The herb garden is divided into six sections: culinary, fragrance, medicinal, a gold garden, a silver garden, and a special section that changes yearly. This year highlights Mexican culinary herbs; prior years have featured Dye and Textile herbs, and Asian culinary herbs. Several paths throughout the garden encourage visitors to examine and enjoy the herbs close-up. A small birdbath offers a calm focal point and water feature, intersecting the paths and slowing one’s pace through the garden.

An herb is any plant with a useful purpose, but not all herbs are safe for consumption. Proper care should be taken at all times when ingesting any plant. Indeed, not all parts of culinary herbs are edible. We do not recommend that anyone self-medicate with herbs, especially those plants included here, that have historically been used as medicine and we show merely for educational purposes.

Many of the other herbs in our garden are in current use for fragrances, cosmetics, insecticides, and other economic uses. However, most herbs can be grown solely for their ornamental qualities, adding varied color, texture and fragrance to home gardens.

This garden was established in 2005 with an initial grant from the Long Island Unit of The Herb Society of America, and we are grateful for their sustaining support. Thank you also to Hicks Nursery, Sweet Hollow Herbs and Farmingdale State for plant donations. The garden has been planted and tended by Nassau County Master Gardener volunteers.

Our educational Herb Garden in Eisenhower Park may appear small, but impressively includes close to 100 different plants, all illustrating the beauty and uses of herbs that will thrive in Long Island home gardens.