Choosing Sites for Growing Herbs
Important Factors to Assess
Every form of garden is artificial and success depends on how well we can match or duplicate the natural environment of the plant in nature. Factors such as type of plant, the soil requirements, the sun exposure and the local temperature range all need to be considered. This may sound overwhelming but just check out the local nurseries in your area and you’ll surely be able to grow healthy herbs, with a little bit of advice from them.
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Try to identify the warmest sheltered parts of your garden, the areas with the best drainage or dappled shade, corners where frost lingers or the sun arrives first in the morning and allocate herbs according to their preference.
Planning a Small Herb Border
Herbs for the back – 3 feet tall
Perennials: – angelica, artemisia, bergamot, elecampane, fennel, liquorice. lovage, meadowsweet, rosemary, sea holly, shrub roses
Annuals: – alexanders, foxglove, mullein
Herbs for the middle – 1.5 to 3 feet tall
Perennials: – agrimony, balm, chicory, comfrey, costmary, curry plant, lavender, rampion, rue, sage, dantolina, southernwood, St John’s wort, tansy, tarragon, valerian, white horehound
Annuals: – borage, bugloss, caraway, dill
Herbs for the front – up to 1.5 feet tall
Perennials: – bistort, calamint, catmint, chamomile, chives, herb bennet, hyssop, lady’s smock, marjoram, mint, sedum, sorrel, thyme, mint, winter savory, wormwood, yarrow
Annuals: – anise, basil, chervil, clary, coriander, cumin, marigold, parsley, summer savory
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If you prefer a circular bed then simply place the larger plants in the center of the bed and keep surrounding them with the lower growing herbs. You really can’t go wrong, whatever you do will be satisfying. One word of advice, if you are a beginning gardener be aware that plants spread and multiply rapidly. When I first began gardening I never allowed enough space for my plants.
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I have a very tiny city lot with hardly any ground space but I’m amazed at how many herbs I can grow just from a small square meter of soil
It’s important to define areas when growing the invasive herbs like mint, basil, flax among many others. Surf the internet before you plant any herb. I didn’t and had to totally re-plan my herb garden.