Creating An Ornamental Herb Garden

Why grow herbs?

The dried herbs that come in those little glass bottles might be convenient, but chances are they aren't particularly fresh. Dry some homegrown herbs yourself and you'll immediately see the difference. Even the herbs in the fresh produce department of the grocery store may have travelled miles since they were first picked. They never taste as fresh as the herbs you pick from your own garden.

Herbs are uniquely versatile plants.They not only have culinary uses, but medicinal and decorative uses as well. With herbs, you can brew some homemade tea, season a dish, add them to salads or dry them to make fragrant wreaths. 

Herbs are also easy to grow. Some of the Mediterranean herbs can be a bit fussy about drainage, but if you get the growing conditions right, they are pretty undemanding plants.

The main inspiration for this post is the ornamental herb garden at the Agricultural Campus of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. 

The garden was designed by Carol Goodwin and is laid out in a formal "four-quarter" design. Two of the quadrants have a blue, mauve and pink flowers. The final quadrants are white and gold flowers. 

Starting on the top left: Chervil, Basil, Thai Basil. Bottom: Rosemary, Dill and Thyme.

 A few key Culinary Herbs:

• Rosemary, Rosmarinnus officinalis (annual or perennial depending on your zone): I like to sprinkle fresh rosemary (or dried depending on the season) on parboiled potatoes just before I roast them. Mixed with a dijon mustard and a little black pepper, rosemary is also makes a great seasoning for roast pork. Rosemary isn't hardy in my garden zone. It's slow to grow, so I like to buy a generous size plant each spring. In late summer, I harvest what's left in the garden and dry it. Rosemary likes a hot, sunny spot with excellent drainage. USDA zones: 6-10.

• Thyme, thymus vulgaris (perennial) is another Mediterranean herb that's easy to grow providing you get the growing conditions right. It likes poor, pebbly soil that has excellent drainage. Planted in fertile soil or in anything less than full sun, thyme won't be happy. Thyme can be used to season eggs, biscuits, vegetables and meat. USDA zones: 5-9.

• Sage, Salvia officinalis (perennial) is a classic herb that is used to flavour poultry, soups and stuffing. With a little protection, sage overwinters in my garden quite nicely. Each spring I simply prune the plant hard to encourage fresh growth. If your starting from scratch this spring, buy a small plant at a local nursery or garden centre. Plant it in a sunny, dry spot with good drainage. USDA zones:5-8.

• Basil, Ocimum basilicum (annual) is great paired with mozzarella and fresh tomatoes. It's also nice in summer salads and makes a delicious pesto for pasta, pizza and sandwiches. Basil likes heat, so it is best to plant it around the same time you plant tomatoes (Basil and tomatoes make great companion plants). USDA zones: 2-11.

• French Tarragon, Artemisia dracunculus (annual) is used in soups and with chicken or fish. Purchase small nursery plants in the spring and plant them in a sunny spot that is dry and well-drained. USDA zones: 4-9.

• Cilantro, Coriandrum Sativum (annual) Not everyone is a fan of cilantro, which has quite a strong flavour. It's nice in curries, in Thai noodle soup and guacamole. Cilantro likes cool weather, so sow your seeds early in the season or in the late summer/early fall (depending on your zone). Full sun to part-shade. Cilantro grows quickly and can bolt into flower, so shear off the foliage with a pair of scissors as soon as your plants are a few inches tall. If you want the spice coriander, allow the plants to flower and then harvest and dry the seeds. USDA zones: 2-11.

Herbs best grown in Containers:

There are two reasons I can think of to consider growing herbs in containers. The first is convenience. Last summer I had a pot of herbs by the back door and I found it was nice to have them close at hand when I was in a rush to get dinner ready.

1. Golden Lemon Thyme 2. Oregano 3. Sage 4. Parsley  5. French Tarragon  6. Purple Basil

7. Vietnamese Basil 8. Silver Thyme

My container planting for this year is pretty full, but it's a generous pot and I will routinely harvest from it throughout the growing season.

Oregano with Sage in behind it.

Aggressive plants are the second reason for growing herbs in containers. For example:

• Oregano, Origanum (perennial) is a Mediterranean herb that thrives in sunny, dry conditions in poor soil. It spreads quickly so it's a good one to plant in a container. The fresh and dried foliage is a key ingredient in Italian, Greek and Spanish cooking. USDA zones: 3-11.

• Mint, Mentha (perennial) is a spreader, but it's a nice herb to have for tea and flavouring summer drinks. Mint doesn't seem to be particularly hardy in my garden, so I replace it every spring with a new plant from the garden centre. Full sun. USDA zones: 5-11

• Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis (annual) is a member of the mint family and has the same spreading habit. Fresh leaves are nice in fruit salads, in tea and on fish. Full sun, USDA zones: 8-11.

• Tansy, Tanacetum vulgare (perennial) has yellow, button-shaped flowers. Tansy spreads by creeping rhizomes and also self-seeds vigorously, so consider carefully how and where you plant it. Tansy is said to repel insects and dries well for use in fall arrangements. Part shade. USDA zones: 4-8.

Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum (perennial) is a great groundcover for shade, but can be a nuisance if planted in the wrong place. Sweet Woodruff can quickly colonize a good-sized area. The dried leaves and flowers have a fresh, hay scent that makes them great for potpourris. Part-shade to full shade. USDA zones 4-8.

Mediterranean Herb Garden

I keep hearing the experts recommend that you replace the soil in your container plantings every year. It makes sense that soil nutrients will get depleted over time, but what do you do with the old soil?

I remember hearing one gardening expert saying that she "throws the old soil out." I have often wondered what she means. Does she dump the soil in the garbage? Out back somewhere? 

1. Silver Thyme, thymus vulgaris 2. Rosemary 3. Lavender 4. Golden Lemon Thyme 5. Penny Violet

It's got me thinking. Why not reuse the soil?

Mediterranean herbs love poor soil! Of course you may have to improve the drainage by mixing in a little fine gravel or maybe some perlite, but the herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano thrive in poor soil and hot, baking conditions, so why not reuse that old soil for them? Nasturtiums are another example of a plant that would also be fine with soil from last season's containers.

Bee Balm, Bergamont or Monarda

Flowering Herbs:

A herb garden can be just as colorful as a standard flower garden. Flowering herbs not only add an ornamental quality to the garden, they are often edible. Many herbal flowers have cosmetic uses as well.

Chives, Allium schoenoprasum (perennial) couldn't be easier to grow. Chives form grass-like clumps and produce round, mauve flowers in spring. The hollow leaves have a mild oniony flavour. The flowers can be eaten as well or used as a garnish. Full sun and average garden soil are fine for this plant. Chives are prolific self-seeders, so cut back the foliage hard to a few inches above the ground before the blooms set seed. The clump will look bedraggled for a week or two and then you should see nice, fresh growth. USDA zones: 3-10.

Pot Marigold, Calendula (annual) is easy to grow from seed. Calendula is sometimes known as "poor man's saffron". Fresh flower petals have a number of cosmetic uses and is nice in salads. Full sun and average garden soil. USDA zones: 3-9.

Bee Balm, Bergamont or Monarda (perennial) is native to eastern North America and has a history of being used by Native North Americans as a medicinal plant. Monarda has somewhat crazy looking mop-head flowers in shades of pink, red, white and lavender. The main reasons for growing Monarda is its aromatic foliage that smells a bit like mint. The fresh leaves can be brewed to make a nice tea. Monarda likes rich, moist soil and a sunny spot. It's also a plant that butterflies and hummingbirds adore. USDA zones: 4-9. 

Dill, Anethum graveolens (annual) is one of my favourite herbs. I love it mixed into mashed potatoes, sprinkled on salmon and used in cold summer pasta salads. Even the flowers are pretty and delicate. The seeds have a use in pickles and vinegars. Dill likes full sun and good, rich soil. It gets tall, so grow it in a spot sheltered from winds or stake it as needed. USDA zones: 2-11.

Fennel with the blue flowers of Love-in-the-Mist, Nigella in the foreground.

Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare (perennial) resembles dill in appearance and has fine feathery foliage and floral umbels. The bulbs, stalks and seeds are all edible. Full sun. USDA zones: 7-10.

German Chamomile, Matricaria recutita (annual) is another herb that's easy to grow from seed. German chamomile grows about two feet tall, and when dried, the flower petals make a soothing tea that promotes sleep and soothes an upset stomach. As well as tea, chamomile has cosmetic and culinary uses. A word of warning: German chamomile reseeds itself readily. Full sun. USDA zones: 3-10.

Betony, Stachys officinalis (perennial) forms a low mound of green leaves and has mauve or pink flower spikes mid-summer. The uses for this plant are both culinary and medicinal. This is one flowering herb that will tolerate part-shade. USDA zones 4-8.

Lavender, Lavandula (perennial) Good drainage is absolutely essential when growing lavender. Cold won't do them in, but wet and soggy ground in winter will cause them to parish. If you have clay soil, amend it with sand and small pebbles to increase the drainage. Another enemy of lavender is the wind. Plant lavender in a sheltered, sunny spot, where they are protected from harsh winter winds. Full sun. USDA zones: 4-8.

Notes on extending the seasons of bloom:

Incorporating a range of flowering plants should insure your herb garden has color all season long.

Spring Flowering Herbs:

Chives- mauve flowers
Foxglove-magenta-pink, white or peach flowers
Sweet Woodruff-white flowers

Summer Flowering:

Echinacea- pink, magenta,yellow, orange and orange-red flowers
Nigella- blue flowers and lovely ferny foliage.
Thyme- tiny pink, mauve or white flowers
Nasturtium- a range of colors including yellow, orange and red
Monarda, Bergamont- pink, white, lavender, purple, red and maroon flowers
Calendula- yellow and orange
Camomile- white daisy-like flowers with a yellow centre
Geranium- a range of colors including pink, white, mauve and magenta
Lavender- white, purple and dark purple flowers
Sage- blue flowers

Rosemary- small pale-blue flowers

Late Summer/Fall

Anise Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum-blue flowers

Calendula– yellow and orange flowers

Garlic Chives– white flowers mid-to-late summer

Marigold flowers can be used as a dye.

Love-in-the-Mist, Niegella

Planting a herb garden provides you with something that is as beautiful as it is practical. I hope this post encourages you to try growing your own herb garden this spring.

Home again, home again jiggity jig

A birdhouse in my friend Donna's garden

I had a wonderful time in Nova Scotia. 

My Mom is 90, soon to be 91, and my Dad is a couple years younger. They don't get out of the house much these days, so on our first day home, my sister Nancy and I took them on a little picnic. Then on Tuesday, we went to see one of my Mom's favourite gardens in the nearby city of Truro. 

Mid-week my two sisters and I rented a car and drove from Halifax to Annapolis Royal on the Bay of Fundy for a little mini vacation.

The trip is about a two and a half hour drive, but we made lots of stops along the way, so our journey took most of the day.

Mid-day we stopped in the pretty town of Wolfville for a lunch. 

In the afternoon, we visited The Tangled Garden. This is a working garden where herbs, local fruit and berries are transformed into a range of jams and jellies that are sold at craft markets, online and in the garden's store. 

The Tangled Garden shop on the left, and on the right, a collection of the store's jams and jellies 

The herb Borage

Much of the garden is devoted to herbs which are picked fresh daily. 

The jams and jellies are made the old fashioned way in small batches- six jars at a time.

The grey foliage is Artemesia Silver King, the white flowers are Daisy Fleabane (a wildflower) the pink daisy is Echinacea and there is blue Sea Holly in the background.

The garden itself is really interesting. The planting style ranges from more formal raised beds (vegetables) to a very loose, almost wild style, where wildflowers mingle in with with standard perennials. In an open field, there is a modern take on a labyrinth, and the picture above is from the walk I took along a dry stream bed.

When I get myself more organized, I promise to come back and show you the garden in more detail.  For now, I will give you this sneak preview.

A display of fresh and dried flowers in the Tangled Garden Shop

A side view of the Tangled Garden Shop

The boardwalk along the Annapolis Basin

Our next stop was Annapolis Royal. 

This is another pretty little town and popular tourist destination. Port Royal across the Annapolis Basin was one of the earliest European settlements in North America. 

A wharf in the town of Annapolis Royal

Clothes drying in the breeze off the ocean

Tiger lilies in a private garden.

A ship in dry dock near the wharf in Annapolis Royal.

The Bread and Roses Inn a bed & breakfast in Annapolis Royal

Many of the town's old mansions have been turned into bed and breakfast inns. My sisters and I stayed in the Bread and Roses Country Inn. 

The house had grand rooms with 10' ceilings on the main floor and elaborate Art Nouveau woodwork. There were gardens both at the front and back of the house.

Roses along the fence at the Bread and Roses Inn

The front courtyard garden at the Bread and Roses Inn.

Rudbeckia

Do flowers get any sunnier?

The Historic Garden in Annapolis Royal.

On Thursday morning we went to visit Annapolis Royal's Historic Gardens. My sisters are not as interested in gardening as I am, so I didn't get to see all of the garden's 17 acres, but I did get to see enough to assure you that this garden that is well worth a visit.

Again, I will show you the garden in more detail when I get my pictures organized. For now, I will give you another preview.

Close-up of the plantings in the Victorian Garden.

Wild Bergamont or Monarda fistulosa

I loved the drama of this area of the garden.

Daylily, Hemerocallis 'Canadian Goose'

Daylily, Hemerocallis 'Canadian Goose' is a deep red daylily with a gold colored throat. Full sun or very light shade. Height: 60-90 cm ( 24-36 inches) USDA Zones: 3-9.

Daisy Fleabane (a wildflower) with Rudbeckia in behind.

A private garden along the Annapolis Basin.

All along the way I saw so many terrific private gardens! While we have many superb private gardens here in Ontario, the Martimes may just have us beat.

Another little teaser: the garden above is one we did stop for. The house was a striking shade of navy and the garden was filled with a mix of lavender and heather. I'll show you this garden in more detail very shortly.

Lawrence Town Beach

What's a visit to Nova Scotia with out a trip to the beach? 

Unfortunately the weather turned overcast and blustery the afternoon we drove out to Lawrence Town Beach.

My brother and my four year old nephew braving the 12 degree water.

 The freezing water and cool breeze didn't stop my brother and 4 year old nephew from taking a dip. 

My sister wore a fleece jacket and I was wearing a sweater as we watched from the sidelines.

Donna's garden

On my final day in Nova Scotia, I sent the morning visiting with my friend Donna. I have shown you her garden in spring. It looks every bit as amazing in August!

This post is getting long, but I will show you just a few of the pictures I took.

Daylily 'Luxury Lace'

This was just the most perfect pale pink daylily.

Monarda 'Marshal's Delight'

The fragrant foliage of Monarda 'Marshal's Delight' is more resistant to powdery mildew than many older varieties of Monarda. Hummingbirds and bees love its pink flowers. Like all Monarda, this plant is a bit of a spreader. Normal, sandy or clay soil all work for this plant.  It prefers soil that is moist. Full sun or part shade. Height: 75-120 cm (29-47 inches), Spread: 60-75 cm (23-29 inches. USDA Zones: 3-9

 Phlox Frans Shubert in Donna's garden

Phlox paniculata 'Frans Shubert' has lilac and cream flowers with a light fragrance. It can be susceptible to powdery mildew, but deep waterings in the morning hours can help prevent this problem. This phlox prefers sandy or clay soil. Full sun or part shade. Height:80-90 cm (31-35 inches), Spread: 60-75 cm (23-29 inches). USDA Zones:3-9.

When it finally came time to say good bye to my parents, my Dad stepped forward and put his arms around me. As I leaned into his embrace, he paused and held onto me for an extra long while. I am sure he wondered if this might be the last time he would ever get to hug me. At 89, you no longer take your days for granted.

Then it was my Mom's turn. Oh, but her body was so so thin and frail in my arms! She's still plenty feisty though. I think she could well out stubborn death for sometime to come. 

My sister Nancy and I are thinking positive. Already there is talk of flying home for Dad's 90th birthday next April.

I leave you with a poppy from my Mom's garden.

On my return, I have come down with a terrible chest cold. 

I promise to catch up and return your visits shortly.