Growing Herbs As Easy As Can Be

If you’re looking for plants that are hardy and virtually disease- and pest-free, look no further than an assortment of herbs. These no-fuss plants are long on beauty, aroma and taste. They’ll thrive in just about any type of soil and in any location, as long as it’s sunny.

No matter where you live, whether in an apartment or a home surrounded by acreage, there is always a place for herbs. Grow them as companion plants for vegetables or as a formal collection in a knot garden.

At one time I was into collecting old-fashioned decorative tins. Since they weren’t exactly antiques, I felt no qualms about poking a few drain holes in their bottoms and turning them into planters. Each tin was home to a specific herb. The tins and herbs were arranged by color and size on the patio steps outside the kitchen door. Not only did this assortment of containers and plants add a bit of charm to my country garden, but their close proximity to the kitchen made for easy harvesting.

Not all herbs though are grown for their culinary delights. Because most herb leaves have such interesting textures, shapes and color, many are grown as ornamental landscape plants. Rosemary, lavender, thyme, sage, mint, ginger and chives are just a few that fall into this category.

And of course herbs make wonderfully scented sachets, potpourris and decorative wreaths. There’s simply not many negatives when it comes to growing and enjoying these age-old hardy specimens.

If you’ve never grown herbs or perhaps you would like to add a few to your collection, the Friends of Manito will be hosting their annual Ornamental Grass and Herb sale June 17 at Manito Park. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (8 to 10 a.m. for Friends of Manito members).

There will be more than 3,000 herbs available - some traditional favorites and some of the harder-tofind types such as Stevia, African blue basil, lemon grass, cardoons and a delightfully fragrant honeydew sage. If you’re not quite sure what to do with the herbs once you get them home, the Friends will provide a helpful handout on the planting and culture care of your new acquisitions.

And if you thought ornamental grasses only came in green, think again. The Friends will be offering a full line of blue, bronze, gold, lime-green, multi-colored and variegated grasses. Ornamental grasses are a magnificent addition to any landscape. They are not invasive and very few seed themselves.

Focus on solutions

Landscape problem No. 206: creating more interest in the garden. Flowers, trees and shrubs alone don’t make a garden. It’s the combination of these plants - their color, form and textures - that create interest in our yards. The size and shape of their leaves also play a major role.

There are plenty of plants out there with small- to medium-sized leaves. What we need are plants with large, bold leaves such as hosta, canna lilies, yucca and iris to add excitement and character to the garden. But even these plants don’t hold a candle to the big-leafed Ligularia.

Choose from two varieties of this hardy perennial - L. dentata Big Leaf Goldenray or L. stenocephaia The Rocket. Goldenray has leathery, almost round burgundy leaves with a mustard yellow daisy flower. If you’re not wild about the flowers, simply whack them off and enjoy the outstanding foliage.

Rocket has boldly toothed, heart- or triangular-shaped green leaves. It produces yellow flowers on 4- to 6-foot spikes.

If these plants are so outstanding, why don’t we see more of them growing in our area? According to Virginia nurseryman Bill Childers, “Ligularia has only two growing conditions, in water and dead.”

Though this is a bit exaggerated, I think the point is well-made: water and plenty of it. To create the optimal conditions for growing, you might consider building an artificial bog by lining a depression with perforated plastic and backfilling it with a rich soil and peat moss mix. Though a bog isn’t totally necessary, it will insure a dynamic healthy plant.

Ligularia grows best in filtered light and I understand the deer don’t care for it.

Mark your calendar

Speaking of bold leaves, the Inland Empire and The Town and Country iris societies are hosting their annual iris show at the Spokane Valley Mall this weekend. The show hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The iris are positively gorgeous this year. The flowers can be found in every color imaginable - light blue, dark blue, peach, yellow and bronze or combinations thereof. If you haven’t experienced contemporary iris, you must attend this show. This is an opportunity to see one of the largest collections of these outstanding flowers. The show is free.