Herbs to Love in July

It’s July, and that means the peak of summer’s heat! While I admit it isn’t my favorite time of year, I try to find joy and connection in being present and mindful no matter the season. Of course, part of that means leaning into plants—especially soothing, cooling, summertime ones that can help me keep my cool!

So, here are a few of those July plants!

Lemon Balm: This herb is a wonderful way to cool off in the summer heat. A cousin of mint, lemon balm is a soothing nervine herb with a delicious, fresh citrusy scent and taste. Pluck the leaves right off the plant and brew sun tea, make popsicles or pesto, or rub a bit on your wrists to enjoy the calming and uplifting scent— aromatherapy right from the source. 

Blackberry: These jewels are ripe for the picking in July! In fact, July’s full moon is sometimes called the Blackberry Moon for that very reason. Among the vines you find these delicious berries that can make for tasty summer treats, and also perhaps brambles to offer spiritual (and literal) boundaries and protection. 

Basil: A good luck charm for July! Basil abounds during this time of summer heat, and it is not only a perfect pairing with delicious fresh foods, an effective addition to bug-repellent sprays (and bug bite salves), and even a unique pairing with fruits in cocktails and mocktails. Basil is also connected to love, luck, protection, and prosperity and can be a potent ingredient in charms or even tucked into a pocket. (Or sprinkled onto lunch!) 

Lemon: Bring on the lemonade! For entirely practical reasons, lemons are the perfect vehicle for making cold herbal beverages to cool us off in the July heat. (Think mint lemonade! Tulsi lemonade! Lavender lemonade!) But beyond the mundane, lemon has spiritual ties to purification, joy, and love! 

Rosemary: My rosemary plants thrive in the summer sun, and they are some of the most aromatic and magical plants! Full of luck, protection, healing, and a gorgeous pungent aroma, you never go wrong planting rosemary near your door to stand as sentinel and welcome you home. Rosemary is an incredibly healthy medicinal herb that aids memory and mental acuity, relaxes and calms, aids sleep, assists with clarity and divination, and boosts the immune system. Of course rosemary is wonderful in savory dishes, but don’t sleep on adding it to teas, fruity drinks, and skin products. 

Lavender: After harvesting lots of lavender at the flower farm in June, I am still loving leaning on its floral goodness in July. (Not to mention my own lavender flourishing in my herb garden!) Lavender is my oldest herbal friend: it’s the first plant I developed a deeper relationship with. Summer is the perfect time to embrace lavender’s beautiful scent in cool foot baths, cold drinks (see that lemonade suggestion above), sunburn-soothing hydrosols, and so much more! The calming, dreamy magic of lavender boosts love and restfulness, too.

Which herbs do you love in July?