Herbs used for centuries for practical purposes have eventually found their way into mixed garden spaces out of necessity – to find space and to grow more of them. Yet they have never quite become entirely accepted as landscape plants for their ornamental attributes. Even in modern classification systems, herbs are commonly defined as herbaceous plants used for medicinal, tea, or culinary purposes. Of course, their reputation for value and purpose remains the main reason for growing them, but let’s look at them for their ornamental appeal. 

Step outside the traditional notion of a properly laid-out herb garden and integrate favorite herbs into the landscaping. From naturalistic prairie gardens to hedges, groundcovers, and containers- discover herbal trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals as plants used to stylize all types of gardens. 

The herbal landscape considers herbs for all their attributes- we know them for culinary and healing use- but another perspective is how they add diversity to ornamental plantings. Mingling herbs with ordinary ornamental garden plants adds diversity to a garden where some commonly used plants may lack qualities for pollination, wildlife attraction, soil building, and other regenerative attributes. Many herbs serve as support systems for a more biodiverse garden.

There is also an added sensory connection with herbs in garden design: color, fragrance, movement, and sound. From a design perspective, the palette of herbs ranges from traditional, familiar herbaceous plants to a broader selection of herbal trees and shrubs. Enchanting, intriguing, and historical, many plants classified as herbs in historical writings are not always familiar. However, they serve a purpose as landscape plants, even if their medicinal or herbal preparations have fallen out of favor. I like to look at lesser-known plants, like herbal trees and shrubs, to utilize their structure, architecture, vertical accents, and color throughout multiple seasons, which mingle and combine beautifully with other ornamental plants used in the landscape.

As a garden designer, my approach to blending herbs into any garden, large or small, starts with knowing the best plants and what they do for a landscape design. It would be easy to give a list of herbs, but the fundamental knowledge and success lie in understanding why some herbs work well in garden design, and others do not. As is the decision made for any plant in a design, you need to know cultural conditions such as sun, shade, drought, deer pressure, etc., as well as how the garden is used. Here is a list of ideas to get you started on an herbal landscape journey. 

The Character of Herbs for Design Needs

Hedges and Hedgerows: draw living lines, define walkways, create privacy, and more. Elderberry (Sambucus), hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), lavender (Lavandula), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), Santolina, germander (Teucrium). 

Meadow Makers: naturalistic and eco-friendly mixes. Herbal plant combinations include yarrow (Achillea), hummingbird mint (Agastache), coneflowers (Echinacea), lavender (Lavandula), and bee balm (Monarda). 

Rock Gardens: Herbal creepers over walls, edges, and crevices. Thyme (Thymus), creeping oregano (Origanum), creeping rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis).

Lawns: traditional chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), creeping thyme (Thymus), and other low groundcover herbal choices to add an herbal take to lawns

Ground Cover Herbs: herbs as steppers, pretty pathways, or ground-hugging edge definers. Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile and Matricaria recutita), thyme (Thymus), sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), ornamental strawberry (Fragaria), wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), sweet violets (Viola odorata) 

Rain Garden Herbs: zone 1 and 2 – herbs for moist conditions: wild ginger (Asarum), calamint (Calamintha grandiflora), Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium), sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus), mints (Mentha), willow (Salix), crampbark (Viburnum opulus) 

Woodlands: ‘Brunette’ Black cohosh (Actaea simplex), maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris), lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), barrenwort (Epimedium), bigroot geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum), witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia), cowslip (Primula veris), lungwort (Pulmonaria) 

Pollinator and Bird Friendly herbs

Nectar and pollen: Anise hyssop (Agastache), basil (Ocimum), bee balm (Monarda), borage (Borago), Calendula

Early color and nectar: Catmint (Nepeta), chives (Allium), comfrey (Symphytum), lavender (Lavandula), lemon balm (Melissa), marjoram (Origanum majorana), mints (Mentha), oregano (Origanum), rosemary (Rosmarinus), rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa), garden sage (Salvia), thyme (Thymus)

Nesting/hollow stems: Elderberry, Chives, Lovage, Fennel, Dill

Umbel flowers: Yarrow (Achillea), fennel (Foeniculum)

Tubular flowers: bee balm (Monarda), hummingbird mint (Agastache), rosemary (Rosmarinus), sage (Salvia)

Seed heads: Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.), Fennel (Foeniculum), dill (Anethum graveolens)

Sue Goetz will be presentingThe Herbal Landscape and Multi Purpose Herbs at The Herb Society of America’s Educational Conference, taking place in San Antonio,Texas from April 15-17, 2026.  Become a member to take advantage of early bird pricing from now until early February, when registration opens to the general public at full price. You can find the full agenda and registration details here.