Herbs are the spice of life. While we think of herbs and spices as the same thing, they are actually quite different. “Herbs” refer to plants whose leaves flavor foods, while “spices” refer to plants whose seeds, bark, and other parts flavor foods. Lucky for us, many delicious herbs grow easily and need very little irrigation in San Diego area gardens.
Most of these plants are native to the Mediterranean where like here, rainfall is limited to fall through spring, soils are “lean,” and summers are hot and dry.
All the herbs below do best with at least six hours of full, direct sunlight each day and well-draining soil. Irrigate with inline drip irrigation (buried several inches down – or “subsurface” — for the shortest growing groundcovers). If you manage irrigation well and thickly mulch your garden, the water needs of these plants go to nearly zero. Mulch also builds a healthy soil ecosystem to support strong, low-maintenance plants.
Remember that fresh herbs are far more flavorful than dried herbs so you may need to adjust the amounts you cook with.
And, as an added bonus, these plants are beautiful in your garden.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) – Ancient Greeks believed the goddess Aphrodite created oregano’s spicy scent as a symbol of happiness, so they crowned bridal couples with oregano wreaths. Today, we use this pungent herb in marinara sauce and marinades and vinaigrette salad dressings.
Growing oregano could not be easier. This perennial has small, round, green leaves that form on low growing (shorter than six inches tall) creeping stems that root wherever they touch the ground. So a single plant soon makes a good-sized patch. It also makes oregano a good sharing plant. If a friend has a plant, ask for a piece with roots and you’ll soon have a plant too.
There are countless types of oregano, each with a slightly different flavor profile. Crush a leaf and take in its aroma. If you like it, grow it! Cut sprigs as needed and strip the leaves off to cook with them.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) – Sage is a close relative to oregano but its leaves smell more resinous. While nearly all species of Salvia have fragrant leaves, this is the one most people use to flavor food.
Culinary sages grow as low mounds, reaching a foot tall and a few feet across. The leaves are tongue shaped, and different colors – sage green (yes, that’s how the color got its name), variegated gold and green, purple and green, and more. In spring, spires of purple flowers cover the plants. Regardless of the leaf color, the flavors are about the same, so choose your favorite color and get planting.
Harvest by cutting leaves as needed. Sauté sage leaves in butter as a sauce for butternut squash ravioli. Rub them on lamb and other meats. Add sage to your Thanksgiving stuffing mix.
Garden Thyme/English Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) – There are many kinds of this tiny, evergreen groundcover, each with a slightly different flavor profile. Lemon thyme and lime thyme, for example, are both a little citrusy. Most often, however, recipes that call for thyme refer to the common garden thyme, also known as English thyme.
Culinary thymes grow little more than six inches tall with tiny leaves that pack a flavor punch. I grow thyme in a pot; in the ground, it’s easily overtaken by its larger cousins, oregano and sage.
Harvest by cutting sprigs as needed. Tie the sprigs in bundles using kitchen twine to add to soups and stews.
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) - Bay laurel is far more than a dried out leaf that sits in a bottle on your pantry shelf. Ancient Greeks wove its branches into wreathes to crown their heroes. Today, this wonderful, aromatic evergreen is a necessary ingredient for marinara, vegetable soup, or chicken Marbella.
Bay grows as a tall, columnar shrub or tree with branches covered in leathery, deep green, leaves 4 to 5 inches long. Plant en masse for a deep green hedge or background. Plant in tall ceramic pots at your garden’s entrance for a note of formality – and to keep your bay small.
To harvest, pick a few leaves from the interior of the plant (so its absence won’t be noticed), rinse off any dust and get cooking!
Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis) – Rosemaries grow as woody, upright evergreen shrubs or spreading groundcovers that look gorgeous cascading over a wall or side of a ceramic pot. While they are beautiful, their culinary value comes from the extremely aromatic, resinous oils found in their needlelike foliage. In spring, rosemaries flower soft or deep blue, though some varieties bloom white or pink, and always covered in bees.
Rosemary oil is a famous essential oil used since ancient times for strengthening the memory. It was the emblem of fidelity for lovers; it was a popular decoration at weddings and funerals and its incense perfumed religious ceremonies and magical spells.
In the kitchen, rosemary flavors roasted potatoes, chicken, or olive oil. To harvest, cut a stem with pruning shears. Strip leaves off by running your fingers along the stem from tip to base.
Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens) – Common names can be confusing and this is a prime example. Mexican oregano and oregano are only very distantly related, but their essential oils give them a similar – though not identical – flavor. And while oregano is native to Mediterranean Europe, Mexican oregano is native to the deserts and chaparrals of Texas, Mexico, and Central America.
In our climate, Mexican oregano is an upright, evergreen shrub that reaches 6 to 8 feet tall. Its branches are loosely covered in bright green leaves. In spring, the branches are tipped in clusters of small white flowers that look like verbena flowers – which puts this plant into the verbena family.
Harvest by cutting back branches – that helps keep Mexican oregano plants from growing too leggy. Strip the leaves off to add to Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes.