Herbs take up much less time and space than vegetables, can be picked pretty constantly throughout the year, and and rarely need watering because so many of them thrive in hot, dry conditions. Start off by growing herbs on a small scale with a collection of pots on the windowsill or include them in your patio gardening ideas. Anyone can do it, whatever the size of your outdoor space. Herbs are so much easier to grow than many other plants, demanding little but giving so much in return. (Image credit: Alamy) How do you start a herb garden for beginners?
HERB GARDEN DESIGN HOW TO
By keeping it contained you will give a helping hand to your other herbs.įor an easy place to start, find out how to plant a herb pot with our simple step-by-step guide. Mint should always be grown in its own container, even if it's in the ground, as it's a prolific grower so can smother other herbs. These herbs don't like the soil to dry out so tend to prefer shadier conditions. Put shade loving herbs like mint, dill, parsley and chives together.
HERB GARDEN DESIGN FREE
Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and make sure the soil is gritty and free draining so the roots of the plants are not waterlogged. Group Mediterranean sun-loving herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano together as they all like the same growing conditions. An indoor garden planted up with lots of useful and tasty herbs definitely gets our vote. It's such a simple idea but it looks so effective! When it comes to herb garden ideas the best thing is to use your imagination and come up with something that suits your style.Ī design like this could also be a stylish way to zone an open-plan space in your home. They can be reconfigured to come up with a framework design that suits your purposes then spray painted for a sleek finish or left as they are for a more industrial look. Sections of old iron or copper pipework or rods from metal bed frames make great frames to hang a collection of herb pots from. The string bows add a special little detail. However, if they're not painted or varnished and left out in the rain then they might rust on the outside.ĭrill holes in the bottom of the cans to ensure good drainage but you can probably get away with this step as long as you don’t overwater the plants. Instead add a layer of grit in the base before adding the compost.Īs one of the easiest herbs around, this is a good option for growing rosemary. Sometimes it's worth asking at cafes and restaurants to see if they have any super-sized olive oil or tomato cans going spare as these come with pretty designs on them and make great planters.įood cans are the best to upcycle into planters as they have a coating inside to stop them rusting. Peel off the labels and naked tin cans look great and even better they all match for a co-ordinated look. Add some of the best herbs to grow indoors and then line up rows of tins on the windowsill for a stylish display. Whether you're making an indoor herb garden or an outdoor one tin cans are really useful. (Image credit: Albina Yalunina/GettyImages) If you're learning how to grow mint, for example, bear in mind that it can take over so grow it in a separate pocket planter to avoid it becoming invasive. Pallet garden wall ideas can also be a brilliant option as they will give you more space for your herb garden, allowing you to grow larger plants. But it very much depends on the size of your vertical garden. The best herbs to grow in a vertical planter tend to be smaller plants with a minimal root system, since they weigh less and require less soil. Plants that need more water are also likely to do better near the base of the planter, where they can receive extra run-off from the plants above. Herbs are a good choice for vertical planting as they like it dry so you don't need to water them as much as flowers and vegetables. Korean mint, Mexican mint ( Agastache urticifolia 'Honey Bee Blue')Ģ3.If your growing area is limited, it's worth considering vertical garden ideas so you don't take up too much of your precious ground space. Tricolored sage ( Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor')Ģ2. Hardy rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp')Ģ1. Variegated lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis 'Aurea')ġ8. Purple basil ( Ocimum basilicum 'Red Rubin')ġ6. Dwarf Joe-pye weed ( Eupatorium purpureum 'Galaxy')ġ4. Bee balm ( Monarda didyma 'Cerise Queen' or 'Blue Stocking')ġ3. Purple sage ( Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens')ġ2. Thread-leaf tickseed ( Coreopsis 'Moonbeam')ġ1. Golden oregano ( Origanum vulgare 'Aureum')ĩ. Purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea)Ĩ. Purple basil ( Ocimum basilicum 'Purple Osmin')ħ. Periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus), a lavender varietyĥ. Dwarf Mexican sage ( Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara')Ĥ. Lush garden herbs combined with other plants for visual interest allow your garden to provide the usefulness of edibles for cooking and crafts, while offering plenty of pleasing qualities for the eye.ġ.