Flowering/ pretty herbs

[Anny]

I want to make useful planters for people to give as gifts (and to decorate my back porch)

I also want them to look pretty. What useful/edible plants could I plant in small planters. I'm thinking herbs that flower or edible flowers, things like that.

Thank you.

 

[Buff Shallots]

I think a planter of attractive herbs with a flowering annual or two would make a terrific gift. What a great idea.

Pretty herbs:
chives - short season big pink flowers, they are in bud right now in Zone 7
thyme - tiny white or pink flowers, not very noticeable, but there's an
attractive variegated green/yellow leaved one
sage - no flowers, but you can get "tri-color" and purple leaved varieties
basil - "Pesto Perpetuo" hybrid is gorgeous and never bolts (Google the name)
Also, there's a variety of purple leafed basil.
rosemary - tiny flowers (like thyme flowers), but you can get tall or crawling
varieties, depending on whatever would look right in your gift pot

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure other people will have recommendations too. Is it alright if I borrow your gift idea?

 

[Anny]

Go ahead I think everyone should have a little herb garden in on there patio or porch

Thanks for the ideas.

 

[Buff Shallots]

Anny, thanks.

We have a little bed of herbs off our deck. They were all doing fine until one day last fall, my dear husband decided to put his cooker/smoker on the deck about one foot away from the thyme patch (which I didn't notice). The smoked bluefish turned out great, but the thyme plants were blackened! I was horrified. Needless to say, those particular thyme plants haven't come back this spring. So yesterday I just bought two more varieties to fill in the empty spot. I had herbs on the mind this morning and was happy to see your post.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

I need to find friends like you.

Lavender is really pretty when it blooms. There are some dwarf varieties better suited for planters. Pretty purple flowers

Texas Tarragon is a pretty one too. It's also called "Mexican Mint" or a bunch of other names but is usually marketed as texas tarragon. Tiny yellow marigold-like flowers.

Bee Balm they grow pretty tall but have a variety of different colors of flowers reds, whites, pinks and... I forget.

Yarrow red, pink, white or yellow flowers. Make excellent cut flowers. Some good uses too.

Mint pretty flowers but can be invasive if not controlled.

Oregano variety of colors and uses.

edible flowers like nasturtiums, calendula, day lilies, snapdragons, pansies, carnations, mums, dandelions, roses and tons others

Good luck!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I'd add nasturtiums. They are pretty and you can use them in cooking.

Oh, just noticed OCF beat me to it!

 

[calee]

All of these get fairly big, but are giftably pretty as seedlings:

Rosemary has already been listed, but I wanted to mention that it also takes to topiary forms really well, even while still young & in a small pot.

Dill & Fennel are really pretty & feathery looking. The flower heads are lovely, but they don't flower until they get quite tall. They can also get invasive if you let the flowers go to seed.

The different Sages have really pretty leaves and some varieties have really striking scarlet flowers.

...Also, folks tend to overlook violets (like Johnny-Jump-Ups). They are edible, and the flowers are really lovely tossed into a salad or coated with egg white & sugared for desserts.

 

[Beekissed]

What about this herb called Sweet Annie? Has anyone any info on this? Seems to be all the rage in the gift shops. Low growing? Flowering? Would Chamomile be too big for a planter?

I want to be your friend also!

 

[Reinbeau]

Sweet Annie, or Artemisia annua, is an annual dired for it's sweet smelling foliage (although there is a finer textured variety that has no scent - why bother?) It can be invasive, it needs to be controlled. Here's some more info on it.

 

[Dahlia]

I want to make useful planters for people to give as gifts (and to decorate my back porch)

I also want them to look pretty. What useful/edible plants could I plant in small planters. I'm thinking herbs that flower or edible flowers, things like that.

Thank you.

I believe you can eat pansie flowers and chocolate lily flowers.