I built a herb table and grew oregano on my porch. I guess it created some seeds which ended up in my yard so now I have a few randomly placed oregano plants. I remember reading that you can use oregano as an ornamental plant in your landscaping. It appears to be cold hardy since it survived the winter. Do you need a special kind of oregano to do that, or should the kitchen herb type work just fine?

Oregano, lots of varieties. I grow Hill Top Oregano in south Texas year round, it blooms, reseeds, and is now 3 or 4 years old. Yes, it likes heat, not sure if the plant could handle snow, but the seeds would return in Spring. It makes a mound in my garden and I harvest and dry and send to the kids spice collections- I had just moved it as it was growing in a small kids wading pool for 2 years while I built it a bed.

With ornamental plants it's also what you consider aesthetically pleasing. If you like the look of your oregano....

That said, there is oregano grown specifically for its looks. I have a Kent Beauty Oregano which has a trailing habit that is nice in pots or raised beds. Not terribly flavourful so not intended for cookery.

If I am going to have an herb, it best be edible, chuckl. Mine is looking about ready to bloom, I have already gathered enough to dry and bottle for the grandkids, what you have should do fine

I grow two different kinds of oregano for their ornamental value as a ground: Greek oregano is is a culinary herb and variegated oregano which is primarily ornamental. Both a very hardy in my zone 5a garden and have come back for many years.

Ornamental oregano a beautiful plant growing in the garden in a border or dried displayed in a floral arrangement.

Dried ornamental oregano.