Flowers and Herbs for a Rock Garden

This charming rock garden combines easy-to-grow annuals, perennials, and herbs in a pretty mix of forms and colors. Blooming for months, the bright orange flowers of Tagetes patula (Marigold) are beautifully combined with the variegated foliage of Origanum vulgare ‘Variegata’ (Oregano) and Vinca minor ‘Ralph Shugert’ (Lesser Periwinkle).

The highly popular Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ (English Lavender ) adds a wonderful fragrance to the planting. This free-flowering variety is prized by most gardeners for its long-lasting and delightful scent as well as the fashion in which its dark purple flower spikes beautifully contrast with its blue-green evergreen foliage.

Thymus serpyllum (Creeping Thyme) is a dwarf, aromatic shrub forming a low cushion of tiny, pointed, glossy blue-green leaves. Blooming profusely from early to mid-summer, it features clusters of tiny, deep pink-purplish flowers. It is ideal for filling in crevices in rock gardens and a good choice for ground cover in sunny sites.

Rich in nectar, most plants attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects.

All plants are deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and low maintenance. Some make lovely fresh bouquets to be enjoyed at home and others will give a magnificent taste to your cuisine.