seeds and imagining the non-stop pleasure of harvesting throughout the following seasons. Now is the time to get to know the plants on paper; discover what conditions suit them best and check that you have the right soil and site for them. Then decide on the shape of the herb garden and the range of plants you want to grow.
NOTE
Herbs are adaptable plants that will grow in most conditions, extremes of cold, drought and moisture excluded. Most originate from hot climates and thrive in well-drained, infertile sandy soils. In the wild, herbs are not constantly harvested, so fertile soil is not necessary, and the aromatic oils produced in their leaves and stems help prevent excessive loss of water.
In the garden, you may have to offer the plants a little extra help to ensure they perform well. In cold areas, winter shelter from chilly, drying winds is necessary to prevent evergreens such as bay turning brown. In summer, the plants will benefit from the shelter and shade provided by herb hedges and wooden fencing.
If the soil is infertile, work in well-rotted, home-made compost or a bagged, proprietary compost in autumn or spring. The added compost gives the plants extra nutrients so they keep producing new shoots throughout the growing season. The addition of compost will also help water retention in dry soils. Heavy clay soils need similar additions of compost to open them up and prevent waterlogging. Clay soils also need gravel or coarse material such as sand worked in to make them free draining.
Choosing the site
For best results, choose a site in full sun, protected from cold or drying winds and with soil that is well manured, well dug and drains efficiently. Naturally, in exceptionally dry seasons you will have to water the plants. Remember that herbs in containers may need watering at least once a day, especially in sunny sites during dry, warm spells.
For you, easy access to the herb garden is essential. If you plan to grow herbs solely for kitchen use and have limited space, choose a site near the back door. That way, you can harvest fresh herbs in all weathers, just a step outside the kitchen.
Making a plan
Before you begin to mark out the site or prepare the soil, draw a plan on paper. Measure the chosen area of the garden. Scale down the actual measurements so that you can fit them on to sketch paper or squared graph paper. 1 metre can be represented by 4cm (1 m = 4cm). The sides of the original plan shown measured 12 × 12cm, representing 3 × 3m. If you use imperial measure, scale the measurements down so that the actual measurement of 10 × 10ft is represented by a square with sides 5 × 5in (ie 2ft = 1 in).
Shape is an important consideration. You may want a square herb garden with equal sides, or prefer a rectangle to take into account an existing site with irregular sides. Circular herb gardens are attractive and suit a small garden. In a large herb garden you could combine squares, rectangles, triangles and circles (see diagram).
Once the plan is on paper, indicate the points of the compass to give it a directional reference – knowing where the sun casts shadow or is at its strongest helps you position plants correctly. You can then avoid planting tall herbs where they block out light for less vigorous or low-growing plants.
Paths and other features
Whatever the size and shape of your herb bed, you need to be able to work the soil from all angles without treading on it and flattening it with your feet. Similarly, you need to be able to maintain the plants without damaging them, and may need to create access paths. These allow a circulation of air in and around the herb beds, thereby reducing the likelihood of disease. Sensibly planned paths also divide a large herb garden into manageable units and form the framework for herb hedges.
Mark any proposed paths on the plan. At this stage you may decide on a central feature such as a sundial or an old chimney pot, statuary or a bird bath, which can also be shown on the plan.
Now you are ready to make the most important decision of all: which herbs to grow. If your space is limited, grow only the basic herbs that you enjoy and know you will use often.
Chives, parsley, sage, thyme, rosemary, mint, tarragon and bay are eight favourites that provide year-round flavour in fresh, frozen or dried form. Chives, a perennial plant that dies down in winter, can be potted up in autumn to grow indoors. Parsley normally survives outdoors but for convenience can be grown indoors in winter. Sage, thyme and rosemary are evergreen perennials that will survive most winters unprotected in mild climates. Bay plants in containers and those in cold areas need protection from wintry winds in exposed sites. Mint and tarragon, also perennials, die back in winter, but you can persuade them to keep growing by providing a little gentle heat, or ‘forcing’ them. Pot up rooted pieces of mint, grow them on a warm windowsill or in a greenhouse and keep them well watered. Tarragon can be treated similarly, but if you leave it growing outdoors in winter, protect its roots with a straw cover or mulch.
Herb seed specialists provide a wide range of herb and wildflower seeds, while general seed merchants stock the most popular and basic culinary herbs. Most herbs are easily grown from seed, but some require special conditions of heat or cold to get best results. Seed catalogues generally describe ideal sowing conditions, eventual size and harvest time for the individual herbs.
Perennials
Perennial herbs produce new growth and flowers each year and survive for many seasons. It is best to buy them as young plants or raise them from cuttings or by division, as it may take a while to establish them from seedlings, or they may not grow well from seed. On the other hand it may be worth considering growing from seed those that will, if you need large numbers of plants.
Annuals and biennials
The easiest herbs to grow from seed are annuals. They germinate quickly and develop in one growing season into plants that produce flowers and set seed. Annuals can be hardy (grow outdoors in all weathers), half-hardy (need a little protection while they are young) or tender (need very warm weather to grow outdoors).
Herbs that take two seasons to reach maturity and set seed are called biennials. These can be sown in spring and used through the first year, but once they have flowered in the second year they will set seed and die. You are likely to have many new plants from their seed, as they self sow abundantly.
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