Hello everyone,
I am planning to start my first herb bed and would appreciate any advice, ideas, encouragement.....I hope to eventually have only a small patch of lawn to mow on my lot!!
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cheshirekat
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Mon May 12, 2008 11:13 pm
- Location: Denver, CO (zone 5)
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NewjerseyTea
- Senior Member
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:14 am
- Location: Piedmont Area, Northern NJ
Hi lambs ear,
I think of my herb garden as a part of a cottage type garden (lots of native plants) and use herbs to accent the flowers and shrubs. In the herb /vegetable garden area I add flowers, grape vines and blueberries.
I would suggest building the herb garden with the same ideas and principles you would use to create a flower garden. Why not have something beautiful to look at as well as to eat? I use thyme,oregano. lavender,chamomile, and alpine strawberries as edging plants.They are easy to harvest at the edges and provide a ground cover mulch. I have used a half circle design with the tall herbs like costmary (fragrance) and bronze fennel (reseeds heavily and can be a nuisance) at the back with the carefully pruned grapevines . It is important to place the very tall herbs properly so they don't look too overwhelming. Then I've placed a mulched path around the edge so I can reach and pick everything easily. All your herbs should be in easy reach. I have a lavender hedge in the next ring. Lavender can be harvested twice a season. Intersperse with coriander, parsley, basil and whichever herbs you use.
I think of my herb garden as a part of a cottage type garden (lots of native plants) and use herbs to accent the flowers and shrubs. In the herb /vegetable garden area I add flowers, grape vines and blueberries.
I would suggest building the herb garden with the same ideas and principles you would use to create a flower garden. Why not have something beautiful to look at as well as to eat? I use thyme,oregano. lavender,chamomile, and alpine strawberries as edging plants.They are easy to harvest at the edges and provide a ground cover mulch. I have used a half circle design with the tall herbs like costmary (fragrance) and bronze fennel (reseeds heavily and can be a nuisance) at the back with the carefully pruned grapevines . It is important to place the very tall herbs properly so they don't look too overwhelming. Then I've placed a mulched path around the edge so I can reach and pick everything easily. All your herbs should be in easy reach. I have a lavender hedge in the next ring. Lavender can be harvested twice a season. Intersperse with coriander, parsley, basil and whichever herbs you use.
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NewjerseyTea
- Senior Member
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:14 am
- Location: Piedmont Area, Northern NJ
Sorry for not replying quickly but every few days there seems to be another thunderstorm and my phone and computer go out for days. This time the service was out for 3 days and they had to come back 3 times. The repairmen imply it will never be repaired properly because Verizon no longer wants to maintain the overhead wires and are pushing for the new FIOS system. So until I find another phone company I'm stuck.
I wish I could post photos easily wolfie and Jess but I can't navigate the system used on this site. I'll have to look for the thread you mentioned Jess with photos of herb gardens. Herbs are my favorite plants to design with in the garden and containers.
The herb garden looks really interesting now because the hard neck garlic is putting on a fantastic display. It is one of my favorite plants for appearance as well as flavor. I like to call it swan neck garlic because in the early stages when the top seed head appears it twists and and turn it's head looking like the elegant neck of a white headed swan with a long pointed beak. Right now they are at a late stage of development and they all have their silly "noses" pointed in the air all in the same direction. It appears as if they are viewing the world with an air of contempt and disdain. Hmm, it appears I have started to think of my plants as have human characteristics. Do you think I'm spending too much time in the garden?
I wish I could post photos easily wolfie and Jess but I can't navigate the system used on this site. I'll have to look for the thread you mentioned Jess with photos of herb gardens. Herbs are my favorite plants to design with in the garden and containers.
The herb garden looks really interesting now because the hard neck garlic is putting on a fantastic display. It is one of my favorite plants for appearance as well as flavor. I like to call it swan neck garlic because in the early stages when the top seed head appears it twists and and turn it's head looking like the elegant neck of a white headed swan with a long pointed beak. Right now they are at a late stage of development and they all have their silly "noses" pointed in the air all in the same direction. It appears as if they are viewing the world with an air of contempt and disdain. Hmm, it appears I have started to think of my plants as have human characteristics. Do you think I'm spending too much time in the garden?
NewjerseyTea wrote: Do you think I'm spending too much time in the garden?
Nope! Sounds pretty normal to me and a wonderful description of a plant I do not as yet grow, having read your post I may very well start growing it.Photos on here made simple....
Go to Photobucket....register (free!) put the photos you wish to upload on that site...click 'img' out of the 3 choices given under the image...click paste on this forum...Done!
I hope that helps.