6 Herbs for a Shady Garden

Every yard has a semi-shady corner – somewhere the sun penetrates only for a small part of the day. Perhaps its in the lee of some trees or shrubs, or maybe a boundary fence blocks the sun. Instead of settling for ferns, why not transform these semi-shady spots into a shade herb garden. Although many herbs require full sun, others adapt very well to partial shade. Here are six herbs for semi-shade or shady corners.

Angelica
Angelica will grow to an impressive 3 to 5 feet tall, with large leaves and white flower umbels. If you plant more than one, you’ll need to space them about 3 feet apart, and they may need staking. It is a biennial, so you’ll need to buy a new plant every year or two to have a continual supply. The seeds, leaves and stalks of this plant taste like licorice, and all are edible. Enjoy their sweet flavor in salads, soups and stews. Preserve the stems as candied angelica, which can be eaten or used in jams, stewed fruits, and jellies. It is also used as a flavoring in several liqueurs.

Chervil
Chervil can be mass-planted, and makes a pretty sight with its parsley-like leaves and small white flowers. You can use it as a ground cover around large shrubs or tall herbs like angelica. Stagger your seeding for a continual supply.  It will self-seed, but the flavor of the leaves is best before flowering.

Chervil has a delicate anise flavor, and the leaves are good in soups, salads and casseroles, and make a tasty herb butter. It goes well with fish, spring salads, and spring’s first fresh asparagus. Stir chervil into ham and cheese omelets, or sprinkle it over grilled  chicken breasts. Use it in dressings for pasta or potato salads. Because of its delicate flavor, its best added at the end of cooking or just sprinkled on fresh.

Lovage
Lovage is another tall herb, growing to 7 feet tall. It resembles a giant celery plant with its hollow stalks and umbels of greenish-yellow flowers. It is a perennial, so plant it in late summer or early fall, and the following year new shoots will appear. It grows best when it has a dormant winter, but may die out in colder areas, so winter mulching may be necessary.

It has a celery-like flavor, and works well in green and potato salads. The leaves can be used to flavor soups, casseroles, sauces and marinades. It may also be lightly cooked as a green vegetable. The seeds can be used like celery seeds.

Mints
There are many varieties of mints, and all can be recognized by their square stems. They all have a fragrant foliage, and are great for teas, jellies and cold drinks. These perennials like partial shade and lots of moisture, and you’ll find that in the right spot, they’ll spread voraciously. To avoid being over-run with mint, plant it in a bottomless bucket or have a bed just for mint.

Shear mint back two or 3 times a year to encourage the best tasting leaves. At the end of the growing season, prune back the mint plants and cover the area with a bit of mulch. Mint can be dried and stored in airtight containers for later use, or even used in potpourris and homemade bath products.

Parsley
Parsley is probably the world’s most used herb. It is a storehouse of nutrients, and if you only use it as a garnish, you’re missing out. Here are a few ideas for using it:

  • Combine chopped parsley with bulgur wheat, chopped green onions (scallions), mint leaves, lemon juice and olive oil to make the Middle Eastern classic dish, tabouli.
  • Add parsley to pesto sauce to add more texture to its green color.
  • Combine chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, and use it as a rub for chicken, lamb and beef.
  • Use parsley in soups and tomato sauces.
  • Serve a colorful salad of fennel, orange, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and parsley leaves.
  • Chopped parsley can be sprinkled on a host of different recipes, including salads, sauteed vegetables and grilled fish.

Italian parsley is the best choice for intense flavor. It’s the one with flat leaves and a looser growth habit than the curly-leaf variety. This biennial can take full sun or partial shade, and grows well in ordinary soil. The seeds are slow germinators, so you may want to purchase your plants.

Tarragon
French tarragon has an untidy scraggly look. It is a low growing plant with narrow leaves on drooping stems. Either full sun or partial shade will suit it, as long as the soil is rich and well-drained. French Tarragon  rarely blooms and even if it does, the seeds are sterile, so you’ll need to buy a starter plant.  The leaves have a licorice flavor, and when you’re buying plants, break off a leaf and rub it to make sure you are getting the true French tarragon.
It has a very intense flavor, so use it sparingly at first, until you’re used to it. It’s a suberb culinary herb to use in sauces, soups, salads and herbal vinegars.