Culinary herbs are varied and versatile, they not only season food they are lovely plants to display in the landscape or garden. You can tuck them in amongst flowering plants, grow them in containers or add them to sensory gardens. Most are deer-resistant, and often drought tolerant plants that are well suited to Sequim’s climate.
Perennial herbs (ones that live more than 2 years) are hardy and can be planted once and harvested for years. When choosing perennial herbs consider their growth habit, some will need quite a bit of space. A small pot may grow into a 2-foot-by-3-foot plant, or even bigger after a few years.
The hardier perennial herbs such as sage, thyme and oregano are easy to grow. They generally prefer a fairly sunny spot and well-drained soil. The cold freeze of 2024 has proved that others such as bay laurel, rosemary, tarragon and winter savory may be less hardy (they are USDA zone 8 but may need to be protected from extended periods of low temperatures).
A few aromatic favorites such as lemon balm and mint may be a little too hardy and are best grown in containers due to their very aggressive nature.
Annuals herbs complete their life cycle in a year or less. Most can be easily started by seed or found as starts in the local nursery.
One of the benefits of annual herbs is that they don’t take up a lot of space, in general they can be planted a foot apart. Each has its own unique habits, when choosing what and when to plant, realize that annual herbs can be a little picky. A few favorites are cilantro, basil, dill and parsley.
Fantastic four
Cilantro likes cool weather. It should be planted in partial sun in the coolest area of your garden. The good news is that it’s a quick grower and you can expect to harvest leaves in about 30 days. Because cilantro has a tendency to bolt fast (go to seed) it’s a good idea to use successive plantings to assure a longer harvest. However, if it does bolt, let it set seed and, voila, you have grown coriander.
On the other hand, basil likes it warm. Don’t even consider planting basil outside until you would plant heat loving tomatoes in early June. Even then consider covering it with a cloche at night if temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Alternatively, basil grows well in a pot that can be kept in a warm sunny spot.
Dill is also a cooler season herb and is an exception to the small annual rule, it can grow quite tall and bushy. Dill is grown to use fresh and for its seed. The good news is once it goes to seed you will have all the dill you will ever need, it tends to reseed itself every year
Parsley is actually a biennial herb (taking two years to complete its life cycle) but is most often grown as an annual for the best taste. Like cilantro parsley does best in cooler weather and likes partial sun with afternoon shade. Unlike cilantro it takes 70 -90 days to mature for harvest. Be aware, if started by seed it takes a long time to germinate (up to 5 weeks) so plan ahead.
Ease up on the water
Although an herb might be drought resistant, water-stressed plants don’t grow well or taste good. Water your herbs when dry so the plants put down sturdy roots. If your plants are growing well, don’t fertilize. The volatile oils that flavor herbs decline with lush growth.
Harvesting herbs on a regular basis will encourage fuller growth. Even if the herb is not needed immediately, pinch them back as they mature and dry or freeze some for winter use.
Soup up your garden
When contemplating growing herbs, consider a potager garden. “Potager” literally means a thick and substantial soup — all the ingredients for this soup could be grown in the kitchen garden or potager.
The style was originated in medieval France amongst the monasteries. This old idea, blending flowers, vegetables and herbs, has become popular again in the garden design world. Plants in a potager garden are chosen for both their edible and ornamental natures and are put together in a decorative but functional way to provide easy access for the cook.
Designing a potager garden can be as complex or as easy as your gardening style dictates. Some potager designs favor the style of knot gardens or designs that repeat a certain pattern or a symmetrical shape, but it is not the only way to design such a garden. A less formal cottage style can also make a charming potager garden.
Woodcock Demonstration Garden in Sequim has a lovely cottage style herb garden. It features an informal rock spiral planting bed with annual as well as perennial herbs. In and around the spiral you may find garlic, onions, celery and cabbage on occasion.
One edge of the garden features a perennial lemon balm hedge that returns every year to border the road. An evergreen bay tree and rosemary, plus edible flowers such as chrysanthemum, borage and constantly reseeding calendula add interest. Marjoram and thyme make fragrant ground covers.
A few old-fashioned perennial herbs such as sweet cicely, sorrel, fennel and salad burnet also have a place in the garden.
Susan Kalmar is a WSU-Certified Clallam County Master Gardener.
Garden on display
The Clallam County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at 2711 Woodcock Road in Sequim is open year-round during daylight hours and visitors are welcome. Parking is always available in the open lot just west of the main entrance. There is a self-guided tour map available at any one of several kiosks around the garden. Master Gardeners are often working Thursday mornings and are available to answer questions.
