Herbs: Food or flowers?

Rosemary (center) and lavender (far left) are two herbs that can be used in floral arrangements.

Growing up, I remember running to the backyard to cut a sprig of rosemary any time my mom cooked a chicken. If your family had a garden when you were a child, you probably had the same experience. But, did you know that herbs not only make food smell and taste delicious, but they also work great as greens in your bouquets?

According to this Roots & Boots article, using herbs in flower arrangements helps to break up the color of the flowers, reduces the number of flowers needed and offers a great fragrance. Another added benefit is that the cost per seed for herbs is lower than the cost of other flower seeds! A packet of 200 cinnamon basil seeds costs around $5 whereas a $5 packet of statice seed only has 100 seeds and a $5 zinnia packet only has 50.

Herbs for bouquets

Below is a list of herbs I grow for our bouquets and how I usually start them. If you want to try another herb that is not on my list, please do – just be sure the plant has ample stem length.

• Basil: Direct seed
• Dill: Direct seed
• Lavender: Nursery plant
• Mint: Start in tray
• Oregano: Nursery plant
• Rosemary: Nursery plant
• Sage: Nursery plant
• Thyme: Nursery plant

Tips for growing and using herbs

While herbs are a great addition to your cut flower garden, here are a few tips to consider.

1. Watch out for mints: Mints can quickly become invasive. To keep them from spreading, you can plant them in their own pot or in a sectioned-off part of a planter. In certain climates, all herbs can be invasive. Learn how to stop the spread of herbs here.
2. Keep nursery plants out of raised garden beds: Herbs like rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender will grow into large plants that can produce many stems year after year. Plant them in your flower beds rather than raised garden beds to save space for your focal and filler flowers.
3. Cut with caution: If you are cutting herbs that grow as single stems (like basil, dill or mountain mint), cut about three inches above where the stem touches the soil. This will help increase your chances of a second cutting on that stem if you are early enough in the season. If you are cutting on a nursery plant like rosemary, cut on the new growth, taking no more than one-third of the plant before allowing it to regrow.
4. Think about fragrance: While herbs can help your bouquets smell great, adding too many different types of herbs to a bouquet can turn its smell from pleasant to overwhelming. Pick herbs that have complementary scents and do not add more than two to three types of herbs to a bouquet to keep the fragrance enjoyable.

What’s your favorite herb? Comment below and tell me if you plan to grow it this summer!