Herb Garden Design
Herb garden design is considered an ancient tradition and will often be designed according to medieval customs. In the ancient medieval homes herb gardens were necessary for medicine, seasoning and dyes.1
It doesn't take a degree in landscaping to create a beautiful herb garden design. It will take some careful thought and planning about what you wish to accomplish.2
You first need to decide what the purpose of your herb garden design is. Don’t worry you don’t have to be a designer or an artist to make a plan for your garden.3
Typically, herbs used regularly, for culinary purposes, were placed in the herb garden, as close to the kitchen door as possible, to allow picking. They also considered the nature of the plants and their use, in designing the garden.4
In many instances an herb garden can be designed to fit into the existing landscape design. It can be at ground level with a small wood frame surrounding it to completely separate it from the remainder of the yard.5
Sometimes the practical qualities overshadow the aesthetics herbs have to offer - their interesting forms, colorful blooms and fragrance all add intriguing dimensions to a garden’s design. Just a few examples are the striking red flowers of pineapple sage, the round, lavender blooms of chives and the tiny, white flowers on creeping thyme.6
Constraints of space may also dictate departures from classic herb garden design. Herb garden design principles can be used to compromise with available space, to the extent possible in such circumstances.7