, a place to stop and
smell the rosemary. As the keepers of these lovely plantings, Bill
and Sylvia Varney keep busy dreaming, sowing, and cultivating fresh
ideas for a future harvests of scent-sational products and seasonings.
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