Which Herbs Would You Put into a Herb Garden?
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I’m going to be starting a little herb garden on my patio in the next few months, and I’m trying to decide what herbs I want to put in it.
I know I’ll use a lot of basil (and I want to grow Thai Basil too!), thyme, oregano, chives, coriander and dill, but I’d like to have more than that in it. I‘m thinking there should be space for around 15 plants. I may end up with duplicates of some I use a lot though.
I sometimes use mint so I’ll add that as well although it has a tendency to take over, so it can stay in it’s own pot separate from the others, and I won’t count it towards the main total.
Since I have quite a bit of space left I thought I’d ask here to get some ideas for what herbs I could fill it with. What would you all put into a herb garden? Which herbs do you all use the most?
Thanks! I‘ve heard lemon verbena can be a nice addition to mint tea, but I’m not sure what else I’d use it for personally. How do you use it?
cocolgooh It is the most fragrant and pungent lemon flavouring you can imagine. Think lemongrass with attitude! I use it with Chicken/Fish cooked en papilotte, it makes a great syrup for poaching pears, works with with ginger, ice cream flavouring and pesto. Can you tell I quite like using it?
Thanks! I’ve seen it spread like crazy before, and wipe out other things. Do you think it’d be safe if I kept it in it’s own pot? Or am I better off not getting mint at all?
cocolgooh ... For easy care .... bay leaf and chives, garlic chives too, oregano and thyme and sage ... for cooking- rosemary too .... and Lemon verbena and lemon balm are both great for in the kitchen but also for teas.... all are perennial and I've grown them all in Midlands, Cumbria and NE Scotland. Also most are brilliant for wildlife too! Mint - I mentioned before on a reply. I buy chives from Lidl and they grow fine in the garden after being cut back and protected for a month or two while they establish.
Thanks! I considered getting lavender because it’s good for the wildlife too. I had several bushes before but couldn’t bring them with me when I moved unfortunately. I hadn’t thought about getting the herbs from the supermarket though - maybe I’ll try that before I go to a garden centre!
Every herb garden needs parsley - loads of it! Also chives are great in salad, as toppers etc.
Lemon mint has always been a favourite in our house too
There‘s loads! I’m considering getting some I haven’t used before to see what I can do with them!
I think it can depend on the conditions you have -in one house I lived in, basil grew so easily, and then I moved and couldn’t grow it anymore.
Did some happy person say growing herbs...oh how i love this...if you have a lovely sunny spot by your back door for growing basil throw in a small variety of tomato...growing mint put in a pot to keep it under control otherwise it will get every where just like lemon balm but does make a lovely tea and raspberries do the same get out of control..yes not a herb but i love growing stuff..happy growing xx
I’ll have to make sure I keep any lemon balm in it’s own container too! I used to grow raspberries (and there was already blackberries there too) at my old house, but my dog used to eat them all before I could get to them!
I usually collect plenty of leaves and let them sit for a couple of days..then chop up fine and put them in my tea diffuser with hot water..not boiling..like a normal cuppa..let
the boiling water sit for a couple of minutes before
pouring...how man leaves depends
how you like
your strength
of tea. Otherwise will spoil the whole process..happy herbal tea time.@sunny101
Also be careful of chives...easy to grow but will be everywhere before you know it....but you can use the heads in salads and the stalks can be easily chopped up finely into salads e.t.c they have quite a good taste..omelettes can be good to add to as they have that onion flavour..happy trying it out xx
That's interesting -I've never had a problem with them getting around .... yes they thicken up as a bunch but I've been happy to cut back, split and replant elsewhere....maybe different areas of the country?
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