Herbal Gardening in the Shade

Gardeners everywhere love to garden using herbs. Herbs bring about leafy, sometimes colorful and always fragrant elements that compliment any garden. Everyone, however, isn't so lucky to have sunshine everyday living in a shady area and here are five herbs anyone can grow even in the shadiest areas!

Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)

These beautiful leaves are often used in yummy salads, sweet desserts or stews and even the roots as well as the seeds are edible. These are usually grown in zones 3-7 and are able to be grown in moist sunny spots or all out shade. This sweet herb has ferny type leaves with delicate light white flowers that can be used for decorating foods too.

Angelica (Angelica archangelica)

Also known for sweetness Angelica grows well in moist sunspots and shade too but usually thrives in zones 4-9. This extra sweet herb is also used in salads like Sweet Cicely but the stalk of Angelica can also be candied or cooked for mouth watering desserts.

Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii)

Tiny leaves bursting with the flavor of timeless peppermint describes this herbal wonder at best. Usually grown as a lustrous ground cover in zones 6-9, Corsican Mint goes wonderfully with tea, fruit salad and even tasty cordials. Plant them in moist shade and watch them grow!

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)

Chervil grows best in partial shade in zones 3-8 requiring little maintenance. These leaves can be used in stews, salads, on top of omelets for breakfast, soups and even chopped for eye popping garnishes adding a delicate anise flavor.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Lemon Balm is just that, a zesty lemon flavor! Lemon Balm produced beautiful leafs of deep green with lush veins and can be added to beverages for a spice of flavor. This herb is very versatile able to grow in the full dry sun or even in partial shade in zones 4-9.

These herbs are wonderful additions to any garden, they require little room to grow, they are low maintenance, all of them love the shade and 'useful' should be their middle name because each can be used in dozens of combinations … everyday.

Enjoy these and the many varieties of herbs to improve your garden and your health.