Herb Garden Design

In this section, we'll discuss the various types of herb gardens and other optional homes for your herbs, and then leave you with some tips for planning and preparing the site.

One of the first things to decide upon when planning your herb garden is the
size. Plan for more space than you will initially use (those extra spaces can be mulched to inhibit weed growth) because you can save lots of money by going slowly -- propagating from seeds you collect from your mature plants, and using cuttings, division and layering. Also, as mentioned in Part 1, you may want to add different types of herbs later as your knowledge and interest grows.

Another thing to consider -- will you want strictly herbs in your herb garden?
Many herbs are beautiful in early summer but rather scraggly looking for the rest of the season. So if appearance is important, you can intersperse the herbs with other plants.

The herb garden may be as formal or informal as you like. Below is a small sampling of options (for thousands of visuals, search Google Images):

Formal Herb Gardens are composed of a series of well-balanced, but not identical, beds. The herbs, often grown in rows, are arranged by height, foliage color, and/or use. Wide paths separate the beds, creating a sense of spaciousness. Statuary, topiaries and container-grown plants appoint these gardens.

Here are two examples of formal gardens:

Circular: This is sectioned like a pie, with each slice filled with herbs and separated by a pathway (made of anything from brick to gravel). A sundial, statue, water fountain or other focal point stands in the center.

Knot: Carried over from the 16th century, the plants (usually herbs) create intricate, geometric designs within a square or rectangle knot. Compact, low-growing herbs work best.

Informal options include:

Kitchen garden: This is generally a small garden with culinary herbs grown within a convenient distance from the kitchen. The kitchen garden may include other herbs as well, such as for teas and extracts.

Container Garden: This is a good option when yard space is limited (or the home is only temporary). The herbs can be grown in a variety of containers arranged in an attractive display on a patio, deck, walkway or balcony.

Landscape Enhancement: Herbs can be used as attractive and fragrant groundcovers, and taller herbs can be arranged with various plants.

Raised Beds: This is a great option when there's poor drainage, but as you will see in Part 3, it's not the only option. Raised beds can be created to be very attractive.

When considering how you will grow your herbs, keep these facts in mind:

Contrasting textures, colors, shades and shapes creates an intriguing effect,
although just as with interior design, this is not necessary for an attractive arrangement.

Edging the herb garden adds definition, making the garden look like it belongs
in the landscape.

A bench, sundial, or other object can add an attractive focal point that creates a unified effect.

Since the afternoon sun is strongest, most herbs in northern climates will appreciate exposure to afternoon sun, while in the south, most herbs benefit afternoon shade.

The site must be well drained. If it's not, you will need to use either raised beds or replace about 2 feet of soil with organic matter (more on this in Part 3).

Annual herbs often require more water than perennial herbs; watering will be easier if you group plants accordingly.

Now that you have lots to think about, it's time to start jotting down your ideas and researching the herbs you want. Once you've decided on the type of herb garden you want, sketch it out on paper. Using abbreviations, pencil in what will go where while taking into consideration the design elements and growing requirements mentioned above, as well as staging (shorter plants in front, taller towards the back), grouping of plants (such as by watering, sun or shade requirements), color and succession of flowering.