Tips from an Easy-Does-It Gardener

February/March 2009
By Pat Crocker 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Jan Hall’s Hall of Fame

RELATED CONTENT

Many of Jan’s favorite plants are low-maintenance herbs that “volunteer” throughout her garden, as well as scented plants, and those with interesting shapes:

• Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) blooms early in the spring and well into the fall; very fragrant and good for cutting
• Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) pretty, delicate and easy to pull out where it is not wanted (it’s deemed a noxiousweed in several areas)
• Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata) sweet, tall and fragrant, but beware of its long tap root
• Leopard’s bane (Doronicum orientale) “Mine is slightly different from the usual variety. It meanders nicely through the garden and is easy to pull up.”
• Bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare purpureum) “I like the color, texture and height—but its long tap root can be hard to pull up once established.”
• Lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina) Velvety, silver-gray leaves and pretty pink blooms; be sure to cut it back before it goes to seed
• Scented geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) “I like the colors, leaf patterns and fragrance. They’re fun to use for decorating cakes.”
• Hostas (Hosta spp.) wide range of leaf patterns and sizes; different bloom times
• Sages, especially fruit-scented (Salvia dorisiana) “My most fragrant plant; not hardy but easy to dig up and move inside for the winter.”
• Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) tall, spiky plants provide late summer color and fragrance; thrives in shade
• Lavender (Lavandula spp.) sentimental favorite provides lovely color and structure
• Boxwood (Buxus spp.) year-round appeal; sets off gardens and plants nicely


The Practical Allure of Stone

For Jan and Toby Hall, the benefits of the native stone on their property have far outweighed the challenges. In their first year, they used many of the rocks to build a substantial wall behind the vegetable garden to separate it from the remaining blackberries. They’ve also used stone to define garden beds, line pathways, build up low-lying areas and create interesting accents, such as the granite trough at the center of one of the herb gardens. Stone offers the added advantage of retaining warmth, a big plus in their Zone 6 garden.

Click here for the original article, Confessions of an Easy-Does-It Gardener.
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Herb Companion readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Herb Companion?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Pay Now & Save 50% off the Cover Price
First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to The Herb Companion

Your guide to the many uses and even more pleasures of nature's most helpful plants!

The Herb Companion is the smart and easy complement to your own healthy, vibrant lifestyle! In every issue you'll find information on using herbs to:

  • Transform simple dishes into spectacular meals
  • Make gardens as useful as they are beautiful
  • Replace harsh chemicals with natural alternatives
  • Help find fulfillment, balance and good health
  • And much more!

Yes, send me a one-year subscription (6 issues) to The Herb Companion. I'll pay just $19.95.

Save Even More Money By Paying NOW!

Pay now with a credit card and take advantage of our Earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You save an additional $5.00 and get 6 issues of The Herb Companion for only $14.95 (USA only).