Your Garden-It’s a Question of Scale

Starting Small

An herb garden can be any size, from a few pots on a kitchen windowsill to an extensive and complex layout. The choice is yours, dictated only by the amount of space available to plant and the time you can devote to it. Future posts will cover each possibility in more depth with recommended plants for different styles of garden.

Many herbs grow well in pots, so for many people that is a low impact way to start growing herbs. In fact, invasive herbs like mint are frequently better grown in the confined area a pot or planter provides. Rectangular planters offer space to plant several herbs together and can be set on your deck, porch steps or on a stand. Be sure to choose plants that will not overrun each other; anything in the mint family should be planted by itself.

If you have more space and would like something larger but still low-maintenance, think about a raised bed. These containers can be purchased ready-made, built from kits or from plans available online or in books. Beds can be set at ground level with framed sides or made taller for easier access. Older people like myself can continue to garden without the pain of kneeling or stooping if the bed is built high enough for them to tend easily. One thing that is often overlooked is the width of the raised bed, particularly if a vegetable planting is planned. The bed should be no wider than you can comfortably reach across unless you can access it from both sides.

The most famous herb gardens are always in-ground plantings and if you have the land available and are able to tend one, you will have the opportunity for a greater variety of plants. Larger herb gardens can be arranged by plant family, use, color or theme depending on your preference. They can range from a small kitchen garden with frequently used herbs to a complex knot garden or even a production garden for resale. If you have the space and the sun, a field of lavender is a gorgeous sight in full bloom.

Whatever your choice, having your own herb garden is accessible to anyone and can offer hours of enjoyment with delicious and practical results.