HERB GARDEN DESIGNS – DESIGNER LAYOUTS FOR A DELIGHTFUL HOBBY

Basil, thyme, parsley, mint, oregano, sage, lavender, rosemary, the list is long and space in your home to accommodate all of these is a consideration or rather you have more than adequate space for a full-fledged herb garden, whichever instance we take, herb garden designs come in handy in growing the desired herbs under optimum conditions in your herb garden. Optimum conditions include adequate exposure to sun, sufficiently moist soil, and flat plot of land or planned landscaping design that prevents water logging, herb garden designs that factor in the spacing required for each herb to thrive without inhibition.

Container Herb Garden Design

Growing herbs in pots is the focus of container herb garden design. Almost all herbs take to container planting. In fact, most of the herb seeds have to be sown in pots and kept indoors to transplant them outdoors later as seedlings. Windowsill herb garden layouts and hanging basket herb gardens are two types of indoor herb garden designs. One essential consideration while choosing the location for the potted herbs is sunlight.

Formal Herb Garden Design

Herbs are relatively easy-to-grow plants needing very little intervention on our parts for them to thrive. However, do not underestimate the planning and the maintenance required to take care of an herb garden set in a formal herb garden layout. Landscaped herb gardens need a lot of care and detailing. Formal herb garden plans include symmetry in the form of geometric patterns, knot gardens, and interweaving herb gardens that offer a sense of structure to your herb garden.

Select the herbs you desire in your homes. Map your garden space on a piece of paper with the dimensions. Consider the design or structure that you want for your herb garden and the unique characteristics of each herb plant that will be planted in your herb garden. Characteristics of an herb plant include its height, color, fragrance, life span, growth conditions such as spacing, soil, sunlight, and water, and the purpose for which it is to be grown in your herb garden. Formal herb garden design needs a focal point in the centre such as a birdbath. Few ornamental herbs are sure to add a riot of color and texture to the topiary such as those discussed below:

Zing of Ornamental Herbs in the Herb Garden Designs

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – is a Mediterranean, woody, perennial herb belonging to the mint family. It is known as “dew of the sea” due to its proximity to the sea and is a mark of remembrance. Rosemary has shiny green pointed needlelike leaves with little blue flowers in early spring. This herb is excellent as a hedging plant and blends well with coarser plants. It can be trimmed and shaped to fit in with the formal herb garden design. It reaches a height of two feet. Due to its fragrant flowers and foliage, it can easily add value to aromatic landscaping designs.

Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii) – with its small grayish-green leaves and beautiful lavender flowers in summer promises an arresting look adorning the edges of the herb garden landscape. It grows to 18 inches tall and has an arching habit that gives the impression slanting plant. It is often used as a groundcover in most of the herb garden designs.

Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) – is a low perennial plant with white daisy-like flowers in summer and pleasant smelling aromatic threadlike leaves. It grows to 12 inches. It is used as a patchy groundcover in the herb garden layouts usually planted in between paving stones.

Oregano (Origanum laevigatum) – with its proud purplish-pink flowers in summer grows uninhibited in stonewalls to a height of 2 feet. Rich purple-tinted dark green leaves and the delightful purple-pink flowers add zest to an ornamental garden and blends well in any herb garden landscape.

Silver Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) – thrives well in cracks and crevices growing up to 12 inches tall. Its lush abundance of aromatic silver-edged leaves and smallish lavender-pink summer blooms softens the hard edges in herb garden landscaping and can be planted dotting the pathway.

With little bit of planning, hard work, and herb garden designs your herb garden can easily become your fashionable haven of restful retreat.