Designing the Perfect Herb Garden

An herb garden is a wonderful thing to have. You may think of an herb garden as an already specialized type of garden, but there are actually many ways you can design a very specific herb garden. Here’s a look at a few ideas to fire up your imagination…

Everyone Loves Beautiful Butterflies

If you have little ones then this is a great idea for an herb garden. Plant a garden filled with certain herbs they love and you’ll always have a butterfly oasis to enjoy. The only thing you have to remember here is that bees will always be attracted to the flowers that pop up from your herbs. So make sure that you’re cutting those flower buds down before they spring up and turn your butterfly oasis into a bee-fest. Some herbs that butterflies will adorn are:

• Lavender
• Coneflower
• Borage
• Catnip
• Oregano
• Buddleia, chamomile
• Dill
• Parsley

Keep it muddy. Yep… while you wouldn’t want icky, muddy puddles around most gardens it’s essential for your butterfly garden. Male butterflies hang out in the mud puddles during mating season for sodium and minerals that are found in the soil. You should also have a shallow dish or two placed in or near your butterfly herb garden with a little bit of water in it.

Beginner Friendly Herb Gardens

If you’re hesitant about starting your own garden and just don’t have as green of thumb as you think you need then maybe a beginner’s garden is your best choice. Simple herbs can go a long way when you want to add a special touch to dinner. Herbs to consider are:

• Dill
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme
• Parsley
• Chives
• Cilantro

You’ll notice that the sage will grow too big for your garden. When that happens, simply take it out and replace with more parsley. Line a small square space in the yard with timber, let your garden grow knee-high and enjoy the view!

Break Boundaries with a Mixed Garden

Just because your main intent may be to have delightful spices for use in the kitchen (or even first aid and other natural remedies), don’t think that you have to stick to strictly herbs. Combining a mixture of flowers or veggies in the garden is quite common. Try planting mint, chives and southernwood with cabbage, carrots and eggplant. If that doesn’t sound too enticing, then maybe plant a combination of potatoes and tomatoes with some monarda. If you have a taste for Mediterranean flavors, plant a Mediterranean herb garden that has parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary and marjoram. The possibilities are endless really.

No matter what kind of herb garden you find yourself attracted to, be sure to plan your garden so that it gets a lot of warm, direct sunlight. Most herbs don’t like cool, shady areas. If you’re planting a garden in the yard, make sure it’s in an area that isn’t often blocked by trees or your home. If you’re simply creating a window herb garden, choose a window that is in the sunlight most of the day.