For Decorations That Make Scents, Try These Pest-Free Herb Gardens

Arrangements of dried flowers look pretty, smell fresh and add an old-fashioned charm to a room that makes them more popular each year.

Several herbs that sport enchanting silvery gray foliage suitable for decorative purposes are relatively free of pests and diseases and require only occasional weeding and watering.

You can install a decorative herb garden any time during the growing season after the last frost. Once established, herbs are ready for cutting, drying and eventual use in decorative creations.

To dry decorative herbs, wrap bunches of six stalks with rubber bands and hang upside down in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Use bone-dry foliage in dried arrangements, wreaths or other decorations.

Herbs suitable for dried arrangements grow best in a well-drained sunny spot. For best results, turn over soil to a depth of at least a foot, rake out stones and debris and fortify with well-rotted cow manure or compost.

To facilitate watering, locate your garden near a water supply.

Among the easy-to-grow plants that lend themselves to dried arrangements and wreaths:

* The artemisias. Hardy perennials. Three readily available varieties can be used in dried flower and wreath arrangements. Easily grown and sporting lovely silvery foliage and white seed heads similar to those of the annual dusty miller, all three feature a delicate lemony scent.

After all danger of frost, plant in full sun, in poor-to-ordinary sandy or gravelly soil. Water only during extended summer drought. Harvest in late summer when seed heads are pure white and bone dry.

Silver king (artemisia albula). This silver-foliaged plant with delicate notched leaves grows to about 2 feet high. It multiplies rampantly, sending runners underground. Unwanted shoots can be removed by simply pulling them out of the ground.

Silver queen (artemisia ludoviciana var. albula). Similar to silver king, only with more delicate leaves, it grows to about 1 1/2 feet tall and is less rampant than silver king.

Silver mount (artemisia Schmidtiana). Tidy silver mounds of foliage grow to about 1 foot high.

* Betony or lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina). Hardy perennial. Soft, woolly, silvery-white foliage gives this plant the name lamb’s ears. After all danger of frost, plant in well-drained ordinary soil in full sun or partial shade. Growing only about 6 inches tall, betony forms a low mat suitable for the front of an herb garden.

Late in summer it sports stalks 12 to 18 inches tall, with small purple flowers. Stalks can be cut and dried, and individual leaves can be dried on a screen and used in wreaths.

* Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus). Hardy perennial. The delicate silvery foliage grows to 2 feet high and features tiny button-shaped yellow blossoms in late summer. After all danger of frost, plant in well-drained soil, preferably enriched with compost or rotted manure, in full sun.

Prune moderately each spring to encourage growth throughout the summer. If you do not harvest while in bloom, be sure to dead head spent flower stalks. Cut and dry in late spring or early summer. Santolina can also be hung in a closet to repel moths.

* Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum). Hardy perennial. The lacy gray-green foliage of southernwood dries well and adds delicacy and a fresh lemony scent to any arrangement. Plants can grow up to 5 feet tall but is easily controlled by pruning.

After all danger of frost, plant in well-drained, average soil in full sun. Once established, southernwood tolerates poor soil and drought. Trim annually in spring and divide every three or four years to keep plants vigorous. Cut and dry throughout season.