Nine Perennial Herbs to Plant in the Garden (and Three to Avoid)
By my count, there are four types of grasses: tender grasses that produce seeds, die at the end of the season and need to be replanted; perennial grasses that die in winter, but are renewed year after year; evergreens that somehow manage to survive most of the winter; and simple irritating herbs that spread like crazy and aren’t all that useful. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, tender herbs like dill and parsley manage to self-sow. But if you want to take full advantage of the landscaping benefits that can be gained from large, shrubby perennial grasses and be able to harvest them during the winter months, here’s what I’d recommend planting (and avoiding).
Lavender
While I personally think the uses of lavender are overrated (it can be made into essential oil, but you still need to make it, and how much dried lavender can you really keep around the house?), there’s no denying the staying power of lavender. the bush itself. There are many varieties, but any of them will appeal to bees and will look impressive along a fence or gate. It grows erect into a strong bush and stores well into the fall.
Sage
There are more varieties of sage than you might imagine, with leaves ranging from soft and fluffy to thin and variegated. If you plant sage, you will find that it takes root easily and grows prolifically, and is easy to harvest from spring through mild winter.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a woody perennial that can grow into a bush of absurd size, and in my opinion, it is one of the more utilitarian perennial herbs. Having it next to my backyard grill, I often trim it and throw it on the grill while food is cooking, just for the smell. Like lavender, it is ideal as an architectural element in your yard.
bay laurel
Laurel comes in two varieties: tree and shrub. Although I had never used a bay leaf before I had my own bush, once I did I found myself running outside all the time to get a bay leaf ( Claire Lower had no effect on me at all ). An evergreen shrub, bay can really grow, so it’s worth placing it where there is room to expand.
Thyme
While rosemary is very bright and tangy in flavor, thyme is gentle and pairs well with many vegetables and proteins. If you choose a perennial, woodier version of thyme (winter thyme), you can harvest it in the winter.
Chives
There are many reasons to grow garlic . They are amazingly hardy and usually survive winter well. They are architecturally interesting, growing in tall stems until they bloom into large balls of seeds, just like any other onion. Chives can be used raw and I love using the flowers in cooking too.
Fennel
Fennel doesn’t like to be planted next to anything else. Not a single thing. But there is something to appreciate about it. Fennel comes in both bulbous and non-bulbous varieties, and both will spread. Of course, you can eat the bulb, but you can also use the leaves, seeds and even pollen.
Oregano
If you plant oregano , it will start to grow everywhere in your garden, but don’t let that intimidate you. Unlike, say, mint (see below), oregano is easy to pull out. Oregano also flowers beautifully, making it ideal for pollinators, and its aroma is intoxicating.
sorrel
I was in no hurry with the sorrel – it was a gift from a neighbor. But now one of my favorite things to do on garden tours is to give everyone a piece of raw sorrel to try. It’s like biting into a lemon. This flavor comes through both raw and cooked and makes the best creamy salmon sauce you’ve ever tasted. Although it doesn’t spread, it clumps together and grows quite thickly, so I have to pull out a few bunches each year to keep it under control.
Three Perennial Herbs to Avoid
These are the perennial herbs I wouldn’t plant, and it should be noted that I’m the fool who actually planted every single one of them and lived to regret it.
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Mint is known for its spread, and it does so through underground roots. Of course, it is quite easy to pull out clumps of mint, but you need to be very careful and diligent, otherwise it will take over. If you do plant it, be sure to choose a mint that you really love and store it in a container, but despite the dollars for donuts, it will probably fly out of that container.
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I have lovage in my garden because someone gave me some and I was fascinated by the idea that the stems could be used as straws. While this is true, lovage doesn’t really have much use beyond that, and will grow up to eight feet tall in a year. That’s a lot of love.
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Lemon balm . Just don’t do it. Lemon verbena is amazing. Melissa is a garden troll. It will grow to absurd sizes and spread quickly, but it won’t do much good. Yes, you can make tea from it, but this applies to all herbs, and this does not mean that the tea is good.