This is an excerpt from the article “Healing Allies in the Garden: Medicinal Herbs as Companion Plants” by Erin featured in the Summer Vol 4 | Issue 13 | 2025 edition of Botanical Anthology. To learn about 6 more herbal companion plants to add to your garden, check out the entire article in the magazine! Our herbal magazine, featuring remedies, recipes and projects with plants for the spring season, can be purchased as a digital version here and as a printed version here.
Cultivating Cooperation
Planting medicinal herbs alongside vegetables offers practical benefits and helps build a more resilient, mutually supportive garden ecosystem. These herbs add plant and insect diversity, which is key to healthier soils, stronger plants, and thus greater yields. This relationship-centered approach to gardening has long been practiced by Indigenous cultures and land stewards, reminding us that tending the land is also about reciprocity and care. With a bit of planning and the right plant partnerships, medicinal herbs can reduce pest pressure, attract beneficial insects, and add beauty, flavor, and a deeper sense of connection—nurturing both the garden and the gardener.
Herbal Allies and Who They Grow Well With
This herb adapts well to a variety of garden settings—whether growing in pots on a patio, tucked into raised beds, or scattered throughout in-ground plots.
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) – companion for all
The beautiful purple-blue flowers of anise hyssop are highly attractive to bees and butterflies for pollination. With an upright growth habit, it fits well in borders or containers and helps deter deer and rabbits. A hardy perennial, it returns year after year and may self-seed abundantly if left to go to seed. Regular harvesting can help manage volunteers and keep plants where you want them. The gently sweet flavor of the flowers and leaves are delicious in teas to support upper respiratory health, and as garnishes for summer dishes.
Designing with Intention
Adding medicinal herbs to the veggie garden nurtures both ecosystem health and personal connection. While not every vegetable family is listed here, many of these herbs offer broad benefits across the garden, supporting overall resilience, pollination, and pest balance. These companion plants bring layers of beauty, intention, and learning – inviting gardeners to experiment, observe, and grow alongside the plants they tend.
Erin is a botanist, educator, and community herbalist weaving science and spirit to help people connect with plants and seasonal rhythms. She co-owns Garden Delights Herb Farm and teaches through Plant Magic with Erin, offering workshops, newsletters, and online writings. Find her on Substack at plantmagicwitherin.substack.com or on social media @plantmagicwitherin
