Growing perennial herbs in your city garden is a great way to stock your kitchen and beautify your backyard. Not only do many perennial herbs look (and taste!) fantastic, they're a surprisingly low-maintenance way to save on pricey, store-bought fresh herbs. (Plus, when you grow it yourself, you can guarantee it's organic!)
5 Must-Grow Perennial Herbs
This One is for the Bees — Chives
The perennial herb that's as pretty as it is tasty, chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are wonderful herbs well-suited to kitchen gardens, butterfly gardens and even regular flower gardens. With sturdy stalks and pretty white and purple flower heads, chives are easy to grow and eager to perennialize. Haven't seen many bees in your garden lately? Plant some chives and you'll bring the buzz back!
A Timely Herb Every Year — Thyme
With over 40 varieties of this perennial herb to choose from, it may take you some time to find your favorite thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Especially loved by bees and homestead chefs, thyme is an indispensible herb for the well-stocked kitchen garden. Different cultivars taste like lemon, orgeano, caraway and more.
The King of Perennial Herbs — Oregano
A must-have perennial herb for Greek and Italian cooks, oregano (Origanum) has a bold, distinctive flavor that complements basil, thyme, garlic and parsley (not to mention cheese and olive oil). If you have a choice, go with the Greek variety — and make plenty extra of whatever you make with it!
The Prettiest of Perennial Herbs — Lavender
No perennial herb garden would be complete without a healthy batch of aromatic lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). As pretty as it is versatile, lavender is drought-resistant, heat-resistant and easy to use. Plus, there are dozens of recipes available for it. From lavender aioli to homemade potpourri, lavender is a must-have for any perennial herb garden.
The Herb That Grows Like a Weed — Mint
A little too easy to grow, all three varieties of mint (spearmint, peppermint and apple mint) are perennial herbs that are quick to grow, spread and perennialize. Unless you're sure that you're fine with this aromatic herb strong-arming its way through your garden, consider planting your mint in pots or in enclosed, raised garden beds. That, or be prepared to drink lots of mojitos to keep your mint at bay!
What are your favorite perennial herbs? If you could choose only one, which would it be?
(Images graciously supplied by martina87, nkzs, sveres, greyman and haiinee. Thanks!)
