Growing herbs in your garden is a great way to add fresh flavors to your meals and enjoy a bit of greenery.
Imagine planting your favorite herbs once and then having them come back year after year. There are perennial herbs that are easy to grow and will keep your garden vibrant and flavorful throughout the year.
1. Oregano
Oregano is a hardy herb with aromatic, flavorful leaves that are perfect for seasoning a variety of dishes. It’s a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and is used in pizza, pasta sauces, and marinades.
How to Plant: Plant oregano in a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Space the plants about 12 inches apart to allow for their spread. Oregano can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or starter plants.
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Once established, it’s low-maintenance and will come back year after year.
2. Lavender
Lavender is a fragrant herb known for its beautiful purple flowers and calming scent. It’s used in aromatherapy, cooking, and as a decorative plant. Lavender also attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies.
How to Plant: Choose a sunny location with well-drained, sandy soil for lavender. Space plants about 18 inches apart to allow for their mature size. Lavender can be started from seeds or young plants. It requires minimal watering once established and thrives in dry conditions.
3. Mint
Mint is a versatile herb with a refreshing flavor used in teas, desserts, and savory dishes. It’s known for its vigorous growth and can spread quickly, so it’s often grown in containers or garden beds where it can be controlled.
How to Plant: Mint prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. You can plant it in containers or in the ground with a barrier to prevent it from spreading too aggressively.
Mint can be grown from seeds or cuttings. Regular harvesting helps keep it under control and promotes healthy growth.
4. Rosemary
Rosemary is a woody herb with a pine-like flavor that complements roasted meats, potatoes, and bread. It has aromatic needle-like leaves and can also be used for decorative purposes in gardens.
How to Plant: Rosemary needs full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 18 inches apart. It can be started from seeds or cuttings, but it’s often easier to grow from nursery plants.
Rosemary is drought-tolerant and should be watered sparingly once established.
5. Bay Laurel
Bay Laurel is an evergreen shrub with aromatic leaves used in cooking to add depth of flavor to soups, stews, and sauces. The leaves are typically dried and can be removed from the plant throughout the year.
How to Plant: Bay Laurel thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 3 feet apart if growing multiple plants. It can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or young plants.
Bay Laurel is drought-tolerant once established, but it benefits from occasional watering during dry periods.
6. Fennel
Fennel is a flavorful herb with feathery fronds and bulb-like stems. Both the leaves and the seeds are used in cooking, adding a licorice-like flavor to dishes. Fennel also has ornamental value with its tall, airy appearance.
How to Plant: Fennel thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 inches apart to accommodate their size. It can be grown from seeds directly sown into the garden or started indoors and transplanted.
Fennel is a perennial in mild climates and will return each year if not cut back.
7. Lovage
Lovage is a robust herb with a celery-like flavor. Its leaves, stems, and seeds are used in soups, stews, and salads. Lovage is a versatile herb that grows into a large, bushy plant.
How to Plant: Plant lovage in a sunny to partially shaded location with rich, well-drained soil. Space plants about 18 to 24 inches apart. Lovage can be grown from seeds or young plants.
It is a hardy perennial that will come back each year, and regular harvesting will keep the plant productive.
8. Chives
Chives are a hardy herb with a mild onion flavor, perfect for garnishing dishes, adding to salads, and flavoring dips. They produce vibrant green, tube-like leaves and delicate purple flowers.
How to Plant: Chives grow best in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Space plants about 6 to 12 inches apart. They can be grown from seeds, divisions, or starter plants.
Once established, chives will return each year, and regular cutting will encourage new growth.
9. Hyssop
Hyssop is a fragrant herb with a minty, slightly bitter flavor. It’s used in cooking, particularly in soups and stews, and also has medicinal properties. The plant produces attractive blue or purple flower spikes.
How to Plant: Hyssop prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or young plants. Hyssop is a perennial and will return each year, especially if you prune it back after flowering to encourage fresh growth.
10. Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is a fragrant herb with a lemony flavor. It’s used in teas, salads, and as a flavoring for various dishes. The plant has heart-shaped leaves and can spread quickly.
How to Plant: Lemon Balm grows well in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Lemon Balm is a perennial herb that will return each year, and regular harvesting helps keep it manageable and productive.
11. Tarragon
Tarragon is a flavorful herb with a distinct anise-like taste. It’s commonly used in French cuisine, particularly in sauces, dressings, and poultry dishes. Tarragon has slender, pointed leaves and can be a bit tricky to grow from seed, but it’s worth it for its unique flavor.
How to Plant: Tarragon prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. It’s often easier to grow tarragon from cuttings or divisions rather than seeds.
Once established, tarragon will return each year as a perennial. It benefits from regular harvesting and trimming to keep it compact and productive.
12. Marjoram
Marjoram is a fragrant herb with a sweet, slightly spicy flavor. It’s used in a variety of dishes, including meats, vegetables, and soups. Marjoram has small, oval leaves and produces delicate clusters of tiny flowers.
How to Plant: Plant marjoram in full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds, cuttings, or starter plants.
Marjoram is a tender perennial in warm climates and may need to be treated as an annual in colder areas. It benefits from regular trimming to encourage fresh growth.
13. Sorrel
Sorrel is a tangy herb with a lemony flavor, often used in soups, salads, and sauces. It has broad, arrow-shaped leaves that can add a bright, citrusy note to dishes. Sorrel is also known for its high vitamin C content.
How to Plant: Sorrel thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers rich, well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. Sorrel can be grown from seeds or young plants. Once established, it’s a hardy perennial that will return each year.
Regular harvesting of the leaves encourages new growth and keeps the plant productive.
14. Winter Savory
Winter Savory is an herb with a peppery, savory flavor. It’s used in cooking, particularly in bean dishes, stews, and sausages. It has small, narrow leaves and produces tiny white or pink flowers.
How to Plant: Plant winter savory in full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or starter plants.
Winter Savory is a hardy perennial that will return each year, especially if it is kept in a well-drained location. Prune back after flowering to encourage new growth.
15. Angelica
Angelica is a large, aromatic herb with a unique, slightly sweet flavor. It’s often used in liqueurs, candies, and traditional medicine. The plant has large, feathery leaves and produces umbels of greenish-white flowers.
How to Plant: Angelica prefers full sun to partial shade and rich, moist soil. Space plants about 18 to 24 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or young plants.
Angelica is a hardy biennial, meaning it will grow in its first year and flower in its second year. In colder climates, it may need protection over winter, but it will typically return for a second year if well cared for.
16. Comfrey
Comfrey is a robust herb with large, broad leaves and bell-shaped flowers. It’s used in herbal medicine for its healing properties (ref) and as a natural fertilizer due to its high potassium content. The leaves can also be used as mulch.
How to Plant: Comfrey thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Space plants about 18 to 24 inches apart to allow for their large size. It can be grown from root cuttings or divisions.
Once established, comfrey is a hardy perennial that will return each year and will continue to spread, so consider using it in a designated area of your garden.
17. Catnip
Catnip is a minty herb known for its ability to attract cats with its aromatic leaves. It’s used in teas, as a natural insect repellent, and for its calming properties. The plant produces small, tubular flowers that can be purple, white, or pink.
How to Plant: Plant catnip in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. Catnip can be grown from seeds or young plants.
It’s a hardy perennial that will come back each year. Regular cutting of the plant will help manage its spreading habit and keep it productive.
18. Lemon Verbena
Lemon Verbena is a fragrant herb with a strong lemon scent, used in teas, desserts, and as a flavoring. It has long, slender leaves and produces small white or purple flowers.
How to Plant: Lemon Verbena prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Space plants about 18 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or cuttings. In colder climates,
Lemon Verbena is often treated as an annual or grown in containers that can be brought indoors for the winter. In warmer climates, it will return each year as a perennial.
19. Horehound
Horehound is a bitter herb often used in herbal remedies and candies for its soothing properties. (ref) It has fuzzy, gray-green leaves and small, white or pale pink flowers.
How to Plant: Plant horehound in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. Space plants about 12 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or divisions. Horehound is a hardy perennial and will return each year.
It can spread quickly, so consider planting it in a contained area or using pots.
20. Valerian
Valerian is known for its calming effects and is often used in herbal medicine to aid sleep and reduce anxiety. (ref) It has tall stems with clusters of small, fragrant white or pink flowers and deeply divided leaves.
How to Plant: Valerian thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained, moist soil. Space plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. It can be grown from seeds or young plants.
Valerian is a hardy perennial that will return each year. It benefits from regular watering and can be cut back after flowering to encourage new growth.
With just one planting, you’ll have a garden that keeps giving, making your cooking more enjoyable and your outdoor space more vibrant. So, plant these herbs, watch them flourish, and savor the benefits season after season.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.