Herb Garden Design

An attractive herb garden design dosen't necessarily have to be a large, stylish, formal design. My advice is to design a herb garden that best fits your needs.

Herb gardens are like people. They come in many shapes and sizes, and also have their own personalities.

When most people think of herb gardens, they immediately paint a picture of this large geometrically patterned bed such as a knot garden.

Herb gardens certainly don't have to be formal masterpieces to be enjoyable! In fact most people who decide to start growing herbs do so on a smaller scale such as container gardens, or a cute little window sill garden.

The benefits of informal herb gardens is that they can be planned according to the herbs you'll actually use and the quantities you'll need rather than the amount required in the design of a formal herb garden.

Formal Outdoor Herb Garden Design

Herbs are great subjects for formal garden designs because with most herbs all it takes is a little pruning every year to shape them into the tiny shapes that make up the structure of formal gardens.

Formal gardens are usually based on geometric shapes. They are actually a collection of smaller shapes within a larger shape.

Sometimes the interior shapes are actually walkways made up of bricks, pavers, mulch, or gravel.

Formal herb gardens only look good if they are well maintained. Unless you can afford to hire at least a part-time gardener, plan on putting in lots of hours keeping up with the weeding, pruning, and edging to keep your garden looking good.

Some people may argue that a formal garden is actually easier to maintain than an informal garden because the spaces are so clearly defined. For what its worth I happen to disagree.

If you have your heart set on growing a formal herb garden, but don't have the time to maintain it, I recommend growing what I like to call a "semi-formal" herb garden such as an herb garden wheel. This is basically a formal garden on a much smaller scale. By doing this you get the beauty of a formal garden and you get a garden that's easier to maintain.

Basic Outdoor Herb Garden Design

You may have already guessed it, but I'm a little partial to basic outdoor herb gardens. That's because that is what I started with and still grow. Like most people, I didn't have enough room in my yard for a large garden.

I think this also stems from what I said at the beginning and that is herb gardens are like people and have their own personalities. I imagine a basic outdoor herb garden growing in a small corner of your back yard to be a little on the shy side and not needing lots of attention. This is exactly how I am.

If you are a more outgoing type person, you may be inclined to grow a larger, flashier type formal garden.

I also like smaller gardens because you really don't have to follow any rules, or adhere to any strict maintenance routines such as pruning, edging, and weeding. Just follow a few simple herb gardening guidelines and you are well on your way to having a beautiful little garden.

Some of my favorite outdoor garden designs include:

• - Patio Gardens
• - Container Gardens
• - Landscape Gardens
• - Tea Gardens
• - Courtyard Gardens
• - Rock Gardens

Indoor Herb Garden Designs

If outdoor gardening is not your thing or you want something a little more personal, I recommend going with an indoor garden design such as a nice little windowsill garden.

There are also plenty of decorative pots and containers that you can plant your favorite herbs in to make a decorative statement in your home.

Indoor does not have to mean growing a garden by the kitchen windowsill. You can grow certain herbs anywhere in your home as long as they can receive their recommended sunlight exposure. Try growing some lemon balm by a bathroom windowsill to add a fresh lemony scent.

Another great indoor design option is an Aeroponics (growing plants without soil) herb garden. You can either design and build your own, or buy a kit. They come in all shapes and sizes.

If you just want a small indoor garden with a few of your favorite herbs, I recommend the "Aerogarden" Aeroponics garden kit. Again, because it uses aeroponics to grow the plants, no soil is required.

Before you decide on an herb garden design there are a few questions you should ask yourself.

• 1. How much space do you have to set aside for your garden?
• 2. How large do you want your garden to be?
• 3. How much time do you have to dedicate to your garden?
• 4. What herbs do you want to grow?
• 5. What do you intend to use your herbs for?

Be honest with yourself when asking these questions and you should have a clear indication on which herb garden design is right for you.