7 Herbs with Gorgeous Blooms

These flowering herbs are a feast for the eyes.

BY MELISSA OZAWA

JUN 14, 2017

Many herbs bear subtly beautiful flowers that lend a loose, unstudied air to arrangements. With flavorful leaves and gorgeous flowers, these plants provide a feast for the eyes.

01 OF 06

Thai Basil

(Ocimum basilicumvar. thyrsiflora)

Annual

This exotic variety, with a strong licorice scent, boasts reddish-purple flower spikes in late summer. Note: The leaves may start to lose some flavor once blooming begins.

SAXON HOLT

02 OF 06

Dill

(Anethum graveolens)

Annual

By midsummer, vivid chartreuse-yellow blossoms appear atop tall stems with feathery foliage. To ensure a steady supply, sow new seeds each month.

GAP PHOTOS

03 OF 06

Rosemary

(Rosmarinus officinalis)

Zones 8-10

Grow this drought-tolerant shrub, which blooms in early summer, as an annual in regions cooler than Zone 8. For best results, start with a plant, not seeds

04 OF 06

Greek Oregano

(Origanum vulgaresubsp. hirtum)

Zones 5-10

With a low mounding habit, this fuzzy-leaved herb makes for a good-looking ground cover. Expect clusters of pale, pinkish buds midsummer.

GETTY IMAGES

05 OF 06

Spearmint

(Mentha spicata)

Zones 4-11

This refreshing member of the mint family flaunts cones of lilac-pink bells by midsummer. Since mint’s invasive, be sure to contain it in a pot or raised bed.

GAP PHOTOS

06 OF 06

Pineapple Sage

(Salvia elegans)

Zones 8-11

True to its name, this tender perennial emits a sweet pineapple fragrance and, as summer begins to wane, sends up stalks of vibrant scarlet blooms.

GAP PHOTOS