Herb Garden Design Tips

by John Schepper

Most herbs are hardy plants and can be planted almost anywhere. However, you can enhance their attractiveness based on where and how you display them.

My favorite way for a small garden is an old wheelbarrow -- particularly one with a bit of character -- which will hold quite a few plants and gives the added benefit of being moveable for viewing, or to protect them when the weather becomes unfavorable.

Next is a gazebo which you can make attractive with some ornamentals. Or consider a sun dial, bird bath, and garden statue, which can be decorated around their bases with a selection of herbs. For a nice effect -- and practicality -- build a brick path to each location.

Train climbers like morning glory or hop vine to climb a lamp post or series of fence posts. If you leave an outdoor light on, these plants will show off their colors beautifully after dark.

Use fences and walls, and stone or brick paths -- crannies and crevices make great places for herbs. Or simply line up pots of herbs along a wall base or path edge. If you choose to plant between stones and bricks, consider sturdy plants such as thyme, particularly T. albus, T. coccineus, T. Annie, K. Hall, T. britannicus, T. lanuginous, and T. pulchellus. Corsican mint is another option but may need to be replanted every year as it is vulnerable to cold.

To edge a path, a walkway, or a terrace, use low, compact herbs such as hyssop, rue, santolina, white sage, rosemary, or box. Parsley, bush basil, and marjoram also work quite well. Alternatively, use large pots of herbs to create the edge -- plant tarragon, sage, rosemary, bushy sweet basil, lemon balm or any of the mints and you will have wonderful aromas as well as herbs to use in the kitchen.

From a practical point of view, an oversized wooden tub by the kitchen door will make herbs such as chives, parsley, basil, thyme, marjoram, savory, lemon balm, and spearmint readily available to take you through a culinary year.

Of course, if you have a vegetable garden, you can certainly plant herbs there as well. However, make sure you do a little research on compatibility and companion plants -- some plants like each other and some don't!

Lack of space shouldn't deter you. We hope these tips will get you going with some unusual ways to display herbs so that you enjoy their look as well as their other attributes.