Are You Herb Deprived? Thinking about how to incorporate herbs into your landscape? You should be for many reasons. Most herbs are high in anti-oxidants that benefit your health when used in cooking, and the health of your garden benefits too, because herbs attract legions of beneficial insects. Our ancestors lived and cooked with herbs for generations. You can become part of that continuum by interplanting them in flower borders and containers and at the same time supporting our bird, butterfly and insect populations. Edible landscaping is the practice of incorporating food-producing plants in the landscape and herbs are some of the most useful and beautiful additions. Landscape designer and author of "The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping," Rosalind Creasy notes that "I liken herbs to edible plants with training wheels. They are really easy to grow and fit into most any landscape.” Try a big container or half barrel full of parsley, sage, basil, rosemary, chives and thyme. With the advent of the internet we have all learned that there are many herbs from around the world that can be used to enhance the flavors in the dishes we cook. Lavender is one example of a garden plant that few of us think to cook with, but can be used in cookies, ice cream or Herbs de Provence; a blend of herbs with many uses in the kitchen. What are Herbs? An herb is a useful plant whose leaves, blossoms, or stems are used as an ingredient in cooking, dyes, cosmetics, medicine or a combination of these applications. Herbs include perennials, which are permanent plants in the garden, biennials generally live only two seasons, and annuals live for only one season. Most annual herbs tolerate very little frost, and some like basil and nasturtium tolerate none. Some half-hardy annuals survive temperatures in the high 20’s. Hardy perennials like chives and sage tolerate winter temps that dip well below 0° F. My potted chives have survived many winters in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Rosemary and lavender are half-hardy plants and can be killed at temperatures below 15° F. Pests and diseases seldom bother herbs. Even deer! Most herbs are relatively low growing and a few plants in a bed by themselves will appear insignificant. Instead, it would be much better to make 4-5 foot wide beds with multiple plantings of the same herb, or create a planting area around a patio so those enjoying the outdoor space will be able to experience the fragrances. Another consideration is the setting and scale of the space and landscaping aesthetics of color theory, form and texture should be followed. Consider unity, line, scale, color and formal or informal styles. Designers use tight lines when designing herb gardens. Classic designs of brick or stone paths, low hedges of box, or rows of curly parsley or chives serve as dividers often in geometric patterns. A more informal setting will have an overflow of plants on stepping stones or gravel paths and a riot of color with no apparent organization that gives the feel of a cottage garden. Place shorter herbs and flowers at the front of the border and taller herbs in the back and add a few stepping stones for easy access. Site an herb bed where it receives full sun. Most herbs will become straggly if they do not get enough sun. All that is needed for most herbs to thrive is lots of sun, good soil drainage and occasional harvesting. However, the following herbs are shade tolerant. Chervil, chives cilantro daylily, nasturtium, parsley, salad burnet, sweet woodruff and viola, and others like the Mediterranean herbs such as fennel, lavender, oregano, rosemary, sage sweet marjoram and thyme are quite drought tolerant. Herbs are low in maintenance and need little fertilizer. The easiest way to keep culinary herbs healthy and vigorous is to harvest them often. Other types need only a spring pruning to renew woody growth and remove winter damage. For optimal growth, combine perennial herbs in a flower garden with other perennial plants that have similar cultural requirements such as easy to grow coneflower, gaillardia, daylily, yarrow goldenrod, coreopsis and compact varieties of joe pye weed. Examples: • Try combinations of herbs and flowers, like red basil with white zinnias. • Golden and purple sages with yellow and lavender million bells. • Use gray foliage herbs between more powerfully colored flowers. • Fragrant lavenders are nice growing along paths. • A border of gray sage, oregano and sweet marjoram interplanted with pink geraniums. • A border of pineapple sage and red beebalm interplanted with flowering red salvia. • Enjoy a comforting cup of chamomile tea with German chamomile from your tea garden. • Bronze fennel, red basil and red perilla with white cosmos. •The ferny foliage of fennel and dill provide a great backdrop for flowers like dahlia, black-eyed Susans and geraniums. The combinations are endless and just need a little imagination. Consider scattering seeds of flowering annuals from old seed packets around your herb garden, some may become yearly volunteers where they will blend wonderfully. Start small, maybe begin with oregano, sage and thyme, chives and basil. Try a big container or half barrel full of parsley, sage, basil, rosemary, chives and thyme. Reference: "The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping," Rosalind Creasy LINKS Take a tour of Well-Sweep Herb Farm located in NJ and be inspired by learning more about herbs and their uses. They have lots of suggestions of what to grow and how to use. Take a trip to the National Herb Garden at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. Be sure to include Cilantro in your garden. It’s the International Herb Society’s 2017 Herb of the Year and has multiple uses: medicinal, culinary, aromatic and ornamental. Visit Rosalind Creasy’s blog for tips on Edible Landscaping - Angela Weathers, Master Gardener Comments are closed.
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AuthorCarol Rhoades Kagan, Chambersburg, PA CategoriesArchives
November 2020
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