This seems like more of a question for the Herb's forum.

Hi eibren,
I am not sure where zones 5 & 6 are.
Based on what you grow I can suggest stinging nettles; good stuff.

You could check out the catalog for this nursery for more ideas on hardy herbs for your area.

The Herbs forum would be a good place to ask this question and get suggestions for regional books on herbs.

Thank you for your responses and link, but the Herbs forum is for herbs for flavoring to use in cooking.

This is the forum for all things to do with herbs traditionally seen as being useful for curative purposes, including information about the individual plants, their forms and growth characteristics, how to raise and care for them, and how they have been traditionally and historically used.

The recent focus in this forum on modern medical herbal uses and chemistry is just one of the many aspects of herbalism.

In doing searches, I was surprised to see that the most active thread of this type was indeed in the Herbs forum, and that there was another excellent one on planting herbs for bees in yet another forum. It would be nice if the more memorable threads on the care and traditional uses of herbs with a history of medicinal uses were actually being made in the forum designed for that--this one--don't you think?

I think it would be inappropriate to delve too deeply into traditional medicinal herb lore in other forums, where the overarching precautions against incautious use are not as prevalent.

Brendan, zones 5 and 6 are for such places as Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and areas with similar winter temperatures. Where I live, the lowest winter temperature is usually 0 degrees F, and the last frost date is May 15. I could consider myslef to be in zone 6a, but only with some risk, as I live north of Reeser's Summit.

eibren> Thank you for your responses and link, but the Herbs forum is for herbs for flavoring to use in cooking.

No. It is for herbs of all sorts - culinary, medicinal, for dye, etc. Culinary herbs are typically popular topics and especially this time of year when people are starting seeds and planning gardens but go back and look through back posts and you will see a very wide range of topics, including medicinal herbs.

The advice you got here was good - ask your question on the Herbs forum. A number of the regulars, myself included, live in the zones you are asking about and can speak from personal experience about herbs that do well.

FataMorgana

Hi! I live in US6, SWPA. I grow perennially, easily: SUN: oregano, thyme, marshmallow, elecampagne, roses of all sorts, lavenders, st. johnswort, joe pye, yarrows, lily of the valley, marjoram, strawberries, currants, orange butterfly weed, mints of all sorts, valerian, schizandra, chaste tree, sorrel, mullein, violets, honeysuckles, burdocks, dandelions, docks, plantains, horseradish, tansy, rue, poke, coneflower, bergamot, feverfew & the ever ubiquitous Japanese knotweed... SHADE: witch hazel, lenten roses, sweet woodruff, lungwort, foxgloves, lady's mantel, black & blue cohoshes & locals including canadian ginger, mayapple & trilium (both popping up now). Annually, in raised beds or patio pots I grow calendula, sages, rosemary, tarragon, chia, gotu kola, geraniums...

I could not get rid of the skullcap--had it for years-- full sun--until I overseeded heavily with larkspur & I think that just finally shaded it out.

Things that in the southern US would require afternoon shade don't up here unless it's been a long, dry stretch. My soil runs the gamut from boggy to retaining wall clay; my light full shade to full sun. I do this on a standard city-sized lot--25 x 100', with an E-W exposure & an additional 4' x 25' retaining wall beside the driveway on the other side of the house & still have enough grass to play a game--albeit confined--of guerrilla bocci.

My suggestion to anyone who wants to set up an herb garden is to decide what you want & why you want it, then network with herbalists & other gardeners & experiment with your land & soil types & go to every garden club plant sale or swap you can find-- people grow the most amazing things.... Even tho' I come from a long line of sustainable city & country gardeners I read books, consult with neighbors, call the cooperative extension for the most simple-assed questions imaginable. And, while some things in my garden have been passed down, literally, through generations & carted from house to house with us-- and while I have spent a considerable amount of money over a considerable number of years on plants-- the majority of my existing, long-term plantings have come from local sources: the aforementioned garden club sales, friendly neighbors and-- I am not ashamed to admit, since my neighborhood has experienced somewhat of an urban decline over the past few decades-- a fair amount of abandoned property plant-poachings & rose rescues.

Every year this time of year I stare at different bits of green popping up and go, "What the h*ll is that?" & tell myself to be patient because in another few days I'll either remember what I put there or somebody will have unwittingly stepped on it or possibly eaten it. Last year Neighbor Joe got a new roof & fixed his gutters & the sweet woodruff under his foundation-grown mulberry all but dried up, though it's going strong about 10' away. This year some of the strawberries also migrated about 15 feet completely around a couple of shrubs towards the north-- they'll probably make Canada in another couple hundred years... & I have no idea where the st. johnswort will show up, but it always does. So trust the garden, as well, to tell you what it needs. And enjoy the adventure.

Thanks, Simplemary. I am finding that local sources provide more reliable plants as well.

Have you ever made herbal use of your knotweed? I've been trying to determine if it is the common weed that has some herbal uses....

Fata, I am confused abut the Herb/Herbalism forums. I would prefer to discuss the medicinal ones on this forum, because the Herbs forum seems to focus on the culinary ones (and, frankly, I don't feel comfortable encouraging new gardeners to plant many of the medicinals). How did this division come about? In older posts, there seem to be gardening references here in the Herbalism forum...?

We've eaten knotweed-- stewed small new stalks (6-8" --otherwise the outer portion of the stalk is really tough) like rhubarb. It's a sour-- like rhubarb, and despite a rather disgusting olive green color, it's quite tasty. Lovely "old fashion" aroma. Good on top of ice cream & tossed in with "sweeter" veggies like green beans & potatoes or fruits (particularly mixed with applesauce)

I have heard that in large quantities (actual meaning of large debatable)it's a mild laxative, but I have not experienced that effect but will attest that it is mucilaginous & perhaps that's part of its manner of working. I recently read that the larger stalks can be made into marmarlades & might just try that soon.

We only started eating it because it seemed the best way to get rid of it-- kind of a predator viewpoint & not terribly successful, but it's a nice wild food to weird out the neighbors...

A few notes on foraging wild foods: be absolutely sure that what you are foraging is what you are looking for (Japanese knotweed-- polygonum c-something-- has NO poisonous look alikes, but lots of other foods do). Also, start with very little to see how your body reacts to it-- they usually have a far "stronger" action on your system than cultivated ones. The first time we ate lily shoots (common orange daylily), they were SOOOOO good that we totally thinned out our patch in one sitting & PAID for it for the next two days (talk about a bowel stimulant!). Of course, wash everything well first & follow the rules of polite wildcrafting.

Have fun!

Oh, well, I guess I could have mentioned that Japanese knotweed has high vitamin A & C contents & components that supposedly help regulate/lower LDL (bad cholesterol).

Spring plants with high Vit A help our bodies slough off dead winter cells-- inside & out. & of course there's that whole bugs bunny good eyesight thing...

eibren>Fata, I am confused abut the Herb/Herbalism forums. I would prefer to discuss the medicinal ones on this forum, because the Herbs forum seems to focus on the culinary ones (and, frankly, I don't feel comfortable encouraging new gardeners to plant many of the medicinals). How did this division come about? In older posts, there seem to be gardening references here in the Herbalism forum...?

Growing medicinal herbs is discussed in the Herbs forum and more so than on this forum. You can take the advice to ask in the Herbs forum or not - it is your choice. The advice was offered to help you.

FataMorgana