Perennial Herbs

[Mattyj198]

Hello there!

I am from Canada and we have a vacation home in France.  I am un familiar with what can survive over the winter in France.   In Canada pretty much every herb dies over the winter.  I have chives, sage, rosemary and bay in the garden right now and they all make it though the winter.  Is there any others you guys know of?

Also is there any perennial vegetable crops or plants that produce that I could be planting in my garden?

Thanks!

[tinabee]

Thyme and fennel do well here in Normandy

[soupagirl]

Depends where in France you are of course but here in les Landes all of your list thrive as well as oregano, marjoram,parsley, thyme and chives. Coriander self seeds and grows throughout the winter. Perennials - rhubarb does well, as does asparagus. Parsnips, carrots, sprouting broccoli and cabbages will survive deep frosts. Happy gardening!

[Hoddy]

I grow raspberry canes, a cultivated blackberry and rhubarb.

I grow fennel for the seed. I don't collect all the seeds, I leave some to self seed so they regenerate themselves.

Thyme does well here too.

You don't say where you are Matty - it might help if people knew.

Hoddy

[ukhostland]

Hi Matty,

France is a very big country with a wide range of climates and soils.

The first thing you need to tell us is where you are doing your gardening: the department, the orientation and the soil type.

I'm sure you'll receieve lots of helpful advice once we know a little more.

Colin

[andyh4]

Rhubarb and Asparagus are the only perennial vegetables that grow in the open in France and are both very hardy.

 

The perennial herbs that survive with me (in the centre of France (Ardèche) at 900m above sea level - so winters are harsh by W European standards but probably slightly chilly by yours) are:

 

Mints - Peppermint, Pineapple mint and Chocolate mint (all die back in winter but regrow from the root system in Spring.

Rosemary - but takes a heavy hit every year with several branches ending up having to be pruned out, but nevertheless survives.

Oregano and Lemon Balm - Almost impossible to get rid of them.

Bay - small bushes up to say 1ft tall tend to be hit in hard winter and may not live, but our large tree (10ft tall) survived last February's intense (for us) cold.  It had to be hacked back almost to ground level but grew away strongly again last May and is now over 5ft tall.

Thymes - normal (vulgaris) and lemon survive

Moroccan Mint - actually another thyme I believe

Chives

Russian Tarragon - aka perennial Tarragon

Winter Savory

Parsley - (actually a biannual) dies back but comes again from the roots, to produce seed in the second season, which self seeds.

Sage

Lavendar

 

We reckon on at least 7 days in a row with day time maxima of -10°C or below every winter - last year it was closer to -20°C.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pierre ZFP]

In  the excellent list by Andyh4  I agree completely with the comment for lemon balm , grow it in a tub or it will take over everything, that applies for mints too.

Also sorrel, a sharp taste and great for salads. self seeds, keeps growing.  Did anyone mention rosemary?  sorry I've lost track now.

Slightly off thread but up here in the North (Pas-de-Calais) I successfully grow grapes, figs and Kiwi fruit outdoors, albeit in sunny positions against walls.  They don't seem to mind the winters, nothing compared to Canada of course but we had -12 last year.

[ukhostland]

Excuse me pedantry, but Moroccan Mint is Mentha spicata var. crispa - a mint rather than a thyme.

Given that we had -26C the winter before last here in the Centre, but my parents on the Mediterranean have never seen a frost in the last 35 years, all speculation on what will grow in this garden is just that.

All questions really need to add the geographical and soil details if a serious answer is to be provided.

[ukhostland]

Excuse my pedantry, but Moroccan Mint is Mentha spicata var. crispa - a mint rather than a thyme.

Given that we had -26C the winter before last here in the Centre, but my parents on the Mediterranean have never seen a frost in the last 35 years, all speculation on what will grow in this garden is just that.

All questions really need to add the geographical and soil details if a serious answer is to be provided.

[Mattyj198]

Thanks for all your help everyone! I am in deux-serves Poitou Charents.

[Patf]

Someone gave me a flat leaved parsley which survived severe frosts this winter and last, didn't even die back. I think she grew it from seed.

[andyh4]

[quote user="ukhostland"]Excuse my pedantry, but Moroccan Mint is Mentha spicata var. crispa - a mint rather than a thyme. Given that we had -26C the winter before last here in the Centre, but my parents on the Mediterranean have never seen a frost in the last 35 years, all speculation on what will grow in this garden is just that. All questions really need to add the geographical and soil details if a serious answer is to be provided.[/quote]

 

I bow to your knowledge on Moroccan Mint - certainly smells more of Thymol than Menthol - but that is not the deciding factor.

 

Regardsing your parents I am surprised to the point of almost disbelief - assuming Mediterranean mean the French mainland coast - back to needing geographical details (which incidentally I did give) .  I was near Marseille last winter and the winter was bad enough to freeze 20cm main water riseres solid for over a week.  The Prefect shut all autoroutes to HGVs due to ice conditions etc..

[andyh4]

[quote user="ukhostland"]Excuse my pedantry, but Moroccan Mint is Mentha spicata var. crispa - a mint rather than a thyme. Given that we had -26C the winter before last here in the Centre, but my parents on the Mediterranean have never seen a frost in the last 35 years, all speculation on what will grow in this garden is just that. All questions really need to add the geographical and soil details if a serious answer is to be provided.[/quote]

 

I bow to your knowledge on Moroccan Mint - certainly smells more of Thymol than Menthol - but that is not the deciding factor.

 

Regardsing your parents I am surprised to the point of almost disbelief - assuming Mediterranean mean the French mainland coast - back to needing geographical details (which incidentally I did give) .  I was near Marseille last winter and the winter was bad enough to freeze 20cm main water riseres solid for over a week.  The Prefect shut all autoroutes to HGVs due to ice conditions etc..

[YCCMB]

See, I'm a bit further south than the OP - in Charente maritime. I've lost one rosemary between droughts and frosts, because with a holiday home it also depends when (and for how long) you're going to be around, even in the summer. This was a rosemary that had "lived" with the previous owner for many years and was a big, hardy and well-established plant.

Thyme does well, and seems to be more tolerant if you're not around, whether in winter or summer.

Part of my back lawn is mint. I didn't plan it that way, but that's what's happened: makes mowing the "grass" a delight. It grows like weeds.

[Cendrillon]

Same for us, we live not so far from Betty. We were told that plants with silvery leaves survive the sun and heat in Summer and this does seem to be true. Our "parc" also has mint and gives off a nice aroma. The sage bush seems to do really well. We lost one or two of the thyme plants last year when it was exceptionally cold.

[Hoddy]

I'm interested that you lost your rosemary last year Betty.

I had a few of these which I'd grown from cuttings, good healthy plants about three feet tall. Last year two of them died and I assumed it was just a lifespan thing, now I'm wondering if they were affected by severe frost as yours were.

Hoddy