Herb garden plants can make your home or garden come alive with scents of lavender or a host of the freshest spices for your meals. If you are a beginner, start with no more than ten plants. Maintaining an herb garden can be a little overwhelming if you have never had one. Your first year can be fun and exciting if planned just right.
Herbs like lots of sunshine and do not like to be saturated with water so a raised bed should be part of your herb garden plans. Four to six hours of sunshine will work just fine and build up your bed so your little plants are never sitting in a pool of water.
There are four different types of herbs that you may consider as a theme in your herb garden plans. Fragrance, culinary, medicinal and cosmetic are all choices for the seasoned herb grower but the beginner may choose to start with culinary for the first year. Read up on all the benefits that different herbs can be used for and you will find many different types of herbs that you may want to experiment with.
Providing an area for your herbs is important as they may spread and having in a designated spot will help the weeding go easier. Weeding is important in keeping your roots healthy. Many herb garden plans are designed close to the kitchen door since this is the room where all of the drying and preparation of food takes place. Nothing is easier or more rewarding than stepping outside your kitchen door and clipping off some fresh tarragon for your chicken meal.
Choosing a spot for your garden can be as easy as making a circle, square, rectangle or planting along a walkway or patio. You might even consider incorporating in an existing flowerbed where your existing plants thrive. Anywhere that can provide proper sun coverage and drainage will work just fine. In your herb garden plans, decide which plants are annuals, that last only one season or perennial that will return year after year so you don’t replant over the top of them.
Some basic starting herbs to consider in your herb garden plans might include basil, chives, dill, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, campanula, catmint and cilantro. In your first year, you will discover that the sage will get larger than the rest so transplant in another spot and fill in the hole with parsley. After your first year you will see how the plants look against each other and you can better make your herb garden plans for the next year.
Lavender will make your garden bring out a scent that is absolutely luscious so spread some around and bring your chair over or build a high border where you can just sit and enjoy. Herb garden plans can create a sanctuary of pleasant, fresh food additives unlike any other found in a store and bring hours of joy with tending and preparing but planning is the key. Make your first year a pleasant one and you will look forward to adding different herbs in the following years.
