Foreword

This week’s lesson is about different designs for herb gardens. Having a good struc-ture and a nice design can make all the difference in how the garden looks much later.It’s part of the groundwork of laying out the garden. It wasn’t until I did my third herb garden that I realized what a difference it made to have a good design and a good structure to the garden.

What do I mean by that?When you cut corners, literally and figuratively, the structure of the garden is more likely to break down over time, particularly when heavy rains and snowfalls over the winter.

If you cut corners on the soil, the herbs won’t grow as well, though some herbs are more forgiving than most plants and will still grow in poor soil.

Giving thought to the pre-planning process will mean that you will have less work to do later and less maintenance.

Then you will have the proper space and more time to enjoy your herb garden. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Introduction to Herb Garden Design

Designing an herb garden is fun but also takes a bit of work. Whether it’s a formal garden laid out in squares or rows, or an informal garden done in circles and curves, the type of design you choose will provide a particular atmosphere to your yard.The formal gardens done in monasteries with knots of interweaving textures can be intimidating to lay out. But you can create a simple formal garden with geometric shapes.

Keep in mind that a formal garden has precise shapes so you will want to plant herbs that suit these formal lines. Of course, these are not firm rules and you can plant what you want in your garden. Generally speaking though, herbs that suit formal gar-dens, such as a sculpted rosemary, for instance, will look better in a formal garden.

If you like an informal garden, more of the English wildflower garden look, then plan a garden with more circles and curves.

What if you want to incorporate both designs? You could choose a formal looking garden for the front yard or a side and an informal garden for the back yard (or vice versa).

Next, your herb garden design will depend on the space you have. So, we’ll offer some designs for small spaces – a corner plot, a small kitchen garden,

a side yard or a small deck area. The plants you use can make a cosy space. Raised beds are often easier to design and grow.

Dividing your garden into smaller garden chunks allows you to incorporate different themes and makes it easier to get to the different plants for convenient access.

Tip: Paths and stepping stones are a great way to allow access to different sections of the garden and make it easier to get closer to the herbs to enjoy their scent or to prune them.

Tip: Herb gardens should be no more than 2 ½ feet from a path unless stepping stones are used.

Tip: When designing a garden, it’s a good idea to have a focal point or perhaps two focal points in the garden.

Design elements such as arbors or pergolas, fountains, bird baths, benches, sundials, statues or other elements that can be used to draw the eye.

Constructing the Garden:

It’s important to have a solid construction for your herb garden. This is important for several reasons.1. It keeps the plants contained and prevents them from spilling into unwanted areas, such as paths.2. A solid construction prevents the soil from washing out in heavy rains and also makes it easier to keep mulch on the garden to protect the plants from hot sun, weeds and cold winters. 3. A solid construction is more attractive for the garden.

Construction Materials:

There are a variety of construction materials one can use for an herb garden, from simple stones to formal stones and bricks to landscape ties or building ties. Often, a combination is used.

In my garden, landscape ties form a wall that is part of the garden, while building bricks have been used to lay out the garden. These bricks can be picked up from gar-den centers or building centers for an inexpensive fee, depending on the size of the brick, of course.

This can allow you to start out small and add to your garden as time and budget al-lows. When placing these bricks on the ground, dig them into ground slightly to make

the position firm.

If the bricks form part of the path (with the garden on one side and the path on the other side), use crushed gravel, bark mulch or other material that will come up 1-2 inches. This will also make the bricks more secure.

There are a variety of construction materials one can use for an herb garden, from simple stones to formal stones and bricks to landscape ties or building ties. Often, a combination is used.

In my garden, landscape ties form a wall that is part of the garden, while building bricks have been used to lay out the garden. These bricks can be picked up from gar-den centers or building centers for an inexpensive fee, depending on the size of the brick, of course.

This can allow you to start out small and add to your garden as time and budget al-lows. When placing these bricks on the ground, dig them into ground slightly to make the position firm.

If the bricks form part of the path (with the garden on one side and the path on the other side), use crushed gravel, bark mulch or other material that will come up 1-2 inches. This will also make the bricks more secure.

Choose a Design for Your Herb GardenThere are many different types of designs you can choose for your herb garden. Why choose a square box design when you can have fun with it and create something dif-ferent? The footprints below represent a pathway.

How about a circle with a central focal point such as a flowering herb like the one in the photo.

Photo by Marilyn Zink

How about steps leading up to a central garden which could have a border of lavender or another herb that is good in borders. Photo by Marilyn Zink

The half wagon wheel design is an easy one to start and can feature a focal point such as birdbath, below.Photo by Marilyn Zink

Flowering herbs such as the cat-mint below look great in borders.Photo by Marilyn Zink