My Herb Garden

Growing herbs indoors is a cost-effective--and handier--alternative to buying them at the supermarket. Some of the easiest ones to grow indoors are thyme (Thymus vulgaris), basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), oregano (Origanum vulgare), chives (Allium schoenoprasum), mint (Mentha sp.) and sage (Salvia officinalis). For people who love garlic, a great alternative is garlic chives (Allium tuberosum). Cut the tops of the grasslike blades and chop them up into your food for a mild garlic flavor.

There are three ways to start an indoor herb garden: transplanting store-bought or garden-grown plants or starting new ones from cuttings or seed.

A Seedy Beginning

For those who like to get their hands dirty, try starting herbs from seed. This is the least expensive way to grow an indoor herb garden, but it takes a bit of babysitting.

You'll need the following materials: a lightweight soilless mixture, seeds of your favorite herbs, clear plastic baggies and small pots with drainage holes. Some pots are too large to start seeds in, so plant them in a peat pot to get them started. Once they germinate and grow a bit, transplant the whole thing--peat pot and all--into the larger container.

Fill the peat pot completely with the soilless mixture, then place it in small bowl filled with water. Allow the peat pot to absorb the water from the bottom up, until the entire soilless mixture is saturated. Make certain the peat is completely wet; otherwise, it will act as a wick and pull water away from the seeds. Watering seeds after they're planted can wash them away, so it's important not to skip this step.

Bury seeds to a depth that's three to four times their diameter. With really small seeds, like basil, you'll only need to press them into the soil. Plant a few in one pot to ensure success in the event that one doesn't germinate.

Slip a plastic baggie over the peat pot. The plastic will help the seedling retain moisture and create a warm environment, essentially simulating a greenhouse effect. To prevent the pot from drying out, place it on a saucer and add water to it so the peat can continue to soak up water.

After all the prep work is completed, leave the plants in a sunny location or positioned under grow lights.

Designing with Herbs
Seven Rules for Creating a Dramatic Herb Garden

Traditional herb gardens usually revolve around a theme such as culinary, medicinal or biblical. Although great for usefulness and herbal study, these gardens can be low in aesthetic appeal.

But herbs can also serve as beautiful landscape plants. By combining them in ways that highlight their ornamental value, you can create a dramatic (not to mention tasty and useful) landscape.

Rule 1: Evaluate herbs for their individual characteristics.

Combining parsley and Artemisia creates a dramatic contrast in foliage color.

Herbs, just like any other plant, possess specific characteristics that can help you decide how they should be used in different garden situations. They vary in "flower power," foliage color, texture and form (vertical, spherical and horizontal). All herbs possess at least one dominant characteristic, but some herbs may possess more than one, making them useful for more than one reason. One such herb is lavender, which puts on a show of purple blooms in early summer, has beautiful gray foliage and is also very aromatic. 'Opal' basil has bold, purple foliage and a spherical form. Artemisia 'Powis Castle' has silver-gray foliage that is strikingly soft in texture.

Rule 2: Create effective combinations.

Lemon grass and purple Perilla contrast form (vertical and spherical), color and texture. The pink flowers of lemon mint (Monarda citriodora 'Lambada') provide a colorful accent.

The secret to a pleasing and dramatic look is to combine plants that possess different dominant characteristics. For example, an ideal plant combination would include one plant with flower power, another with interesting texture and a third valued for its foliage color. Then, of these three plants, each should possess a contrasting growth habit or form (vertical, spherical and horizontal).

As you combine these different plants, pay attention to how their foliage and flower colors go together. Try not to combine more than three distinct colors together. It's okay, though, to combine numerous shades and hues of one color together since they are harmonious.

Rule 3: Use color to bring the landscape together.

A gazing ball echoes the flower of society garlic.

Choose a color theme (pinks and purples; blues and purples; reds and yellows; cool colors; warm colors) for your herb garden and then select plants to repeat those colors throughout your garden. Repeating shades and hues of your color ties the design together. Again, try not to use more than three distinct colors throughout your garden. Too many distinct colors can make the garden seem busy.

Think about whether you want to use "cool" colors (blue, green, purple, violet and turquoise) or "warm" colors (red, scarlet, orange, gold and yellow). Cool colors have a serene and calming effect. They typically recede into the landscape and make an area feel larger. Warm colors are dramatic and stir excitement. They jump towards you and bring the landscape closer, making it feel smaller. To create a feeling of length, use warm colors in the front of the landscape and cool colors towards the back.

Keep in mind that harmonious colors (various hues and shades of the same color) are soothing, while contrasting colors (opposites on a color wheel) are exciting. Which colors work well with one another can be a matter of personal preference. A trick of the trade is to visit a greenhouse or nursery and pick flowers and foliage of plants you are considering and mix and match their colors to ensure you select plants and cultivars which will give you the impact you are seeking.

Rule 4: Create tiers.

My oldest daughter
Mariana

Designing with Herbs Seven Rules for Creating a Dramatic Herb Garden

Designing with Herbs
Seven Rules for Creating a Dramatic Herb Garden