Perennial Herbs in the Garden - Double Duty Plants

One of my favorite things in gardening is to find a plant that will pull double duty. It's like getting a bargain on a brand new shirt; two for the price of one! One of the most satisfying ways I've found of accomplishing that in the borders in front of my Texas home was by using perennial herbs.

A perennial is a plant that returns each year. It doesn't die during the winter so you never have to replant. I love that. I'm all about continuing to reap the benefits of something I did last year. When I started investigating planting an herb garden I was surprised how many of the commonly used herbs are perennial. Now, one thing to keep in mind is each plants hardiness, or what areas of the country it will survive a winter through. Check a Zone Map to find out what your hardiness zone is and then select perennials that fit that zone. While your perennial may go dormant, or seem to die, as long as you stay within the plants hardiness level it will return come warmer weather. I want to share with you some of my favorite herbs from that little border and why I selected them.

Oregano, Italian (Origanum x marjoricum) - Being the Italian, spaghetti lover that I am I liked having this herb in the border near the door for easy access any time I wanted to add a little seasoning to my sauces or stews. Oregano grows well in zones 5-10 and has a nice upright growth habit that looks nice in any border. Small white or lavender blooms during the summer are only an extra bonus.

Lavender, Munstead (Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead') - One of my favorite herbs of all time this aromatic offering will survive winters through zone 5 and should be treated like an annual in colder regions. With the Munstead variety the flowers are a little darker blue, and show up a little earlier, blooming in mid-spring rather than mid-summer as with other lavender varieties. Plant near a walkway or entrance to make best use of the wonderful fragrance. Lavender is a nice plant for less than ideal conditions once it's established. See the Lavender Plant Profile for more details.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalus) - Another personal favorite is the amazing piney scent of the rosemary plant. I also use this herb in a lot of my pot roasts and stews. A small woody plant this herb is hardy through zone 7 but can be grown in a large container in colder climates for over wintering indoors. It grows 3-5 feet tall and is evergreen which means it will not die back during the winter months, but rather keep its silvery-green color throughout making it an excellent choice for year-round attention.

Thyme, Creeping (Thymus serpyllum) - I chose to use the creeping variety of thyme in my garden because it is very hardy (to zone 4) and fills a little niche in my border that would have otherwise been lacking. This great little herb not only works well in the kitchen (sprinkle in salads, sauces, stews or use to garnish any kind of meat) but also grows low to the ground and will spread to fill in bares areas around larger plants, near the front of your borders, or between stepping stones where nothing else seems to fit. In many areas it will keep its color throughout the year providing winter interest, and it spreads itself nicely so you will really get your money's worth out of just a few plants.

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