Essential Herbs for Herb Gardens
These herbs include those most valued for flavoring food or scenting soaps and potpourri, or for their pretty flowers or foliage. Although many others are appropriate for herb gardens because of their medicinal (sometimes poisonous) properties or their connection to folklore, the following hers are essential to almost any herb garden.
PERENNIALS
Achillea millefolium (common
yarrow)
Alchemilla mollis (lady's mantle)
Angelica archangelica (wild parsnip, cow parsnip, archangel)
Chamaemelum nobile (chamomile, Roman chamomile)
Galium odoratum (sweet woodruff)
Lavandula angustifolia (lavender, English lavender)
Mentha x piperita (peppermint)
Monarda didyma (bee-balm, oswego tea)
Nepeta x faassenii (catmint)
Origanum vulgare "aureum' (golden oregano, golden marjoram)
Ruta graveolens (rue)
Salvia officinalis (garden sage)
Stachys byzantina (lamb's-ears)
Thymus spp. (thymes)
Viola odorata (sweet violet)
ANNUALS
Anethum graveolens (dill)
Borago officinalis (borage)
Calendula officinalis (pot marigold)
Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil)
Pelargonium spp. (scented geraniums)
Petroselinum crispum (parsley)
Tropaeolum majus (nasturtium)
BULBS
Allium schoenoprasum (chives)
Crocus sativus (saffron crocus)
ROSES
Rosa gallica officinalis
(apothecary rose)
Rosa rugosa (beach rose)
Rosa x damascena (damask rose)
