Herbs and aromatic plants
Herbs and aromatic plants are an essential part of any garden. With a vast array of choices available, you can select plants based on their culinary uses, health benefits, visual appeal, and ability to benefit other plants and pollinators.
Choosing herbs
When deciding which herbs to grow, consider their purpose and common occurrence in the wild. These questions can be helpful:
- Which herbs do you frequently use for cooking or/and medicinal use?
- How much space do you have?
- Would you like to grow them outdoors or indoors?
- Which herbs are growing in the wild in your area?
- Do you plan to store them after or use them fresh in the season?
When buying already grown herb plants, always ensure that the plant is healthy, and before planting, control the root system very well (but gently) to avoid spreading diseases and pests in your garden.
Sometimes, a new plant needs time to stabilize, which can sometimes take several months. The key is to ensure the plant appears healthy during this period. If you notice that the plant is not growing after one season or shows signs of distress—such as blackened leaves, dry branches, stunted growth, or even disappearing altogether—it often indicates that the chosen location is unsuitable for its development or that pests are affecting it. In such cases, transplanting the plant to a different spot can often resolve the issue. Additionally, consider whether nearby plants might be casting too much shade or competing for nutrients, as these factors can also hinder the plant’s health.
Perennial and annual herbs
Perennial herbs
When choosing perennial herbs, observing which ones thrive in the wild can be a handy guide. For instance, I live in the mountains, where perennial herbs like mint, helichrysum, Achillea, malva, and thyme grow abundantly in nature. This assures me that they will also flourish in my garden. Other commonly grown perennial herbs in this region include lavender, rosemary, lemon balm, Erba Luisa, and savory, all of which are easy to cultivate.
It’s best to avoid planting more than you need unless you’re growing herbs primarily for their decorative qualities. Limited garden space is often better utilized by cultivating a diverse range of plants rather than focusing on large quantities of a single type. This is especially important for perennials, as they persist year after year, taking up space over the long term.
Some perennials grow wide or tall, enhancing your garden’s visual appeal while offering practical benefits. Many varieties showcase differences in leaf or flower color and taste, providing both aesthetic and functional flexibility. A great example is sage, which comes in an incredible array of colors, shapes, flavors, and uses; it’s fantastic.
When planting perennials, choose their location carefully—not just for their growing needs but also for the health of nearby plants. Many perennials expand significantly, making them difficult or impossible to transplant later (as with mint or edible roses).
Favourite perennial herbs:
- Thyme, sage, lavender, satureja, nasturtium, anethum, origano, mellisa, mint, rosemary, helichrysum, primula, origano, hypericum, hyssopus, violet, elderberry
Annual herbs
Annual herbs serve multiple purposes—they can be grown for interplanting, companion planting, bulk harvesting for storage, or simply as a beautiful addition to your herb and ornamental garden. In many cases, they can fulfill all these roles at once.
A great example of versatile annual herbs is basil and calendula. These can be grown in larger quantities due to their culinary and medicinal uses. Additionally, they make excellent companion plants and provide vibrant, colorful blooms that enhance the aesthetic appeal of your garden when scattered thoughtfully throughout.
Favourite annual herbs:
- Basil, cilantro, parsley (biennial), calendula, chamomille, portulaca, borage, dill
Growing herbs
Pay close attention to the growing conditions your herbs require, as a natural environment suited to their needs fosters healthier growth. While indoor planting allows you to control conditions, cultivating herbs outdoors in appropriate soil and light often produces more vigorous, robust plants. This is particularly important for medicinal herbs, as wild-grown or naturally cultivated varieties are usually more potent and effective.
There is a noticeable difference between store-bought herbs (whether for seasoning or medicinal use) and those you grow and preserve yourself. This principle applies to all homegrown produce but is especially true for herbs. Freshly grown herbs surpass store-bought ones in flavor, color, nutritional value, and potency for medicinal purposes. Proper cultivation, care, and storage are crucial to maximize their benefits, whether you use herbs for teas, oils, rinses, cosmetics, or perfumes.
Always plant your herbs far from roads, trash bins, or other sources of contamination. Avoid using artificial chemical products, both on the herbs themselves and in the surrounding areas. For example, if your neighbor uses chemical herbicides or pesticides, it’s best to avoid consuming herbs grown nearby, as they may absorb harmful substances.
Basics of growing herbs
Growing herbs becomes much easier when you choose suitable varieties and the correct location. Here are some key tips to ensure their success:
- Enrich the soil annually: Add well-matured compost yearly to maintain soil fertility and support healthy growth.
- Water wisely: During dry seasons, water your herbs in the morning or evening to prevent evaporation and plant stress. Avoid watering during full sunshine as it can harm the plants. Otherwise, herbs generally require minimal watering.
- Trim regularly: To keep herbs green and productive, prune them frequently. Annuals may end their season after flowering if not trimmed, while some perennials, like mint and lemon balm, may continue growing but look unattractive. Trim perennials during their dormant season to encourage healthy growth and achieve a preferred shape in the spring.
- Use mulch: Regularly add mulch, particularly before winter, to protect the soil and conserve moisture. I recommend using wood chips and leaves from nearby trees.
- Protect sensitive plants in cold weather: Cover young or delicate plants with white protective gardening cloth to shield them from frost when temperatures drop below freezing.
Propagating herbs
Annual herbs are easy to propagate. You can simply wait for the flowers to dry and collect the seeds they produce. These seeds can be sown the following spring or left to naturally fall to the ground, allowing the plant to regrow in the same spot next season.
Perennial herbs can be propagated by seeds and cuttings, with cuttings being the easiest and quickest method. To propagate via cuttings, cut a young, non-woody branch and place it in moist soil, ideally in a pot. After a few weeks, once the plant shows signs of growth, it can be transplanted to a larger pot or directly into the garden. When planting cutting into a pot, ensure the soil is moist but not waterlogged to avoid rotting or mold. To encourage healthy growth, keep the pot in a sunny, warm spot, such as a greenhouse.
I typically trim perennial herbs like rosemary and lavender after their flowers dry. During this time, I collect branches, plant them in pots, and place them in the greenhouse. These propagated plants can be transplanted to the garden or shared with neighbors in spring. Remember, each small branch will grow into a large bush in two to three years, so avoid planting them too closely together to prevent excessive humidity and shading.
Some perennial herbs, such as mint, lemon balm, and savory, can be propagated by dividing the plant. These herbs naturally develop extensive root systems as they spread. Each section of the plant creates new roots when it touches the ground. Water the ground sufficiently to propagate, then carefully remove a portion of the plant using your hands or a gardening shovel. Dig a shallow hole in the new location, ensuring you do not bury the plant too deeply. Place the herb in the hole, cover the roots with soil, and gently water to secure the soil around the roots. Adding well-matured compost can enhance the plant’s establishment. Water the new plant regularly until it is well-established, at which point it can be treated like other herbs.
Herbs naturally growing in our garden
Plants that naturally grow in your garden can serve as valuable indicators of what types of plants you can easily cultivate there. They may also provide clues about your soil’s properties, such as its acidity. Some wild or “weedy” plants in your garden could be helpful medicinal herbs.
It’s often said that gardens provide plants that align with our needs, appearing at the right time to support healing or well-being. Seasonal herbs, for instance, grow at specific times of the year when they align with our natural requirements. For example, in spring, when we tend to lighten our diet and cleanse after winter, dandelion and nettle—both ideal for detoxification—are abundant.
The more time we spend in our gardens and interact with the soil, the more we notice this form of communication. Sometimes, a “new” plant may appear suddenly, only for us to realize we have specific needs or health concerns that the plant can help address.
When foraging wild herbs, accurately identifying the species you are collecting is essential. Some plants have only one part that is safe for consumption, or they may only be safe to use at specific stages of growth. Others may resemble toxic varieties. For example, Aegopodium podagraria (ground elder), a medicinal herb, closely resembles Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed), a highly poisonous and invasive plant. While their leaves can distinguish these, Aegopodium’s leaves grow smaller and more similar to Heracleum’s as it matures, and their flowers look almost identical. This is just one of many examples, so carefully examining plants at every stage of their growth is crucial.
Proper identification, harvesting, and storage are critical if you plan to use herbs medicinally. Consider your health conditions, as some herbs can interact with medications or cause adverse effects. For instance, certain herbs may be unsafe during pregnancy or in combination with specific treatments. Always consult a qualified professional to ensure the appropriate use, dosage, and duration of herbal remedies.
All this is especially important when using herbs to treat diseases or symptoms. Incorrect use could worsen the condition. Additionally, temporary worsening of symptoms might occur when the body begins detoxifying, but this can also happen if the body reacts negatively to the treatment. Understanding the difference is vital.
It’s also important to note that the effects of herbal treatments often take time to manifest. Unlike chemical drugs, herbs usually don’t provide immediate results. People sometimes believe a remedy isn’t working, but in most cases, it simply requires patience.
Every place has its own herbs that are most effective for the people or animals. While it’s tempting to trust exotic herbal supplements from distant parts of the world, local herbs often address the same issues effectively. Additionally, using locally grown herbs ensures you know exactly what you’re consuming in terms of quality and authenticity.