Winter Herb Planting

Herbs aren’t just a summer thing!  There are lots of wonderful fresh herbs you can plant now so you can enjoy a fresh supply for roasts and casseroles over winter. They are such an easy way to get a dose of goodness into your winter diet. In this article the amazing ladies at Urban Bounty share their top winter herb picks with us.

I love Urban Bounty for those harder to find herbs and plants, they have a fantastic range that you don’t see in other stores, also their plants are larger and with a better established root system they’re so much easier to grow when they arrive.

 Variegated Sage

Sage is such a great earthy herb for stuffing and roasts.  It is also absolutely delicious in a burnt butter sauce drizzled over pumpkin ravioli – the best of Italy and winter combined!  This hardy, aromatic shrub looks gorgeous when mass-planted in the garden. This herb has lovely green leaves with irregular pale yellow edges.

Chef’s Choice Rosemary

In ancient Greece and Rome, Rosemary was associated with remembrance.  Chef’s Choice is a lovely creeping variety that looks fantastic trailed over a wall or rockery.  Bees love its beautiful blue flowers, which makes it a great companion plant for many of your fruit trees.  Use this delicious Rosemary in cooking (where would roast potatoes or slow cooked lamb be without Rosemary?).  I also like an idea that I spied on the internet – honey infused with Rosemary to enjoy drizzled over goat cheese, baked brie or toast!

Classic Oregano

 This Greek herb is so fragrant and has lots of small oval leaves.  Plant it in a sunny spot near your kitchen or as a border plant and you will enjoy the gorgeous pale pink flowers, and a steady source of fresh herbs for cooking.  It is very handy to have on hand for pasta sauces and Greek marinades!  Like many Mediterranean herbs, Oregano does best in well draining soil (it won’t be happy if it has ‘wet feet’). 

Mint

 Mint is such a convenient herb to have on hand, as it adds that extra something to tagines, lamb dishes and winter coleslaws. This family includes so many lovely varieties.  Some of the Urban Bounty favourites are Apple/Woolly Mint, Pineapple Mint and Basil Mint. (They all have delicious minty fresh flavours, but the different fragrances smell amazing!) Mint likes moist but well-draining soil, and sun – part shade. In milder parts of New Zealand it will keep growing through the winter, although it will die back in colder regions.  (Never fear, it will return when the weather and soil warm up!) 

Gotu Kola

Gotu Kola is a perennial herb with attractive fan-shaped leaves and dainty white-pale pink flowers.  It has a creeping habit and copes well with semi-shady conditions.  It is often used as an addition to Asian curries and stir fries, or traditional Sri Lankan Sambola (a type of coconut relish). 

 Okinawa Spinach

Not strictly a herb, but as you know, I’ve used it as a herb in autumn pesto and it makes a great garnish!  This lovely Spinach substitute looks amazing in the garden with its purple and green leaves, and is cold hardy down to about -3 degrees Celsius.

Find some of these lovely winter herbs here.

For a guide to starting your food garden at home and its financial and health benefits click here.