Herbs to Go with Santolina Border
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Patti A Nagel
Posted on: August 11, 2004

Thank you for the information regarding Santolina and its uses as a border. I notice that you do not offer seeds for sale so I will order a plug tray in the spring.

We do offer seeds for the standard variety; please see: http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=X5280

But santolina is slow to establish from seeds, and the germination is erratic. If the border in question is not too long, plugs may be your best route.

Would you please be kind enough to suggest one or two other herbs that work in the same fashion. I want something that can be run over by the lawn mower on the grass side and that survives the winters. I live in Port Alberni, BC and we are classified as Zone 8. Perhaps something that would look good with the Santolina.

I am not clear what you mean. If you are looking for a border plant that goes with santolina then it would have to be upright. Such a plant wouldn’t tolerate mowing very well. On the other hand, you could be thinking of lower plants that would look good as a low border (lower than santolina) and can take the mowing. The trouble with the low herbs that can take the mowing is that they generally spread freely and won’t necessarily stay stay in a line defined by your border. If you mean that these plants could form a wider, but lower border, one that you will maintain from time to time by edging, then herbs such as wild thyme, perennial chamomile (roman, english or double) and even the low yarrows (common, red and woolly) could look good next to a santolina border. If however you are looking for plants similar in size and shape (and with a nice contrasting dark green leaf colour) the low germander (Teucrium chamedrys) could work well for you.

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