A List of Perennial Herbs This is a great article and source of herbs for our zone 5/6 and too large to post as one. This is part 2 of 2. ! Source: Lemon Verbena Lady Thursday, March 15, 2012 Ladys Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) Zones 3-8 This beautiful clumping herb is a beautiful addition to your herb garden. It has chartreuse flowers. The leaves are like little capes hence the name mantle. I would use it in the front of the herb garden. Lambs Ear (Stachys byzantina) Zones 4-9 Wooly leaves that are a delight for children. Were used as bandages for wounds. Front of the herb garden for these. Silvery leaf color is a nice contrast for other herbs in the garden. Lavender Hidcote or Munstead (Lavandula angustifolia) Zones 4-8 These are two of the hardiest lavenders. These lavenders are the ones I would recommend you use to cook with. Any angustifolia cultivar would be edible. The other lavenders are too camphorous and not hardy in Zone 4. Mid range or front of the herb garden for these. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) Zones 3-8 Most mints are invasive. If you dont want it everywhere in the garden, put it in a container. Spearmint is one of my favorite mints. Not as strong as peppermint. Delicious in tea blends. Richters calls it the best cooking mint. There are tons of mints not all of them are hardy to Zone 3 or 4 so make sure you check before buying it. Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) Zones 4-6 This is a bee magnet and very fragrant. It is beautiful in fresh flower arrangements and it dries very nicely. It can be used in the back of the border or mid border. It does run but is not invasive like regular mints. Queen Annes Lace (Daucus carota) Zones 3-10 I put this in because Janice loves this in the garden and Janice, I have good news that Richters in Canada sells seeds for a reasonable price. Check it out through the link above. I had this in my garden for quite a few years. A beneficial insect magnet. I would put this in the back or mid range part of your garden. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare dulce) or Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare dulce Rubrum) Zones 4-9 Both of these fennels can be used in cooking. Regular fennel has green fronds and bronze fennel has purple ones. I have had bronze fennel at various times. Just cut the flower heads before they seed everywhere! Use either of these in the back of the border. Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) Zones 4-9 I really love this species of herb. Garden sage is so versatile. It can be used for cooking or in potpourri or for an herb wreath. I love the gray green leaves in contrast with other herbs. I would use this herb in the mid range part of the herb garden. Garden Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) Zones 4-8 Mostly famously used in sorrel soup. It is a spring herb that has a bright lemony flavor. It has an interesting red flower spike that dries very well. The leaf is shield shaped. We use the small early leaves in our salads. I would use this herb in the front of the herb garden. Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) I would find a place of exile for this herb. It is used to repel ants and a couple of summers ago it was a haven for the various stages of the ladybug. So it doesnt repel good insects! Dont be too quick to get rid of this herb. It has fern like leaves and can be in the back of the border but it does run so it can take over a bed if not careful. Not for culinary purposes, but mothchasers can use a bit of tansy. It has very nice yellow button flowers and I have made a very nice wreath with tansy at the end of the season. French Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus sativa) Zones 3-7 This is the only tarragon to use in cooking. It is not propagated by seed. If you purchase tarragon seeds, you have the more inferior Russian tarragon. English Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) Zones 4-9 This is the one thyme to have for cooking. Silver Thyme (Thymus vulgaris Argenteus) Zones 4-8 I have some problems getting this through the winter. Sharp drainage is key. Lemon Thyme(Thymus x citriodorus) Zones 4-9 Can be creeping or upright. I really love the flavor of this thyme. Does it have anything to do with lemon? Maybe. Mother-of-Thyme(Thymus praecox) Zones 4-8 A very robust creeping thyme. Used in cooking. All thymes are good in the front of the border. Other thymes may be hardy. Need to check your zones. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Zones 4-9 Fern shaped leaves and white flowers that have a very fragrant scent of vanilla. I dont have this enough in my garden. It needs a bit of shade in the heat of summer. Well, this is my first take and I will probably be editing it as I find other choices. I have tried to give you a variety of herbs. Obviously these will work for you all in the middle and south of the US.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:02:31 +0000
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