Now that the super-powerful winter is over, there are only a few months left before the brutal heat of summer hits. This is our new ‘normal’. All we gardeners can do is choose our plants accordingly. Fortunately, there are many herbs that can tolerate moderate to severe drought – and continue to grow very well. Here are five to get you started:
Borage
With edible flowers and delicious taste, borage is a good choice for a drought garden. The cucumber-like flavor of borage is welcome after a long day of working in the garden, and drinking water infused with borage will keep you feeling cool.
Mullein
Before you discount this useful wild herb, mullein has enough uses that it deserves a place in your drought garden. Remember that the flowers do not bloom until the second year, but the leaves are also used in many herbal remedies and in my experience the leaves of the first year are the best, so mullein will serve you well.
Calendula
There was a time when everyone seemed to talk about Calendula and associate it with its gentle, soothing properties. Like most resinous herbs, Calendula grows well in drought conditions. Grow it for its edible petals and, of course, dry many of them for ointments and skin washes. Keep the flowers picked no matter how dry they are. Calendula will bloom again under the hottest growing conditions.
Sensible
Used for mouth and throat problems, sage not only tolerates dryness, but seems to actually enjoy it! You will have enough harvest for the herbal medicine chest, and more for cooking. If you feel overwhelmed by more leaves than you can use, dip some fresh leaves in a light tempura batter and deep fry them. So delicious!
Echinacea
You may notice that Echinacea seems to be popular in the design of municipal gardens. In the west you see it in many sidewalk gardens, because Echinacea does not mind drought. It is a hardy plant that continues to bloom during the heat of summer. Although Echinacea needs to be divided every three years, if you have limited space, the plants can take over the garden. If you overcrowd the plants a bit, they cannot take over the garden.
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Amy Jeanroy is a garden writer living on the Bay of Fundy in Northern Maine. She harvests herbs from the forest and coast where possible, and grows the rest in her gardens.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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