23 Fragrant Perennial Herbs for a Lush and Delectable Garden
No replanting required!
Whether used in appetizers, main dishes, or cocktails, fresh herbs add a depth of flavor you can't duplicate with dried. It's also gratifying to walk outside your door and snip off just what you need for dinner, rather than purchasing those big bunches that always seem to wilt in your crisper drawer long before you use them. While some herbs such as basil aren't cold hardy and must be planted annually, perennial herbs such as thyme and sage return every spring. Plant them once, and you'll enjoy them for years to come. Many herbs, while technically annuals, will self-sow by dropping so many seeds if left to flower that you'll never need to plant them again.
Herbs also do well in containers, so you can enjoy their cottage garden charm whether you have a rambling backyard, a huge edible garden, or just a few pots on the patio. Mix them with ornamentals, or use them to edge garden beds or pathways. Creeping herbs such as thyme also make attractive and practical groundcovers. Best of all, when herbs are left to flower, they bloom for weeks and attract beneficial pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. They're also incredibly lovely, fragrant, and long-lasting in a mixed bouquet. Most herbs prefer full sun, which is six or more hours of direct sunlight per day, so make sure to consider that factor when planting.
Ahead, our top picks for perennial herbs to make your garden more productive and beautiful.
Mint
Most often seen in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes, mint also is a fantastic garnish for lemonade, iced tea, or ice cream. Its flavors range from classic spearmint to pineapple to chocolate. Mint can be invasive, so plant in containers (which you can sink into the ground) to control its spread.
Borage
Borage is a lesser-known heirloom herb with pretty star-shaped flowers. The young leaves have a pleasant cucumber-y flavor and can be used in salads or lemonade. Although borage is an annual, it drops so many seeds that you'll have it in your garden for years to come.
Sage
Sage has beautiful velvety leaves with a silvery or purple sheen. Variegated types also are available. Sage is used in many savory dishes and is sometimes fried as a garnish. Pollinators adore sage, so plant it throughout your garden.
Chamomile
Chamomile's darling little daisylike flowers grow on a bushy plant. Use the flowers fresh or dried in salads or steeped in tea. Make sure to choose a perennial variety, as some types of chamomile are annual.
Garlic Chives
While chives have a light oniony flavor, this type has a slight garlic taste. The thin grassy leaves and fragrant flowers, which bloom in late summer, make a pretty addition to the garden. Use in place of garlic.
Winter Savory
This shrubby plant has petite flowers and attractive compact foliage. It's not the same herb as summer savory, which is an annual. Add winter savory to soups and stews.
Viola
Tiny, funny-faced violas are edible flowers that are lovely on cakes, in salads, or frozen in ice cubes. Violas may be perennials or annuals. They self-seed profusely so they'll pop up again next year.
Lemon Balm
With its bright citrusy flavor, lemon balm is often used as a substitute for mint in dishes such as fruit salad or iced tea. It's also divine simply floating in water for sipping on a hot day.
Sorrel
This herb has a tart, lemony flavor that works well in dressings, salads, and potatoes. Another great reason to plant it? Its pretty red-veined leaves are some of the very first to pop up through the earth in early spring.
Lemon Verbena
Lemon verbena adds a light, citrus-forward flavor to salads and cocktails. It survives only mild winters because it's considered a tropical plant, so pot it up and bring indoors in cold climates.
Rosemary
Rosemary's pine-scented foliage tolerates only mild winters, becoming a sturdy shrub in time. In cold climates, bring it indoors to overwinter in pots. There are also dwarf or trailing rosemary varieties. Rosemary is most often found in Italian dishes such as sauces, pastas, and roasted meats.
Sweet Marjoram
Sweet marjoram has rounded leaves and tiny nondescript flowers. It likes sandy soil but has no tolerance for frost, so plant it in-ground only in warm climates. Use in poultry dishes, soups, and potatoes.
Lavender
Lavender has gorgeous flowers that are delicious in salads, herb butter, scones, and shortbread. The dried buds can be collected for sachets to perfume a drawer. Many new varieties of lavender have been introduced in recent years that are more cold and heat tolerant, so make sure you choose a type suited to your USDA hardiness zone.
Oregano
Oregano blooms for weeks and has beautiful flowers pollinators love. Most often used in Greek and Italian cuisine, oregano has a slightly bitter taste that pairs well with rich dishes.
Fennel
Fennel is completely edible from the bulb root to its light, feathery leaves and the seeds dropped after flowering. Raw fennel, often used in salads, imparts a strong licorice tang but has a sweet finish when sautéed.
Chives
Chives are almost as pretty as they are practical in the herb garden. They have pink or purple flowers that grow in clumps, and both the leaves and flowers have a mild onion flavor that works well to top salads, soups, and potatoes.
Cilantro
Cilantro is technically an annual, but it self-seeds so profusely that you rarely have to replant next season. Make sure to let it flower to attract pollinators and allow it to reseed itself, or harvest some of the seeds, which are known as coriander, for cooking. Cilantro adds a citrusy kick to salsa, chili, and cocktails.
Thyme
Thyme is a fast grower and boasts tiny purple, pink, or white flowers in late spring to early summer. Pollinators love it. Use it in chowders, poultry dishes, and pasta dishes and sauces.
French Tarragon
Tarragon has pretty, wispy leaves and a strong scent. Its licorice flavor is best used in French dishes, particularly with chicken, fish, and eggs.
Bay Laurel
The leaves of bay laurel plants have an earthy pungency, especially when dried. Bay laurel is tolerant of only mild winters, so bring it indoors in cold climates. Add to sauces, stews, and classic French bouquet garni.
Sara Clark is the Style Assistant at VERANDA, where she writes about interiors, fashion, style, and the latest design trends.
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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