Winning Herb Garden Design

When thinking about planting an herb garden, many people immediately jump to herb garden design, and while it’s good to have a plan, it’s not the first place to start.

The first thing you need to consider before creating your herbal garden design is the climate in which you live. If you live in a cooler climate, then you should really think about planting a potted herb garden instead of planting a garden in the ground. The reason for this is that many species of herbs are very sensitive to cold temperatures. The same is true with some herbs in very warm climates, such as the desert southwest. So you’ll need choose your herbs carefully.

Next you’ll need to consider what you will use your herbs for. While it may seem like a no brainer to some that herbs are used for cooking, herbs have been used for millennial as medicine. Some herbs that are suitable for medicine are not suitable for ingesting (deadly nightshade comes to mind) so depending upon what you want to do with them, you will plant different types of herbs.

Finally, before you get to herb garden design, decide how you will start your plants. If you plan to start them from seed, then you’ll need to start a little earlier than if you buy the seedlings at the garden center. This is really a matter of personal preference, so it’s all up to you.

Now on to the actual herbal garden design. There are a number of possibilities with a variety of elements. If you want to plant your garden in the ground, there are a number of herb garden design layouts for every taste. If you like the English gardens of centuries past, plant your herbs in a symmetrical design with a center focal point, such as a fountain. If you are less formal, try a design with a winding flagstone path, with small statues or gazing balls scattered throughout.

There is another possibility for herbal garden design as well. You can plant a container garden, and this is a great idea for a few reasons. Container gardens don’t need to be boring, contrary to popular belief. You can add a sense of whimsy by using things like old olive oil cans in a variety of size to plant your Italian herb garden. The same is true of any type of container that can hold plants, while still having drainage. The next reason that container gardens are great is because they are portable. You can move them to wherever you’d like them, and even bring them in during the extreme heat or cold.

The reason that herb gardens are so popular is that they are inexpensive, simple to grow and the possibilities are nearly endless. Herbal garden design need not be complicated or overly manicured, unless that’s what you want to do. The choice is all yours. So spend some time doing some research as to the herbs and designs that you like and then get going.