New Herb Garden

15 years ago

I am working on my new herb bed and I thought I would ask for some input! I have one SMALL herb bed now that has spearamint, peppermint, lemon mint, chocolate mint, basil, lemon blam, rosemary, and Texas sage.

The new one is much larger, but as a newbie I need some suggestions of what I should plant (see link to pictures of the new bed at the bottom of the post). I have some mammoth dill, cilantro, and basil that I started from seed that I can plant. I am considering lavendar, ginger, and garlic (I know its the wrong time to plant). I like to use the herbs for cooking, but it also needs to look pretty because it is one of the first things you see when walking from my driveway to the back entrance of my house. I would like some plants that are unique and interesting. The bed faces south and will get sun most of the day until late afternoon.

If it were your bed, how would you lay out the plants? I think I want to try to keep the taller plants in the back. Also I have several indian hawthorn plants that are looking ragged--they have been plagued with black spot and despite my best efforts are still somewhat infected (see pictures- between the boxwoods under the windows). Would you rip them out and replace them with something else? If so, what would you plant?

I still have to mortar in the bricks and add compost to enrich the soil. Hopefully I will be finished and ready to plant by Friday afternoon.

I'm looking forward to your input and any suggestions/recommendations you may have. Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pictures of my Herb Bed

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Comments (4)

fatamorgana2121
15 years ago
I linked in a post from the organic gardening forum that may have some information for you on the Indian Hawthorn. If you are going to treat those plants with fungicides or other chemicals, I would pull them out of there. You do not want chemicals around plants you will be harvesting for kitchen use.

If planting at the back of the garden for ornamental looks, find some nice native plants that like the soil and growing conditions you have. There are many beautiful Texas natives just review the toxicity of those plants before adding them to the back of your kitchen herb garden.

I would also look to add other Mediterranean herbs that appreciate warm, dry locations like sage and thyme. Oregano of some type might be a nice addition. Since you are a much warmer zone than me, the oregano possibilities you have are a bit more varied than me. Sorrel and horseradish can be tolerant of a variety of conditions and may be possibilities for you. The variegated horseradish I have is quite stunning.

Edible flowers like calendula and nasturtiums are perfect additions to any kitchen herb garden.

And don't forget to add a nice hot pepper plant or too. They are attractive as well as quite a nice addition to such a garden.

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: GW Organic Gardening Forum: Black spot or not...
flora_uk
15 years ago
You could swap the Indian hawthorns for bay or rosemary - both bear clipping happily - you'd then have evergreen shrubs you can eat.
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Daisyduckworth
15 years ago
Watch those mints!! They are thugs in the garden, and need containing - that includes lemon balm.
seysonn
15 years ago
Agree with Daisy's short warning. Mints should be somewhere else, remote. Otherwise : YOU ASKED FOR IT !

You mentioned "small", "larger" garden. But I did not see any dimensions. In the words of Jonathan Swift, small and large are all relative(paraphrased).
You need also to recognize the ANNUAL, and PERENIAL/BIANNIAL herbs, and those that come back seeding themselves, like dills, parsleys.
Also, consider the size of perenials down the road. Rosemary, sage, lavenders, ... can get quite large.

WHAT I WOULD PLANT ?: sage, lavender, rosemary, oregano, parsley, chives, marjorams,leeks, garlics, dills, basils, ornamental pepper, savory(summer/winter), cilantros...Also some kind of balms, lemon, bee,.. It all depends how "LARGE" your garden is. I have a round herbs garden of about 40sq-ft. I plant most of my annuals and large perenials somewhere else.