Herbs are a worthwhile addition to any garden. Their fresh, pungent fragrances are a wonderful stress reliever. As a plus, many are easy to grow as well. They make a great addition to flower gardens, and are lovely intermixed with perennials in beds and borders. While the list of fragrant herbs is extremely long, here are just a few of the best scented varieties.
Chocolate Mint
This perennial is loved by bees and butterflies, as well as gardeners. It has a fragrance which resembles a mint patty and is a great addition to desserts. The tiny white flowers grow on small spiky stems and will spread if given the chance. This is a wonderful plant to have next to a doorway, where simply brushing against it will release the scent.
Chocolate Daisy
With an even more pronounced chocolate scent than the mint, this hardy, perennial herb has pretty daisy-like yellow flowers with red underneath and brown stamens. Since it only gets about 12-18 inches tall, it is great for border planting. Flowers bloom in the evening. The seedheads are unusual and a useful addition to dried flower crafts.
Anise Hyssop
Often called licorice mint, this herb truly smells like black licorice. It resembles the mints, with similar small white blooms in mid spring. Hyssop dies to the ground with frost, but will often reseed itself. Many birds are fond of the seeds, though, and they may get eaten. Be sure to save a few seeds to plant in spring.
Lavender
What herb garden would be complete without a few lavender plants? With a scent like no other, this is perhaps the most fragrant of all herbs, but it can be tricky to grow. It will not tolerate wet soil, so it needs very good drainage and likes lots of sun. The flowers dry beautifully and the fresh, clean scent can last for years. This is one perennial that takes some care, but is well worth the extra effort. Mulching is necessary in cold winter areas to survive.
Lemon Balm
This is one herb that should not be planted for the flowers, as they are not really notable. The lemony leaves are well worth it though, with the terrific scent of citrus. It makes a good ground cover and will grow just about anywhere, in sun or shade. Butterflies enjoy the small flowers. Lemon balm is a perennial which may need winter protection in areas of intense cold.
Catmint
Another easy to grow mint, catmint has beautiful airy lavender, white or pink blossoms with the scent of cinnamon. Cutting them back after the first flowering will encourage repeat blooming. A hardy perennial that will tolerate drought and poor soil, it is virtually pest free as well.
This list of fragrant herbs just goes on and on. In reality, most herbs have fragrances, but of course they are not all considered appealing. Some, like pennyroyal, are very strong and can cause headaches. Be sure that the scent is appealing to you before planting any herb.
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