It's not all dahlias you know!

So, I have just mentioned Lemon Verbena to a lovely friend looking for a fragrant plant.  I really hadn't come across this plant until a couple of years ago, it can look rather insignificant with yellow green leaves and very small white flowers in a hot year.  Coming from Mexico I think? Therefore it is a tender plant.  I have grown it in a pot, and bring it in the greenhouse and reduce watering in winter to keep it ticking over. It is now in its third year.

Now I am so glad I read about this when I got my very small verbena. Lemon Verbena can be exceptionally late at coming into bud, it is normal for it to look a brown twiggyness of deadness! (see below) Folks have made the mistake of bining their verbena because it looks so dead, but a sure fire way is to snap a branch and you can smell it, see some green and you know it is just waiting for warmer days - and why wouldn't you. I sure as hell would wait until its warmer before I put my best leaves out!

Now lemon verbena is a truly beautiful smell, it reminds me of lemon sherbet almost fizzing as you smell it - not like say lemon balm for example which has that household cleaner more astringent lemon smell.

So what can you do with Lemon Verbena, well you can make your own herb teas, pick the leaves fresh, add some ginger and steep.  Or you can dry the leaves for pot pourri.  I just tend to leave mine in its pot and enjoy crushing a leaf or picking a leaf as I make my way around the garden.  I think this year I will pot the verbena on and make sure it has some fresh compost and food for the year ahead.

I agree it does look dead, but have faith.  I did give it a prune to reduce the straggly bits and promote new growth - watch this space......