It may surprise you to read that some of the herbs that we use the most, are actually quite easy to grow. Many are perennials or cold hardy. Cooking is certainly the most popular use for these herbs, but have many other beneficial uses. Perhaps a tea, or a few herbs sprinkled in your bathwater or a diffuser. You will have the opportunity to see just how beautiful these herbs are in bloom. Experience the pleasure of cutting fresh herbs and breathing in their heady scent as you rub the leaves with your finger tips. Start your own garden with five of the best perennial herbs to grow.
- Oregano is a low maintenance herb. It prefers well draining soil and doesn’t require much care once it has established. The plant starts to bush out in early Spring and in the Summer will have purple blooms that the bees and butterflies love. Oregano does die back quite a bit in the winter months, but keeps enough leaves to harvest fresh all year long.
- Thyme grows very similar to Oregano. It is often grown as groundcover as it doesn’t grow more than a foot tall. Pollinators love their little summer blooms. There are several different varieties of thyme. Lemon thyme is my favorite. Just as the name implies, there is a hint of lemon in it’s aroma.
- Sage grows in well draining soil. Is has silvery leaves and beautiful purple flowers in the late Spring. The plant will lose quite a bit of it’s leaves in the Winter although, there is enough to harvest for meal preparations.
- Mint is a very easy herb to grow, maybe too easy. It is very prolific and may be best to grow in pots or an area that they can grow into. Don’t let this deter you from growing mint. It is a wonderful pollinator and a lovely herb to have on hand.
- Rosemary is a perennial shrub up to zone 7. Plant Rosemary on the southern side of your home to protect it from during the winter months. Once it’s bigger, you won’t have to worry about it. Rosemary does require a trimming in the late Spring. Cut back up to a third without cutting the woody stems.
How to Start Growing Your Herbs
Another reason these are the best perennial herbs to grow is because of how affordable they are. These plants can be divided or propagated easily, which can mean free plants. Ask your friends to think of you when they are tidying their garden beds. These herbs grow so quickly that, you only need one plant each. It’s cheaper just to buy the plant then to start it from seed.