Creative Gardening

A Child's Garden Creating a Cook's Garden Herb Teas Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs as Groundcovers Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs for Moist but not Soggy Soil Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs for Poor Soil

Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs for Shady Areas Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs that Attract Butterflies Living Wreaths Making Herbal Vinegars and Oils Planting Herbs in Combinations Preserving Herbs

When selecting plants for your landscape, consider the exceptional qualities of herbs. Whether your gardening style is free-form and natural, or plotted and formal, herbs deserve a place in your landscape.

Herbs are easy to care for and provide texture, contrast and form - with the special bonus of amazing fragrances. Most herbs prefer full sun, but if you have a shady spot you might want to try a few of these herbs that thrive in shade:

Catmint - a near relative of catnip, with light bluish flowers and grayish-green leaves. Tolerant of heat and drought. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Catmint Walker's Low - blooms all summer. Very drought tolerant. Irresitible to butterflies and hummingbirds. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Catnip - very tough and can handle poor soil, heat, and drought. It is said to relieve sleeplessness, anxiety, and restlessness when brewed into a tea. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

German Chamomile - Very easy to grow. Chamomile tea is one of the most popular herbal teas, for its flavor and relaxing sleep-inducing properties. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Unlike German Chamomile, which is actually an entirely different species, Roman Chamomile is a perennial. It is also used in herbal teas and as a ground cover since it doesn't grow very tall. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Chervil - Fresh and pungent, with hints of licorice, cucumber, and parsley flavor. Hot weather will cause the plants to bolt. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Garlic Chives - combination of onion and garlic flavor. Starry white flowers in spring. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Onion Chives - Smaller than garlic chives with light pinkish-purple flowers. Taste like mild green onions. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Cilantro - one of the most distinctively flavored herbs. Popular in salsa and a staple in Thai, Indian, Caribbean and Mexican cuisine. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Comfrey - flowers change from pink to blue as they open in the summer. While it can be eaten it has been discovered recently to be dangerous if consumed in liberal doses. Because of its rich nutrient value this plant can be used to make a perfect fertilizer. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Lemon Balm - easy to grow, very hardy. Can be invasive, so carefully consider your spot or plant in container. Lemon scent and flavor adds a tangy zest to any dish. Great in iced tea! To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Peppermint - probably the most recognized herb of all. Excellent for tea and candy because it has a sweeter scent than other mints. All mints will thrive in shade to partial shade areas in the garden, the majority of them can be very invasive but hearty growers. Experiment with the different varieties like: apple, chocolate, curly, ginger, julep, orange, pineapple, spearmint, or variegated peppermint. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Pineapple mint - has a fresh fruity aroma. The leaves have a furrier texture than regular mints. the creamy white variegation looks very pretty in the garden or in mixed pots. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Curled parsley - and its close relative, Italian parsley are perhaps the most versatile and widely used herbs of all. Curled parsley is actually a biennial as it reseeds itself. Caterpillars adore it; you will be hatching beautiful monarch butterflies and others in late summer. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Pennyroyal - while not edible, it is very useful as an insect repellent and low growing ground cover.  To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Rosemary (common) - will thrive in sun or shade, but may not put on as many flowers if kept in a shady spot. It is important to have well-drained soil. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Rosemary Prostrate - a trailing variety of Rosemary. Great in mixed pots or container, but does equally well in rock gardens. Attractive to bees and butterflies. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Sweet Woodruff - ornamental plant that makes a beautiful ground cover under trees and other protected areas. The lacy white flowers have a vanilla scent. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.