Tips for Creating an Aromatic Herb Garden

Creating a herb garden is easy – herbs are ancient plants from the Mediterranean and hard to kill off! There are around sixty varieties of herbs and they are generally classified as either aromatic, culinary, ornamental or medicinal. Of course some varieties fit in to more than one classification. Creating an aromatic herb garden will be one that not only smells great, but is useful in the kitchen as well. The oil in the herb is what gives the plants their smell and taste.

Culinary herbs are the most popular and useful to gardeners. Their strong flavors enhance many dishes. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme are names we are probably familiar with in the kitchen. And of course there is the popular basil. Anything cooked with tomatoes is enhanced by this wonderful herb. Garlic is another favourite. It is also been thought of to have many medicinal properties and it helps keep most pests out of the herb garden.

Aromatic herbs smell good! Some are used in cooking; others are grown for use in aromatherapy. The beauty of aromatic herbs is that they retain their smell after being dried. Familiar aromatic herbs are basil, mint, chamomile, rosemary, lemon verbena and marjoram. Ornamental herbs produce attractive flowers and foliage. Mint, lavender and thyme are examples of these.

There are many formal herb gardens, using intricate designs and patterns. You may wish to start out small and then develop your herb garden as you gain experience. To grow herbs you must select a sunny, open spot in the garden. Most herbs need six to eight hours of sunlight per day. The sunlight enhances the herbs’ oils. The pH of the soil needs to be between 6.5 and 7.0 to produce healthy herbs of good quality. The soil should be well-drained, not too moist. Only a few herbs, such as mint and lovage like wet soil. The soil should be prepared to a depth of about eight inches and dug through with general organic matter. If you are planting annuals, these are best grown from seed. Perennial herbs can be successfully grown from seedlings. Do not let your herbs dry out, even though they are considered drought-tolerant. Periodic watering is required to ensure active growth.

The oils in herbs are at their highest concentration in the morning so this is the best time to harvest them. Wash them in cold water and use for cooking as required. Or if you wish to dry your herbs, lay them on a drying rack and leave for a few days. Rub the herbs between your fingers – if they crumble into a powder they are dry.

Enjoy the smells in your garden when you brush by your herb garden. Plants such as basil and thyme release their fragrance when leaves are disturbed. Enjoy them a second time when you cook with your herbs. Herbs are fantastic, versatile plants for you to take pleasure in.

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