Prized by cooks and gardeners alike, herbs are tougher than they appear. In fact, once they are established, many herbs can survive drought with little care and few adverse effects. So, don’t knock an herb garden off your list if you are trying to reduce the amount of water you use on your landscape. Also consider including herbs in drought tolerant perennial gardens. They’ll not only contribute aromatic and flavorful foliage, they’ll also add handsome foliage and flowers to any planting.
While herbs like basil and cilantro need moist, well-drained conditions, the herbs listed here all grow in soil ranging from moist and well-drained to downright dry. Keep in mind that plants need regular watering for the first year they are in the garden—approximately 1 inch per week. This encourages deep, wide-ranging roots and better drought tolerance. Take steps to prepare the soil properly at planting time.
Lesser calamint (Calamintha nepeta). This little-grown herb features sweet minty foliage and loose clusters of tiny very pale blue to white flowers from summer to fall. Plants grow to about 18 inches and form handsome 2- to 2½-foot-wide mounds. They self sow politely, so you’ll find a few new plants here and there. Despite their delicate appearance, these tough plants withstand heat, humidity, and drought. Zones 5 to 9.
Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). A fast-spreading herb sometimes used as a lawn substitute, Roman chamomile is 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads to 1½ feet. Plants have aromatic leaves with needlelike leaflets and bear daisylike flowers in summer. To keep them looking neat, mow or shear them in spring and again just after they flower. Zones 6 to 9.
Garden sage (Salvia officinalis). A popular culinary herb, sage is a shrubby evergreen perennial ranging from 1½ to 2½ feet tall. Plants spread to 3 feet. Although they bear racemes of lilac-blue flowers in summer, sages primarily bring handsome gray-green foliage to the garden. ‘Tricolor’ features leaves marked with gray-green, white, and pink. Well-drained soil is essential, and wet soil in winter is fatal. Zones 5 to 8.
Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys). An evergreen that spreads fairly slowly, germander bears small, glossy, dark green leaves and racemes of tiny, two-lipped pale pink to purple flowers in summer. Plants are 12 to 20 inches tall and spread to 1 foot. They can be kept clipped and are handsome as low hedges or specimens. Zones 5 to 9.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). Tough and drought tolerant, lavenders feature fragrant, needlelike, gray-green leaves. The lavender-blue flowers appear in summer. The mound-shaped plants range from 1 to 3 feet tall and spread to about 4 feet. Well-drained soil is essential, and wet soil in winter is deadly. Prune out any winter-killed growth in spring, and every few years cut back the plants to encourage denser growth and more flowers. ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’ are popular cultivars. ‘Provence’ is especially aromatic. Zones 5 to 9.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare). Another classic culinary herb, oregano is a somewhat shrubby, rhizomatous perennial with insignificant white flowers and small, rounded, very aromatic leaves. Plants range from 1 to 2 feet tall and spread to 2 or 3 feet. Shear them soon after they begin flowering to prevent self-sowing, since seedlings often do not have leaves that are as flavorful as their parents. For color contrast, consider planting chartreuse-leaved ‘Aureum’. Zones 5 to 9.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). This evergreen, aromatic shrub bears needle-like leaves and loose clusters of tiny lavender-blue flowers from spring to summer. Plants are 2 to 4 feet tall, spreading to 4 feet or more. Many cultivars are available. Ground cover selections include ‘Prostratus’, which is 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads to 2 or 3 feet, while ‘Lockwood de Forest reaches 2 feet tall and spreads to 5 feet. Most are hardy in Zones 8 to 10. ‘Arp’ and ‘Hill Hardy’ are hardy in Zone 7 to 10.
Thymes (Thymus spp.). The best choice for an herb garden is shrubby 6- to 12-inch-tall common thyme (T. vulgaris), the species most used in cooking. Plants spreads to 18 inches and bear tiny purple or white flowers in early summer. If you would like to consider other thymes for a drought tolerant garden, be sure to pinch a leaf before you buy, since some forms are much more aromatic than others. Zones 4 to 9.
A spot just outside your kitchen door is perfect for an herb garden, but consider these supremely appealing plants for other spots in your landscape as well. Combine herbs with drought tolerant perennials like daylilies, yuccas, Shasta daisies, and more.
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