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Herb ID's please

peteSpeteS Posts: 966
in Plants
I think these are all herbs which have all been left to flower down my local park. They seemed to be loving the heat and dry but sadly none were labelled so I haven't a clue what they are, but the bees and hoverflies loved them.
I'd love to grow them in a similar way, but are they trouble free and straightforward to grow. So if anyone can name them I would be grateful. Cheers.

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Borage, one of the marjoram/oregano family, and rue.

    Botanical names if you're looking to buy them: Borago officinalis, Oregano (probably a variety of O. vulgare or O. majorana, look for "Aureum" in the variety name if you want a gold-leaved form like the one in the pic), and Ruta graveolens.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The middle one is marjoram or oregano.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    I have borage in my garden (NE) which I just allow to do it’s own thing. They self seed but are easy to weed out if there are too many. This time of year in an area with poorer soil they grow, flower and set seed very quickly. A few have succumbed to mildew so they get consigned to the council compost bin. 
    I don’t,  but I’ve read about folk who pop a flower into the holes of ice cube trays before adding water and freezing, apparently they look very attractive in a G n T! 
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    Bilje said:
    I’ve read about folk who pop a flower into the holes of ice cube trays before adding water and freezing, apparently they look very attractive in a G n T! 
    Traditionally also in Pimms. They taste like cucumber. Also nice in salads
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Borage flowers are very pretty in salads - like viola flowers.
  • peteSpeteS Posts: 966
    Forgot to include this for an ID please. Beautiful flowers and smell and completely smothered with bees.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I think that's another Oregano, possibly this one:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • EmerionEmerion Posts: 599
    The first origanum-type one looks like my golden marjoram. 
    Carmarthenshire (mild, wet, windy). Loam over shale, very slightly sloping, so free draining. Mildly acidic or neutral.


  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    I used to use borage flowers in a starter of melon and grapes in vinagrette. Lovely.
    Not had borage in the garden for years now. Not sure where it went.
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