Gardening, like fashions, has its trends that appear in the spring. This year I�ve observed a focus on vertical gardening. This is far beyond hanging baskets or the popular terra cotta strawberry jars. I’ve seen walls decorated with living plants. So not to be behind the latest trend, here are five herbs I think would work well in vertical planting:

• Prostrate Rosemary – This creeping rosemary will trail 1-2 feet and provide light blue blossoms. It�s the only variety I would recommend in hanging arrangements.
• Dittany – I love the round fuzzy leaves of this relative of oregano. In late summer it produced nodding sprays of pale pink flowers formed in a pinecone arrangement.
• Peppermint geranium – The fuzzy dark green leaves of this scented geranium are irresistible to me. It’s one of the few scented geraniums that trail.
• Cuban oregano – Not a true oregano but used in the Caribbean to provide that flavor. Its large variegated leaves are quite pretty.
• Creeping thyme – although most thymes will work in vertical plantings, creeping thyme does a superior job of – well, creeping down and around.
• Pineapple mint – Anyone who has grown mint knows it is best grown in a pot to keep it under control. Pineapple mint rewards the gardener by cascading over the edge of anything it in planted in.

All of these herbs will grow best in full sun with regular watering. Clip periodically to keep the shape you want. When planting, make sure the root mass is sufficient to support the plant. Try planting herbs and other edibles on top of a retaining wall, in between rocks on a slope, or get crazy and create a multi-pocket vertical planter. Check on the web for more ideas and you to can garden vertically.