Many of the plants commonly grown as herbs in the herb garden are equally worthy of being grown for their ornamental value in the flower garden. By definition, an herb is a useful plant, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be pretty as well. With a little experimentation, you may find that your flower garden could easily include many herbs. And once you learn about herbs, you may be surprised by just how many of our garden flowers were once considered to be herbs! Here are just a handful to get you started considering growing more flowering herbs for your flower garden.
Table of Contents
Common names may give you a clue to a plant’s herbal history or usage. For example, the perennial flower called lungwort was used to treat lung conditions. Today, we grow it in the shady flower garden and know it by the name Pulmonaria.
Monkshood and Foxglove had old time medicinal uses. Today we know that monkshood (Aconite) is highly toxic whether ingested or handled but we still grow it for its lovely blue flowers. Foxglove, or Digitalis, is also toxic if ingested. The name gives you a clue as to its medicinal power or ability to affect the heart.
Dianthus, including favorite cottage garden plants such as carnations, pinks and sweet William, has age old medicinal uses as herbs. Today, these are primarily grown in flower gardens.
Borage is a lusty grower, popular in herb gardens for its floriferous show and ability to regrow after being cut back. This self seeding herb is worthy of the informal flower garden, especially if you have a large space to fill and enjoy blue flowers.
Tansy is a big and bold plant with tiny golden yellow button flowers that thrives in difficult spots with hot sun and poor soil. It is said to repel ants and was often grown by the kitchen door. Today, it can be useful in the flower garden if you have a difficult spot to plant.
Soothing Calendula is terrific for early spring and late fall flowering, bringing bright rays of sunshine to the cool season garden when flowers may otherwise be few and far between. Prolific self seeding flower, too.
Thyme, in its many forms, is always welcome in the flower garden although we might think of it first as a kitchen seasoning herb and possibly second as the source of thymol such as is used in some mouthwashes.
The bright jewel-tone blooms of creeping thyme will make your walkway pleasant to look at, all the while permeating the air with fragrance as you step on it. The taller French thyme can be clipped into a small scale edging to border your flower garden. And the gray leafed woolly thyme offers a lovely foliage contrast. Perfect for sunny perennial gardens with well drained soil.
Lavender is a staple in herb gardens and is equally popular in sunny flower gardens where the soil is well drained and winters are mild. Its many historical and modern day uses include the gamut from perfume and aromatherapy to culinary to health to household as an ironing aid and moth repellent!
Don’t forget the scented geraniums (Pelargonium), perhaps the ultimate combination in suitability for both herb garden and flower garden and especially worthwhile for its ability to grow in a container to delight us indoors during the winter months.
This overview, including just a few of the many herbs that can be grown in the flower garden as ornamental plants, should help you expand your knowledge of herbs — and of flowers, too! Consider adding flowering herbs with their fascinating lore and many uses to your flower garden. You are sure to find some new favorite herbal “flowers” to expand your flower garden.
more FLOWER GARDENS ARTICLES and FLOWER GARDENS BLOGS
Most homeowners have probably spent hours looking at the different types of garden seeders. You may have even come across…
When it comes to vehicle lovers, cleaning their cars on a regular basis is essential to maintaining the paint job's…
Gas chainsaws are the perfect tool for a variety of outdoor tasks, including chopping up logs for firewood, clearing brush…
A home can be a daunting project, one that takes some time and energy to maintain. With hard work, determination,…
Today ginger is grown all over tropical and subtropical regions in Asia, in parts of Africa and South America, and…
Onions are one of the most popular vegetables in the world, and growing onions is a snap in the home…