An introduction on how to design a successful herb garden by Mavis McQuade
I thought I would do a talk on making a Herb Garden. Herbs are a large subject and historically they have been used for hundreds of years. Saskia has already given us talks on using herbs for medecine and cosmetics and I've thinking about them from a culinary point of view hence a talk on producing them in our gardens.
Making a Herb Garden
We are lucky here in as much as many of the most used herbs are common to our climate and many are happiest in alkaline soil. Also the terroir cuisine here makes full use of them - what would we do without Thyme, Rosemary and Bay?
There is nothing nicer when cooking than just popping in the garden for the necessary fresh herbs.
Planning
Position
If possible it is best to have your herbs close to the kitchen door. It is no fun having to go way down the garden in the dark or pouring rain. Neither does one want to walk too far for a bayleaf or a sprig of thyme. Of course one can have herbs dotted all around the garden but a patch devoted can be very attractive and practical.
When you have decided on your position, size and shape, it is a good idea to define it with an edging. This can be made with stones, wood, or better still with plants themselves. I will not recommend box though very attractive, it now has problems with caterpillars and box blight and needs work in clipping.
Better still is to have something more natural. When I first started mine I took seedlings of our native thyme from my wild terrace. They grew quite quickly and were successful for a number of years looking pretty when flowering and attractive to the bees. When they got too old and woody I started replacing them with Teucrium chamaedrys (Germander) which can be trained like a miniature box hedge and also flowers dark pink. I bought one plant and have been making cuttings regularly but I have now found the stems are rather brittle. Of course doing it this way takes time but is rather satisfying. Unfortunately this year I did not get round to clipping it back so it is rather straggly.
Soil Preparation
Most herbs are happiest in alkaline to neutral soil so dig over your patch and improve it if necessary with compost. Do not take out all the small stones as these help with drainage.
Nearly all herbs need a good amount of sunshine, very few will grow in shade, neither do they like strong wind.
They should survive without added fertilizer though in autumn or spring I give a top dressing of fumier de mouton. Water about once a week depending on weather.
Spacing
Most herbs need little space but if your bed is deep a few carefully placed stepping stones help one to pick the herbs you require without doing too much damage. I have a path behind and the front of the bed goes on to gravel. If the bed is against the wall put taller plants like Bay or Fennel to the back of the bed. A Bay tree grows quite large and needs clipping so it needs space to grow and receive attention.
Also herbs can be grown successfully in a walled raised bed, pots and planters. One can also keep a patch free to scatter a few seeds like Parsley, Coriander and Rocket.
You are now ready for planting. Make sure you plant herbs with woody stems deeply, up to the foliage. One can put a mulch down after planting which makes the herbs more distinctive and also keeps the moisture in.
Lists of Herbs
Plants for edging
Buxus - Box
Santolina
Lavandula - Lavender
Thymus vulgaris - Native Thyme
Teucrium chamaedrys - Germander
Basilicum
Culinary Herbs
Ocimum basilicum - Basil
Laurus nobilis - Bay
Anthriscus cerefolium - Chervil
Allium schoenoprasum - Chives
Carum carvi - Caraway
Coriandrum sativum - Coriander
Anethem graveolens - Dill
Foeniculum vulgare - Fennel (Bronze fennel)
Allium sativum - Garlic
Origanum unites, O. marjoram, O. vulgare - Marjoram
Basil & Sage
Mentha rotundifolia - Mint (Apple Mint) - spreads like mad (can sink a large plastic pot)
Mentha spicata - Spearmint
Origano - see Marjoram
Petroselinum - Parsley, 2 types flat and curly
Parsley
Rosemarinus officinalis - Rosemary
Salvia officinalis - Sage
Satureja hortensis - Summer Savory
Artemisia dracunculus (French variety) - Taragon
Thymus vulgaris - Native Thyme
Attractive Plants for a Herb Garden
Artemisias
Camomile
Lavandula - Lavender
Calendula officinalis - Marigold (pot M)
Trapaeolum majus - Nasturtium
Calendula officinalis
Photos: Landscape Photos and fresh herbs all from Mavis's garden.
