Whether recurring drought is hindering you from growing a thriving herb garden or you are just interested in reducing your visits with the hose, choose a selection of waterwise herbs to grow together for a payoff in beautiful aromas and flavorings. Herbs that require full sun, well-drained soil, and have a proven record for drought tolerance can be grown together for a beautiful visual effect.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when growing herbs is combining aromatic plants that don’t have the same growing requirements. If you’re looking for herbs perfect for growing in your backyard garden and you know that dry soil is an issue, don’t bother with the ones that will wilt in the midday sun. You can recognize many waterwise herbs by signs of their well-appreciated ability to withstand dry conditions: Small leaves and silvery or gray colors. With this selection of herbs that can be grown together, many of which have petite leaves or silvery foliage, your choices will be simple.
English lavender
Grown as a perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10, English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a drought-tolerant herb that has a rounded shape. It reaches up to 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide, and along with its distinctive scent, is loved for its silvery foliage and purple flowers held on spikes. If you want to spread the harmonious fragrance of this herb, also known as common lavender, to other spots of your yard, keep in mind that there are also low-growing lavender varieties that you can use as a living mulch.
Feverfew
Covered with cute flowers that have white petals and yellow centers, feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a mound-shaped herb that reaches 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. With green, compound leaves reminiscent of chrysanthemum foliage, feverfew can be grown in zones 5 to 8. Feverfew is not only a beautiful daisy look-alike that wards off annoying insects, it is also used as an herbal remedy that is used to help prevent migraines.
Garden sage
Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) is an aromatic culinary staple, and merits a devoted spot in the garden as well as on the spice rack. Also known as common sage, this low water herb is perennial in zones 4 to 10 and reaches up to 2 1/2 feet tall, and 3 feet wide. These mounding and spreading plants have grayish green leaves with a soft, velvety texture, and lavender colored blooms. One of the mistakes everyone makes when growing sage is overwatering, so be sure to plant it in well-draining soil so its feet don’t stay wet.
Germander
Perennial in zones 5 to 9, germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) reaches about 2 feet tall and wide. Its small, green, scallop-edged leaves bear a resemblance to English oak leaves. This rounded, mounding herb has petite blue, pink, or purple blooms. Add this aromatic, waterwise plant to your list of herbs that will turn your garden into a butterfly paradise.
Horehound
Known for lending its flavor to candies, horehound (Marrubium vulgare) has grayish green leaves with a crinkled texture. This drought tolerant herb has an upright, spreading growth habit, reaching up to 2 feet tall and wide. With a flavor reminiscent of root beer, horehound is perennial in zones 3 to 9 and makes a great addition to either the herb garden or the pollinator garden. Horehound is a vigorous grower and may need to be grown in a container and deadheaded before setting seed to prevent it spreading aggressively.
Hyssop
A semi-evergreen and drought tolerant herb, hyssop (Dracocephalum officinale) has a clumping, upright appearance. Its spikes of flowers can range in color from blue, to purple, to white, and it has fragrant, small, green leaves. Hyssop grows to be 1 1/2 feet wide and 2 feet tall, is deer resistant, and can be grown as a perennial in zones 4 to 9.
Mexican tarragon
Mexican tarragon (Tagetes lucida) is more resistant to periods of heat, humidity and low water than the similarly flavored French tarragon. Related to French and African marigolds, this upright herb has yellow flowers, narrow green leaves, and reaches up to 30 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Perennial only in zones 8 to 11, in locations with colder winters it can be grown as an annual. As a bonus, butterflies and songbirds also love Mexican tarragon.
Oregano
A species adapted to thriving with little water, oregano (Origanum vulgare) has a low-growing and spreading growth habit. This drought tolerant herb reaches up to two feet tall, has small green leaves, and small flowers that are pink or white in color. This Mediterranean herb can grow in zones 5 to 9, though it may need protection for winter in zone 5. If you want your drought tolerant herb garden to do double duty, you’ll attract beneficial insects by growing oregano in your garden as well.
Rosemary
For a shrub-like focal point in your low-water herb garden, include rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) which is drought tolerant as well as deer resistant. With green to silver, needle-like leaves, and white, blue, or purple flowers, rosemary is a must for the herb garden. And with many different varieties providing upright or prostrate forms that can reach up to 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, there’s bound to be the perfect one for your needs – so long as you live in zones 8 to 10.
Rue
Rue (Ruta graveolens) has ornately compound, blueish green leaves with yellow flowers and grows to be up to 3 feet tall and wide. With aromatic foliage, this clumping herb prefers dry soils and is a host plant for black swallowtail butterflies. Gardeners in zones 4 to 10 can take rue for a spin in their waterwise herb gardens or xeriscapes.
Santolina
Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus) is an eye-catching herb with silver foliage and yellow, button-like flowers. Sometimes also called lavender cotton, drought-savvy gardeners in zones 6 to 9 can include this evergreen and fragrant plant in their waterwise herb gardens. Expect a rounded growth habit that is slightly wider than it is tall, reaching 36 inches wide and 24 inches tall.
Southernwood
Known as old man southern wood, or simply southernwood, Artemisia abrotanum can take a large place in the xeric herb garden, reaching up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. With fragrant, grayish green foliage on upright, clumping plants, this plant produces tiny flowers that are yellowish green or white. Southernwood is amenable to life in zones 4 to 8.
Spanish lavender
Gardeners in zones 8 and 9 have another lavender option available to them: Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas). With silvery green foliage and purple flowers, this lavender has a mounded form and reaches up to 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. This low-water-adapted herb thrives in conditions that kill lawns. Spanish lavender may be the best lavender plant variety option for your home’s climate if you live in an area that’s hot and humid with mild winters.
Sweet marjoram
Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) is drought-tolerant and has a bushy, upright growth habit. Grow this fragrant herb as an annual unless you live in zones 9 or 10, or move it indoors for the winter. Called sweet marjoram to differentiate it from oregano, which is sometimes called marjoram, this herb has a more subtle flavor. Sweet marjoram grows to be about 2 feet tall and wide and has small, white to pale pink blooms, and hairy grayish green leaves.
Tarragon
Make sure to plant this one at the back of your herb garden – tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) can reach up to 6 feet tall. With an upright appearance, narrow-leaved, green foliage, and small, yellow, white, or green flowers, tarragon is a hardy, flavorsome herb. This drought-tolerant culinary herb can be grown as a perennial in zones 3 to 7.
Thyme
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a compact aromatic plant and its evergreen foliage will remain all winter long. Also known as common thyme or garden thyme, this fragrant plant has tiny, grayish green leaves, and petite, lavender-colored flowers. This drought-tolerant herb grows to be 12 inches tall and wide, and will flourish as a perennial in zones 5 to 9. Avoid the mistakes gardeners commonly make when growing thyme – make sure to grow it in well-drained, dry soil.
Winter savory
With a rounded, spreading form, winter savory will beautify any waterwise herb garden or rock garden. This herb grows well in dry soil and is also deer-resistant. Winter savory has small, dark green leaves, and tiny, white to purple flowers. Reaching 18 inches tall and wide, winter savory can be grown as a perennial in zones 5 to 8.
Wormwood
Having reached fame as the flavoring for the drink absinthe, gardeners appreciate wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) for its ornamental and aromatic features. With an upright, clumping form, wormwood can grow to be up to 5 feet tall and wide. It has fragrant foliage that is silvery to grayish green, and blooms that are yellow to greenish yellow. Also an excellent candidate for rock gardens and xeriscaping, gardeners can grow wormwood as a perennial in zones 4 to 9.
Yarrow
Yarrow (Achillea spp.) foliage has a delicate, feathery look and is green to grayish green. Depending on the species or variety, flowers can be shades of pink, red, orange, yellow, or white, and are arranged in flower heads that have a flattened umbrella shape, making them perfect landing pads for pollinators. Upright, creeping, semi-evergreen plants grow up to 4 feet tall and wide, and can be grown in zones 3 to 9, depending on the species. Take care of yarrow plants, to start with, by growing them in dry, well-draining soil.
