Imagine stepping outside to the back porch or a small garden to find some of the ingredients for herb avocado cheese spread, ginger and lemon tea, garlic oil or savory thyme and pepper beef tip roast.

Growing fresh herbs is often easier than tackling many other types of vegetables and plants, and for those with inexperienced green thumbs a free workshop will help get everyone digging in the dirt.

To meet the overwhelming response from Carroll County residents this year concerning gardening in a time when purse strings are tight and food prices remain high, the Carroll County Cooperative Extension Office is holding its second free gardening workshop today at the Carroll County Agricultural Education Center to teach herb gardening. The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to noon and is open to all residents of the county.

When the Extension office first decided to hold a workshop earlier this year on vegetable gardening, officials were pleasantly surprised at the response. Hundreds of people showed up.

More than 120 people have already registered to attend the herb workshop today.

“This is more than twice as many as we were expecting,” Ian Davis, Extension office secretary and Carroll County Master Gardener, said. “I’m thrilled. I would have been thrilled with 50, so this is great. I love herbs. They are the reason I got into this business.”

Davis said the renewed interest in gardening as a way to save money on grocery bills and provide safe, fresh food this year has probably led to so many residents wanting to start gardens for the first time.

“This is a time when many people are thinking about gardening for the first time, and many people are gardening for the first time,” he said. “Herb gardening is some of the easiest gardening there is. Herbs can be used to edge an existing garden, add to landscaping, and they smell good and taste great.”

Two experts from the Herb Society of America will show people at the workshop how to grow herbs in gardens and containers - explaining how much water is needed and what soil is best for the plants.

“There are hundreds of herbs out there, so we decided to pick around 15 of the favorites that grow best in Georgia,” Davis said. Lavender, mint, basil, chives and bay are among some of the most popular herbs that will be on display today.

Davis will show the culinary side of the herbs, and which ones are best served fresh or dried.

“I’m bringing some herb butter from my own garden, because I wanted this to be personal,” he said. “This workshop is special, and it is where my passion is. This is not just about growing something to eat, it’s about growing something to make something spectacular. Herbs are the spice of life. You can use them to flavor ice cream and make pies and cakes.”

Chef Tano Phommasith at the Little Hawaiian restaurant in Carrollton knows first hand the value of fresh herbs. He uses them everyday in his culinary creations. He either grows them himself or buys them from local growers.

“I grow my own hot peppers, oregano, cilantro, sage and rosemary,” he said. “A lot of herbs are highly used in the restaurant. I use about four to five pounds of herbs a week and about 15 to 20 pounds of jalapeno a week. The local growers provide herbs that are really fresh. It makes sure the foods are safe and no pesticides and fertilizers were used. We try to do as much as we can.”

Phommasith said having an herb garden can allow one to eliminate fertilizers and other chemicals to get some of the healthiest and safest spices at home.

Carroll County Master Gardener Lisa Barrett will teach participants at the workshop some of the Native American herbal remedies used and the spiritual side related to the herbs.

“Herbal medicine was the beginning of modern medicine,” Davis said.

He said the workshop will discus how the herbs had been used in the past and some new research that has been conducted on their therapeutic value.

“In the case of tansy, which was once used in herbal medicine, it has since been learned that parts of the plant are toxic,” he said. “It still has wonderful fern-like foliage with yellow button flowers. I have it in my own garden.”

Davis said some herbs - such as basil - when grown next to a tomato plant can enhance the flavor of both plants.

“I hope people leave with an appreciation of how important herbs are in the garden to enhance their vegetable garden and work with other plants,” he said. “I hope people will see how easy it is to grow them, and how cooking with them can transform a home menu.”

A free workshop on food preservation hosted by the Extension office is scheduled for May 30 from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Carroll County Agricultural Center. For more information on the workshops call the Carroll County Cooperative Extension Office at 770-836-8546.