HERBS 



in the landscape 



TANYA JACKSON 



S! 



< PJ l^E^ 



HERBAL LABYRINTH 

 Mazes ani Labyrintfis 



the popularity of herbs grows 

 and grows. More people are 

 using them intertwined in 

 their per ennial borders and home 

 landscapes. One reason is that 

 herbs are more than pretty plants. 

 They have uses and histories to of- 

 fer, as well as fragrances, textures 

 and subtle colors that enhance the 

 landscape. 



A stone wall or rock-edged walk 

 becomes a fragrant pathway when 

 planted with mint-scented English Pennyroyal or 

 apple-scented Chamomile, and the crisply fragrant 

 Oregano Thyme (Thymus pulegoides 'Oregano. sometimes 

 called T. nummularis). Wooly Thyme will literally flow 

 over the timbers at the top of a retaining wall, provid- 

 ing a fragrant bench for sitting. Other low-growing 

 thymes such as T. herbarona 'Nutmeg', Molher of Thyme cv 

 Fosterflower' (named after herbal author Gertrude Fos- 

 ter), and Mother of Thyme "White Magic' creep along the 

 edges of flagstones and bricks, scenting with every 

 step. 



Two herbs 1 would like to see more of in the land- 

 scape are the alpine version of Lady's Mantle, and the 

 dwarf variety. Petite and neat, they are slower to 

 spread than the large variety, kkhemilla vulgaris, and do 

 not flop over when they mature. When they are more 

 readily available and the cost comes down, I think we 

 will see them used more often as ground covers and 

 in rock gardens. They seem to have no insect prob- 

 lems and flower with delicate sprays of chartreuse for 

 a long period of time. 



Another nice herb for walls and walk edges is Win- 

 ter Savory, Satureja montana. it can take poorer soils, 

 has a neat appearance with slick green shiny leaves 

 that remain nearly evergreen. It likes to cascade over 

 walls or will provide a fine accent in ornamental gar- 

 dens of small conifers and broadleaf evergreens. Ger- 

 mander {Teucrium chamaedrys) is similar, a good accent 

 herb as well, but without much fragrance. Winter Sa- 

 vory flowers in pink and Germander in yellow. Both 

 are excellent for rock gardens. 



Lavender is one of the best known of herbs be- 

 cause of its perfume quality fragrance that lasts for 

 years in the harvested flower stems. There are many 



i 



Reprinted from 

 by W.H. Matthews. 



cultivars and species with subtle 

 differences in leaf size and shape, 

 flower color and flower stalk length. 

 For hardiness, 1 still find the most 

 success with the old English Laven- 

 der (Lavandula auguslifolia), some- 

 times called Lavender Vera. A bor- 

 der at the Urban Forestry Center is 

 still flowering profusely after 15 

 years, despite being out in the 

 open, unmulched for the winter, 

 and (to top off this abuse), trans- 

 planted from one place to another at 10 years of age! 

 It will grow in Zone 4 in protected places. 



Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplycifolia) is outstanding in 

 the landscape. It forms a feathery mass of silver 

 branches to three feet tall throughout the year, with 

 clouds of tiny blue flowers from July to September. It 

 is spectacular when combined with spikes of Foxglove 

 (Digitalis), and Clary Sage or Silver Sage (Salvia sclarea 

 and S. argentea). Clary Sage is an under-used biennial 

 that can be quite beautiful when it displays its tall 

 silvery pink sprays of blossoms. Silver Sage performs 

 with silver white sprays 2-3 feet tall rising from a thick 

 rosette of silver hairy leaves. 



Other than white, there is not a more restful color 

 for the garden than sky blue. Blue Flax (Linum perenne) 

 in large masses is spectacular. The secret here is to 

 plant large masses and let the seeds drop, providing 

 larger masses, or "wandering color" throughout the 

 garden. The blooming period is long, though each tiny 

 flower only lasts from early morning until noon, the 

 plants blossom for weeks. Masses of the fine textured 

 feathery foliage are also attractive when the seed 

 heads appear. 



Southernwood (Artemisia arbrotanum) in a variety 

 known as Tangerine' is tall, feathery, and fragrant as 

 an accent in a large herb or perennial garden or near 

 an entrance where brushing against it releases its 

 fruity scent. This plant roots easily from layering on 

 the ground or from cuttings and really should be used 

 more in the landscape. It can be pruned and easily 

 kept to a desired size. 



Other tall accent herbs not used often are lovage 

 (Levisticum officinale), discussed in last fall's issue, and 

 Angelica (Angelica archangelica), also in a striking purple 



APRIL /MAY 1994 



27 



