As much as we’re all trying to hang onto summer, it is that time of the year to start planning your autumn plants and add a splash of colour to the darker months. There are plenty of autumn plants to choose from, but here are some of my favourite ones that will not only look great in your garden they’ll taste amazing in your dishes too.
Oregano Acorn Bank
An extremely aromatic herb, this bright and cheery plant is bushy and woody-based with golden yellow leaves. Growing up to 60cm tall, this Oregano loves the sunshine and doesn’t enjoy prolonged wet winters. In the summer months you’ll find clusters of pretty pink flowers, which will add a beautiful splash of colour to your garden.
Oregano is heavily used in Mediterranean and Mexican food and because of its strong flavour it’s perfectly suited with olives, tomatoes, vegetables, stuffing and egg dishes. It’s also great for drying and adds an amazing taste to pizzas too.
Sage Golden
The Sage Golden plant is a perennial herb that is commonly grown for cooking. Its aromatic leaves are green with charming, irregular yellow edges and produces purple-blue flowers in the spring and summer months. It’s beautiful colours, textures and scent makes this one of the most popular herb varieties for herb and flower gardens. Again, this plant prefers a sunny position and pruning is essential as it tends to get woody.
Although Golden Sage is specially used as a garnish, it has the same culinary uses as regular sage. It’s paired well with most meats, including poultry, pork and lamb and can also be added to stew and hardy vegetables such as carrots and peas.
Pineapple Mint
One of the most attractive varieties of mint, the pineapple mint is a member of the apple mint family that is a hybrid of the grapefruit mint. It’s a hardy perennial that produces beautiful green, furry, crinkled leaves with a cream edge, which has a delightful, sweet pineapple scent. Mint will thrive anywhere but prefers a partly shady areas and they’re super easy to grow from cuttings. You can even grow a pot of it indoors near a sunny window and enjoy the benefits of it in your home every day. Reaching up to a foot tall, its growth is less vigorous and will rarely flower, which is perfect for those who don’t have enough space.
This is the best mint to grow if you want to add a sweet garnish to meals and there are so many fun uses of it. You can toss it into your fruit salad, add a few springs to your lamb or chicken marinade for a unique flavour, give your salsa and chutney a sweet boost or even add to cocktails.
Why not give some of these plants a try, there is so much fun to be had with them and your cooking! If you have any questions or want to learn more about these plants, get in contact with us. We’re always here to help.
