There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow when one is designing a herb garden. It may be as simple as tucking them among the flowers and vegetables in existing beds or grouping them in terra cotta pots on the patio. If you feel you would like to plan a separate area just for herbs, these are a few ideas that will make your garden easier to maintain and enjoy.
Make a list of herbs that you would like to grow, and divide the list into annuals and perennials. The annuals can be further divided into cool-season and warm-season herbs. Some gardeners plant annuals together in one section of the garden and fill in after these have died with annuals for the next season. In this manner, you won't leave empty spaces in the garden.
Herbs need good drainage, and most of them need at least six hours of sunlight daily. A few herbs that can tolerate some shade are lemon balm, mints, tarragon, and parsley. Herbs are quite resistant to insect problems but do require gentle pruning. Cut the growth tips to force growth from the base and to encourage branching.
A simple and classic design is a square plot dissected diagonally by paths with a centered bed containing a bay tree, rosemary, tree rose, or birdbath. To make your garden unique, consider selecting a theme such as a garden for hummingbirds, bees, potpourri, tea, medicinal, or culinary. Keep in mind texture, shapes, and color in your planning. And finally, incorporate a bench nearby so you can enjoy all the fine fragrances from your herb garden.
Debbie Hilliard, Smith County Master Gardener
Texas Cooperative Extension
Vegetable and Herbs Index
Gardening Tips For NorthEast Texas Index
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