Herbs, today, are definitely among favored options when planting an ornamental garden. Purple basil, the many varieties of oregano and thyme, graphic-leaved fennel… All these fragrant wonders turn flower beds into olfactory landscapes, too! Most even have no fear of drought or excess sun: they’ll just keep growing even in rocky soil, flower beds, sneak along between tiles on a terrace or plump out a windowsill garden box!
“Herb” is a term that brings together a great diversity of plants that all share a common trait: some part of them has a high concentration of essential oils, be it the root, leaf, flower or seed. In cooking, they complement and modify the taste of other ingredients. In alternative medicine, their therapeutic properties help alleviate ailments and more. The list of herbs is very long, and each country has its own traditions and customs.
Generally, it’s recommended never to over-use an herb. Even if the plant itself isn’t toxic, if eaten in large amounts and high doses it might still lead to trouble.
Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Pointe du Raz’
Shrubby herbs such as thyme and rosemary are generally considered native to the Mediterranean basin. As a result,they’re ideal to form low edges or to fill in patches of color in a checkered tile garden. Creeping rosemary varieties (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Pointe du Raz’) will gracefully flow and cover a mound or low wall.
These shrubs need pruning in February, or just after the blooming. Of course, you can always snip a twig off now and then for your cooking. They demand full sun and don’t need any help overcoming drought.
Herb bed with rosemary, lavender, sage and thyme at a distance under olive trees
Annual herbs require sowing every year, much of which occurs naturally as they go to seed and die away. Trim them often and water them abundantly after planting. The longer you water, the later they will flower and bear seed. They all love full sun, except for chervil which prefers shade.
Before choosing what to grow, it helps to know which of the four groups a herb belongs to: each one asks for a different exposure, a different amount of water and a different pruning rhythm.
| Group | Sun and soil | Water and pruning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrubby herbs | Full sun, dry soil; Mediterranean origin | No watering needed; prune in late winter or just after flowering | Thyme, rosemary, lavender, sage, hyssop |
| Perennial herbs | Part shade, cool soil (fennel excepted, dry soil) | Plenty of water; cut back to the ground monthly through spring and summer | Mint, chives, tarragon, lemon balm, sorrel |
| Annual herbs | Full sun, except chervil which prefers shade | Water abundantly after planting and trim often; the longer you water, the later they flower | Basil, dill, coriander, borage, cumin |
| Biennials | Sun or shade, it makes no difference to them | Leaves the first year, flowers and seed the second | Parsley, caraway, garden angelica |
A herb spiral works precisely because it offers all four of these conditions on a single mound.
There are exceptions, but generally speaking herbs can be classified as follows:
Chives and coriander share a pot
dill (Anethum graveolens)
Here is a landscaping arrangement designed to give each herb exactly the soil and exposure it needs. The trick is to build up a mound with a spiral and a rock wall. Then, settle the plants in the spot that suits them best.
1- watercress 2- parsley 3- mint 4- pennyroyal 5- sorrel 6- celery 7- dill 8- savory 9- chives 10- basil 11- lemon balm 12- tarragon 13- sage 14- hyssop 15- rosemary 16- oregano 17- thyme
The spiral itself provides cooler, shaded spots on one side, and warmer, sunnier spots on the other. Remember to add a mini-pond at the bottom of the spiral to catch runoff: you can plant watercress or water mint.
Go ahead and cut back clumps that grow too large in order to give every plant the same growing space.
No room outdoors for a spiral? The same herbs do well on a windowsill: an indoor vegetable patch needs little more than light. Many of these herbs earn their place twice over, in the kitchen and in the medicine cabinet — see plants for natural self-healing.
