Herbs in Wood County Historical Society Fragrance Garden, 1996
- GERMANDER (Teucrium chamaedrys) P
Description: Germander is a hardy, shrubby evergreen, native to S. Europe, growing 16 inches high. It has small dark glossy aromatic leaves with rounded teeth and spikes of bright pink flowers in mid-summer. Has been used for centuries in ornamental knot gardens.
Cultivation: Propagate from cuttings, which may take 2-3 months to root; seed is slow to germinate.
Growing Conditions: Grows well in full sun to partial shade, any average soil will do, but a sandy, peaty soil is best, and it must be well drained. Responds well to regular clipping. Hardy to Zone 3, germander is quite pest and disease resistant.
Harvesting: Leaves can be harvested anytime during the growing season.
Uses: Formerly a medicinal herb for fevers, indigestion and gout. Its scent also made it a commonly used strewing herb.
2, 6, 9, 39. LAVENDER (lavandula officinalis) var. ‘Hidcote’ P
Description: Climbing upward from the ground, the sprout branches out and creates a low bush with soft, needle-like, bluish-green leaves out of which the flower spikes broadly project in a soft, pure, lavender-blue, suffusing the air of the mountain slopes with their perfume.
Cultivation: Can be grown from seed, but cuttings take easily in spring or late summer.
Growing Conditions: Plant in sun and in average well drained soil, preferably alkaline. Responds well to clipping and shaping and ideal for hedging.
Flowering and Harvest Season: Pick as flowers open.
Uses: Dried lavender is used in sachets and for keeping clothes closets sweet smelling. Also used as a scented insect repellent among clothes.
3. BEE BALM (Monarda didyma) P
Description: Tubular flowers in crowded clusters bloom in mid to late summer. Square stems, mint-scented foliage. Good cut flower. Native to N.America. Cultivation: Sow seed or divide roots.For best results grow in full sun, although they will take partial shade. Divide every 3 years for maximum bloom.
Growing Conditions: Plant in good moist soil and sunny position.
Flowering and Harvesting Season: Flowers in mid-summer.
Uses: Float leaves in drinks, or add to ordinary tea leaves. Also used to scent rinsing and washing water.
4, 5. Sweet Violets {Viola odorata) P 5. Sweet Violets (Viola odorata var. “Red Charm”) P
Description: Fragrant flowers are borne in profusion; mostly solid colors. Rich green, oval or heart shaped leaves. Useful for bedding, borders, rock gardens, or as a ground cover.
Cultivation: Grow in full sun or partial shade and in soil that has been well mixed with plenty of compost or peat moss. Water in dry weather. Keep flowers picked to prolong bloom, which is heaviest in spring but continues intermittently until fall. Sow seed, or divide crown.
Uses: Flowers edible.
5 A. Sweet William {Dianthus barbatus) B
Description: Stand apart from the remainder of the dianthuses in that the flowers are held together in a broad flattened head, fringed by a green beard. They are proudly upstanding on tough bright green stems and offer a rich perfume, sweeter and less clove-toned than their relatives the pinks. Both annual and biennial varieties.
Cultivation: Is a short-lived perennial, and is often grown as a biennial, especially in the colder areas; cutting back after flowering will encourage the basal growth to thicken up and make a bolder plant and at the same time prolong life.Sow seeds of annual kinds outdoors in early spring. Sow biennial in spring or summer. Grow in full sun and in average to rich soil. In colder climates apply light mulch after soil freezes. Self-sows.
5B. Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) A
Description: Grown for its almost sickly almond scent. Use it as a border to flower beds, as an edging to a path or in tubs and give it good drainage. The leaves are deep green and many-veined and form a good backing to the clustered deep purple and white flowers (pale colors seem to be stronger in fragrance).
Cultivation: Best cultivated as a half hardy annual.Sow seeds indoors 2 mo. in advance of outdoor planting date. Wait until weather warms before setting out, since very sensitive to cold. Grow in sun or very light shade, in rich soil, and with not too much water.
6. Lavender see # 2
7. N i c o t i a n a (Nicotian a ala ta) A
Description: Clusters of fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers appear over long period above large, mostly basal leaves. Closes midday, opens in evening; some varieties stay open most of day. Attracts unusual and beautiful nocturnal moths.
Cultivation: Sow seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before last spring frost.
Germinates best when exposed to light; so best not to cover seeds. Can take 2-3 weeks to come up. Plants can usually be bought in spring. Grow outdoors in full sun or partial shade. Self-seeds. Tolerant of heat. Adapts to almost every type of soil.
7 A. Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum )P
Description: This makes a delicious and soothing tea; it is also greatly loved by honey bees. The leaves have a strong, sweet licorice taste. The dark green leaves and spikes of blue-violet flowers make a great show.
Cultivation: Grown easily in most garden soils, it can be killed by wet winters in heavy soils but reseeds itself readily.
8. Pineapple Sage (Salvia rutilans) TP
Description: Tender perennial; has a lot of flashy red flowers, from August until frost. Leaves have a distinct pineapple aroma. Semi-woody stems may grow to over 4 feet high.
Cultivation: Grow in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil. Sow seed indoors or buy nursery stock. Set young plants twelve inches apart after all danger of frost. May be wintered over in pots indooors in cold climates.
Uses: A superb ornamental, which will attract hummingbirds. Fragrant leaves are good in potpourris and lend a pleasing flavor to cold drinks such as iced tea.
9. Lavender see # 2
10. Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) A
Description: Small shrubby herbs native to India, Malaysia and the East Indies. Mint family, with square stems and opposite leaves. The leaves can be as large as two inches wide by four inches long, are slightly hairy, and release an intense fragrance when crushed.
Cultivation: Set out plants after danger of frost is past in moist, fertile soil in sun or partial shade. Pinching out the tip encourages branching and the plant will form a low mound eighteen inches in diameter by fall. Grows well in container, but needs generous watering and light weekly feeding. Rooted cuttings can be kept in 4 inch pots over the winter. Keep them warm and barely moist during this time. Cut the tops back to short stubs and water well to initiate new growth in March or April.
Flowering and Harvesting Season: Best fragrance comes from young leaves, so harvest from the tips of the branches. In midsummer, you can pick off several leaves at a time each week or two and dry them in a brown paper bag in a warm shady place.
Uses: Desirable perfume for woolen goods; leaves are excellent for sachets and potpourri.
10A. Scented Geranium (Pelargonium geraniaceae) var. ‘Grey Lady’ TP
11. Scented Geranium (Pelargonium geraniaceae) var. ‘ Giant Lady’ TP
Description: The small, colorful (usually a rose shade) flowers are secondary to aromatic or strongly-scented foliage, which comes in a great variety of forms and shades. Leaves release an intense fragrance when crushed.
Cultivation: Propagate by stem and root cuttings, take cuttings in fall and place in moist sand in a shady location for several days. Plant in full sun and a light well-drained soil. Hardy in Zones 9-10. Overwinter in house or take cuttings for the next year. Harvest leaves anytime. Fertilize once a month. Keep dead leaves removed.
Use fresh or dried in sachets, potpourris, cold beverages and teas.
12. Nicotiana see # 7
13. Lemon Balm {Melissa officinalis) P
Description: Called lemon balm because of fragrance of its light green leaves. Small white flowers appear in late summer and are highly attractive to bees–thus the generic name, Melissa, from the Greek for “honey-bees.”
Cultivation: Sow tiny seeds in late spring. Thin to 2’ apart. Self-seeds readily. Plant in sun or partial shade in any soil having good drainage. Cut down flowering tops to encourage young leaf growth.
Uses: Leaves in foods, teas,and to soothe insect bites. Attracts bees to your hives and orchard.
14. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) P
Description: The foliage pierces the ground first like a little rolled umbrella before opening into twin broad flat leaves in May. Native woodland plant. The perfume of the bloom persists, even after cutting. Flowers are white bell-shaped and bloom in spring.
Cultivaton: Sow fresh seed or divide creeping roots in Autumn. Plant in good, moist, lightly shaded position. Plants respond to fertilizer by producing more and larger flowers; apply after tops die down. Dig clumps and divide the roots every few years.
Uses: Perfume manufacture
15 & 16. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) var. ‘Cinnamon’ A
Description:Basil is an annual with leafy stems that give it a bushy appearance. Spike flowers, spicily scented leaves, opposite, oval, toothed. Flowers in July and August. Centuries ago, when a woman put a basil plant on her windowsill, she was announcing that she was ready to receive her suitor.
Cultivation: Sow seed from spring to summer in frost-free position. Plant out in sheltered, sunny, well-drained, composted soil. Grows on sunny windowsill. Pinch out flowers to encourage lush leaves.
Uses: Aromatic; used in potpourris and sachets. Flowers are pretty in simple bouquets.
17. Eau De Cologne Mint {Mentha x p. ‘Citrata’) P Bergamot Mint
Description: The mints are strongly scented hardy perennials with squared stems, pointed leaves and whorls of flowers in summer; they hybridize freely.
Cultivation: Easily propagated from pieces of creeping root. Although tolerant, grows best on rich moist soil and in light shade. Often invasive and needs containing in bottomless buckets or between half-buried slates or stones. Cut down flowering tops to encourage fresh leaf growth. Flowers July-August.
Uses: Leaves dry well. Used to scent perfumes and soaps.
18. Doone Valley Thyme {Thymus p.a.) var. ‘Lemon scented’ P
Description: Dark green glossy leaves, which develop a yellow variegation during the growing season. Lemon-scented. Creeping species are widely distributed even in cold climates.
Cultivation: All grow well from seed, cuttings or layerings. They need good drainage and a sunny position. Trim leggy plants if necessary, after flowering. Flowers June-July. Requires little care.
Uses: The dried flowers of thyme have been used to preserve linen from insects. The leaves and flowering tops are an ingredient in sachets. Thymol is used in making colognes, aftershave lotions, soaps, and detergents.
19. Sweet Woodruff (Asperula odorata) P
Description: A beautiful ground cover for shady places, with whorls of light green leaves and many tiny white flowers. It’s the traditional flavoring for May wine. The leaves have no odor when first picked, but when even slightly dried they have the aroma of vanilla and new-mown hay.
Cultivation: Can be propagated by seeds in the fall to produce plants the following spring; cold weather encourages them to germinate. Clumps are easily divided in spring and early fall. Plants need slightly acidic soil, rich in nutrients and high in humus; a leaf mold compost is the best medium. Plant hardiness zone 3. Soil pH 5.0 Flowering May-June. Grow in full sun or partial shade.
Uses: Harvest sweet woodruff foliage whenever needed. The stems may be cut close to the ground. Either hand-tie sprigs and hang them in a warm, airy place, or chop the herb immediately after harvesting and dry in a warm, shady place.
20. Barona Caraway Thyme (Thymus herba-barona) P
Description: Sprawling stems, with a strong caraway flavor and scent. An extremely rapid spreader. Prostrate, handsome with red stems and dark, caraway-scented leaves.
See # 18
21. Silver Lemon Thyme (Thymus)
Description: Low-growing, wiry-stemmed perennial reaching about 6 to 10 inches. The stems are stiff and woody, the leaves small, oval and variagated. The lilac flowers are borne in small clusters. Leaves are highly aromatic with lemon scent. Good as an edging plant or spreading among and over rocks.
Cultivation: Grows best in light, well-drained soil. It is well to renew the plants every few years. Propagated by cuttings, division and from seed.
Uses: A widely used seasoning for food. Oil of thyme is used in medicine and perfumes. Famous as a source of honey.
22. Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) P
Description: Deeply cut leaves and small daisylike flowers from midsummer until early fall. Flowers are long lasting when cut for indoor decoration. The foliage is aromatic when it is bruised.
Cultivation: Divide in early spring or fall; take cuttings of basal shoots in same season. Excellent choice for hot, dry areas with sandy soil. Since somewhat weak stemmed, plants may need staking. Divide frequently to avoid dead centers in plants. Remove faded flowers to extend period of bloom and prevent self-sowing.
23. Thyme (Thymus) P
See # 18
24. Curry Plant (Helichrysum angustifolium) TP
Description: Silver-grey, needle-shaped leaves and yellow flowers. It has a smell similar to that of curry powder, and can be used as a moth repellent as well as in potpourri. An attractive, tidy plant for well-drained soil in areas where it’s hardy; also lovely on the windowsill in any climate.
25. Sweet Woodruff
See #19
26. Scented Geranium (Pelargonium geraniaceae) Var. ‘Fair Ellen’ TP
See # 11
26. Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus) P
Description: Has alternate, finely divided leaves, and solitary, globe-shaped, yellow flowerheads, all without ray flowers.
Cultivation: Grow in full sun and well drained soil. In northern climates, may be treated as an annual; where winters are cold, requires mulching. Propagate by summer stem cuttings, which root easily in sand.
Uses: Density, texture, and color make this a good plant for Knot gardens and other formal herb gardens. Leaves are reputed to have value as a moth repellant.
28. Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus) P
See #27
29. Sweet Marjoram (Majorana hortensis) A.
Description: Stands 1 foot tall and 4 to 6 inches wide, with small, rounded leaves and showy flower heads.
Cultivation: Because marjoram seeds are small and slow to germinate, they are usually started indoors in midspring for setting out when all danger of frost has passed. Soil pH 6.9; light, dry, well drained soil; full sun. Flowering August and September.
Uses: Soaking in a warm tub of marjoram tea scents the body while relieving aches and pains. Leaves are added to potpourris and sachets. The fresh or dried leaves of Sweet Marjoram are widely used as a flavoring in cooking. Oil is used in perfumery.
30. Stock (Matthiola incana) A.
Description: Annuals, sow under glass late winter or outdoors in spring. Biennials, sow in summer. Very fragrant, good cut flowers; stocks fill the house with fragrance.
Cultivation: Sow seeds outdoors as soon as soil can be worked, or buy plants. Grow in full sun and in moderately rich, moist soil. A plant sometimes difficult to raise, but well worth trying for its handsome gray foliage and deeply scented flowers of white, rose, crimson, purple and yellow.
31. Oregano (Origanum) A.
Description: Oreganos are aromatic, herbaceous perennials with erect, hairy square stems. Leaves are opposite, toothed or toothless, oval, pointed; up to 2 in. long. Fruit; four seedlike nutlets. Height 1-2 ft.
Cultivation: Plant hardiness zone 5. Soil pH 6.8. Well-drained, average soil.
Full sun. Flowers July through September.
Uses: Famous as a seasoning herb for pizza, spaghetti sauce, and other tomato dishes. Oregano in a muslin bag in a steaming bath is recommended for relieving aches and stiff joints, but the fragrance alone would certainly lift the spirits. Companion planting is recommended by gardeners to enhance the growth of beans.
32. Sweet Allysum {Lobularia maritima) A.
Description: Low growing annual, ground cover, white flowers.
Cultivation: Scatter seeds in a row in the open ground in early spring. No need to separate or thin young plants. When plants grow straggly in the summer, shear way back to encourage more flowers in two weeks.
Uses: Edging for flower beds; cover for slopes; in window boxes and between flagstones.
33. Carnation (Dianthus-caryophyllus) P Var. ‘Clove Pinks’
Description: Carnations have opposite, usually narrow, leaves and swollen joints. Flowers terminal, solitary in the carnation and some others, but usually grouped in small, often dense cymes or panicles. Petals 5 fringed or toothed in some species.
Cultivation: Easy to grow in ordinary garden soil that is extremely well drained. Most prefer full sun. Plants are inclined to die out if left alone for 2 or 3 years, so avoid this by keeping a fresh stock coming along by division, layering, or cuttings, all easily managed since the plant roots freely. In the mat-forming sorts, it is better to cut off all flowering stalks in fall, nearly to the base of the plant. Also cut off all faded flowers. Most are spring-blooming.
Uses: Beautiful cut flowers. Adds color and fragrance to the border.
34. Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua) A
Description: Artemisias are grown for their decorative aromatic foliage, and the scent is generally refreshing and sweet. Small flowers are of secondary value. The silvery foliage of the artemisias enhances blue perennials planted nearby.
Cultivation: They all appreciate a friable soil and sunshine. Use them close to a path where they can be handled often to release the fragrance.
Use: Infusion of leaves used as a wash to clear skin. Strong infusion can be used as pesticide. Leaves deter moths.
35. Lemon Lily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus) P
Description: Leaves nearly all basal, narrow, sword-shaped, and keeled. Stem or stalk of flower cluster often branched and usually exceeds leaves. Flowers funnel-form, widely expanding above.
Cultivation: Best planted in spring or fall, in a sunny spot, in moist but well-drained soil. Divide about every 3 years. Yellow flowers are fragrant and bloom in June.
36. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) A.
Description: Wonderful summer flowering annuals in pastel, bold and contrasting shades, all with sturdy stems making them excellent cut flowers. Lacy foliage is delicate and attractive.
Cultivation: Sow seeds in full sun or partial shade in spring. Separate seedlings to 8-12 inches apart. Good for a child’s garden because of the ease and rapidity of growth and the long blooming period.
Uses: Beautiful in bouquets.
37. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) P
Description: Leaves incised or dissected, covered with grey-white hairs. Small flowers arranged in whorl-like terminal racemes or panicles; individual flowers tubular. Shrubby, 3-5 feet. Bruised foliage has sagelike odor. Flowers blue, 1/4 inch wide in scattered and widely spaced whorls, ultimately spikelike at tip. Cut to the ground each spring to promote strength and good flowers. Blooms mid to late summer. Zones 5-6.
Cultivation: Easy to grow in full sun and well-drained soil. Plants in shade will sprawl. Propagate by summer stem cuttings. Grows best in alkaline soil. Withstands drought.
38. Creeping Catmint (Nepeta cataria) P
Description: A coarse-leaved, gray-green perennial, catnip reveals its minthood by its stem, which is perfectly square in cross section, a sign of the mint family. Soft white fuzz covers the stem and leaves. Leaves are opposite, ovate with heart-shaped bases, coarsely toothed. Height 1-3 feet. Flowering July through September.
Cultivation: Plant hardiness zones 3-4. Soil pH 6.6. Average, sandy, well-drained soil. Full sun to partial shade (leaves more fragrant in good sunlight). Shear plants back after first bloom to encourage further flowering. Divide plants in spring. Take stem cuttings in summer.
Uses: Beloved by cats and occasionally used for medicinal teas.
39. Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) P Old English Lavender
Description: The largest and most hardy lavender, with pale leaves and mauve flowers from mid-to late summer.
See 2,6,9, for more information
40. Meadowsweet (Filipendula rubra) P
Description: Feathery terminal clusters of small flowers bloom in early or mid summer. Tall types especially well suited for back of border, along stream, or in woodland planting. All are long-lived plants that seldom require division. Have tough reddish stems, dark toothed leaves that smell freshly of disinfectant when crushed, and clusters of scented flowers.
Cultivation: Divide plants in spring; sow seed in spring. Plant in moist semishaded position.
41. Petunias (Petunia hybrida) A
Description: Trouble free plant; fragrant blooms. Pinch out spent blooms to keep blooms coming.
Cultivation: Sow seed in open ground or buy bedding plants in spring. Plant in sun; will tolerate partial shade. Adapts to all kinds of soil.
Uses: Garden borders and beds, trailing from window boxes or hanging baskets.
42. Costmary (Chrysanthemum balsamita) P
Description: A leafy perennial with a balsam-like fragrance. Flowers: minute disk rays, 1/2 in. across; heads gathered in loose clusters at top of stem; yellow. Leaves were used as bookmarks in church by American colonists to whiff them awake during long and boring sermons, hence the name “Bible Leaf.” Roots are rampant and persistent; they creep freely unless kept in check. May grow 5-6 feet tall.
Cultivation: Full sun or partial shade, in rich,well-drained soil. Divide roots in early spring every third year. Cut plants back in fall.
Uses: Place in drawers and closets for fragrance and to repel moths. Leaves used for tea.
43. Mignonette (Reseda odorata) A
Description: Grown primarily for fragrance of its yellowish-green flowers. Leaves are coarse, and plants tend to be sprawling. Good cut flower, scent drifts far and wide. Grows 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall.
Cultivation: Sow after danger of frost is past where plants are to grow, since seedlings are difficult to transplant. Grow in full sun or partial shade, as filler among showier plants. Grows best in cool weather. In a cool area, will bloom from June-October; in a hot, dry area bloom period is much shorter.
Uses: Plant near front door or under a window where scent floats in, or in pots on the windowsill. Add to indoor arrangements.
44. Orris (Iris Florentina) P
Description: One of the oldest hardy cultivated plants, with sword-shaped leaves and white, violet-tinged flowers in early summer.
Cultivation: Divide rhizomes in late spring; plant in rich soil and sunny position and avoid disturbing.
Uses: Formerly used as a purgative. Highly fragrant root is of great value in perfumery and as scent fixative in potpourri; used to be smoldered to scent rooms and powdered to scent clothes and hair.
