One of my favorite ornamental herbs is Origanum rotundifolia ‘Kent Beauty’, which you can find in the Evans Restorative Garden. It’s located in a raised bed so the plants’ trailing habit can be nicely observed and it within easy reach so anytime I pass by, I run my hand over the oregano and take in the minty scent. This particular variety is especially pretty in containers. Its color comes not from the diminuitive flowers they have, but from the light lilac hued bracts (a leaflike part of the plant that is found just beneath the flower) that are really showy. They like partial to full sun and well drained soil, particularly in the winter, when they are suseptible to rot. If you keep them in a container in the summer, be sure to bury the container in the ground in the winter to protect the oregano, or bring it inside. This oregano is not for culinary uses, but you can take cuttings for potpourri or dried flower arrangements. Once the bracts turn brown in the late summer, you can clip it back and allow more green stems to grow for the remainder of the season. We’ve seen ‘Kent Beauty’ for sale locally, but they sell quickly. Try searching online, if you can’t find these beauties at your local garden center.

 Posted by Cynthia Druckenbrod