There are various reasons to choose herbs not the least of which is their beauty. They offer interesting textures, color, and fragrance in the landscape. These hardy plants are sturdy and easy to grow.
When you need plants to control erosion on banks and hillsides fibrous-rooted herbs are the solution. Low-growing herbs are a perfect choice when edging plants are needed. These can be planted along pathways and steps.
For those hard-to-mow places in the landscape choose herbs. These low maintenance plants perform beautifully when they're planted between steppingstones. Reduce the need for mowing by growing blooming lawns with herbs such as chamomile.
Wherever ground covers are needed herbs are appropriate plants. Generally herbs need a light, well-drained soil in full sun.
When choosing herbs as ground covers group them according to their cultural needs. Avoid mixing drought-tolerant and moisture-loving ones in the same bed.
For the best effect plant odd numbers (three, five, or seven) of each herb together. Don't set them out in straight rows.
Until the herbs are established they will need watering during dry weather. Organic mulches will minimize the need for watering. This will also reduce the need for weeding. Generally I don't use plastic mulches with perennial plants because weed seeds can blow onto the plastic and germinate during subsequent years.
Both flowering herbs and foliage herbs make suitable ground covers. The trick is to create pleasing combinations by combining them with other flowering perennials or foliage plants. When landscaping with herbs use the same general landscape design principles as you normally would for designs, such as repetition.
Though numerous other herbs are used as ground covers the ones discussed below are most often used.
In warmer climates lavender cotton is a great choice for ground cover projects. Throughout the year the finely textured silvery-gray foliage lends beauty to the landscape. Some gardeners in the Northeast have found the plants don't always survive winters. But I'm in zone 5 and have experienced no problems so far. Lavender cotton blooms during the summer. If you find you don't like the flowers just cut the buds before they have a chance to open.
Lambs ears is a perfect ground cover for hot, dry spots. The clumps can grow to be pretty large, so allow plenty of room. Lambs ears can be short lived in some cases. Mine disappears from time to time. Yet it never fails to produce either seedlings or offshoots to replace the original plants. Some people may feel lambs ears are too common, but I feel they shouldn't be dismissed so lightly. They're drought-tolerant, care-free plants, and demand little from the gardener. So they are well worth growing.
