Herbs aren’t just for eating. Flowering herbs add visual interest to the garden or container combinations. And, keep in mind, the flowers are edible too, so toss them into a salad or cocktail to dress up something ordinary.
5 Flowering Herbs We Grow at the Farm
- Cuban oregano – A member of the mint family, Cuban oregano has a very strong flavor. The fuzzy leaves add a nice textural element to a container planting, and the light purple blooms attract pollinators. Cuban oregano can be used in containers and hanging baskets and also will spread into a ground cover. Other names for Cuban oregano include Mexican mint, Indian borage and Spanish thyme.Cuban oregano is best grown from stem cuttings and can take some shade. It needs well drained, nutrient-rich soil with neutral acidity.
- Dill – If you plan to use your dill primarily for cooking, then you shouldn’t let it flower. The blooms will stunt the growth of the foliage. The upside is that the flowers produce seed, which means there are more dill plants to come! I like to let some of my dill flower because it adds such a nice pop of yellow and attracts beneficial insects to the garden.To grow your own dill, start with seeds in warm weather in full sun. This herb grows best in well-drained, moderately rich soil with neutral acidity. Be careful to not over-water dill.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is an easy herb to grow when you understand a little bit about its background. A native of the Mediterranean, it prefers a warm, sunny, and dry environment. In warmer clients, rosemary serves as an evergreen hedge with tiny blooms in spring and summer.Start your rosemary plant from a cutting. Rosemary plants need well-drained, sandy soil and full sun to thrive. Once it’s established, rosemary doesn’t need much water.
- Pineapple sage – Don’t think that this is anything like the sage that goes into your Thanksgiving dressing. Pineapple sage has a fruity scent, adding a wonderful fragrance to the garden and the house when used in a cut arrangement.In late summer and early fall, the bold scarlet nectar-filled flowers burst onto the scene. Don’t be surprised when migrating hummingbirds and butterflies flock to your garden.Pineapple sage plants grow best in well-drained, fertile soil. It does well in containers as well, as long as it’s more than 12 inches deep. Pineapple sage needs very little water once established and works well in drought tolerant gardens.
- Lavender – Is it any doubt that lavender makes the list? It’s fairly low-maintenance and tolerates hot, dry conditions, so it’s particularly drought-tolerant.I recommend starting lavender from seedlings. The plants must have sunny conditions and well-drained soil. Lavender needs regular watering until it’s established and then very little.
To learn more about growing herbs, check out the video below!