Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

What herbs to grow and where

Herbs for windowsills

  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Coriander

Herbs for hot spots

  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Lavender

Herbs to make low hedging

  • Cotton lavender
  • Hyssop
  • Lavender
  • Curry plant
  • Rosemary

Hanging over edge of walls

  • Corsican blue rosemary
  • Creeping thymes

Dappled shade

  • Angelica
  • Bergamot
  • Comfrey (symphytum)
  • Feverfew
  • Mustard garlic
  • Wild garlic
  • Mint
  • Sorrel

Rock garden herbs

  • Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) – has really tiny leaveswith peppermint scent
  • Oregano
  • Prostrate rosemary (dwarf, low growing stems)
  • Savoury (Satureja montana)
  • Thyme

Large shrubs

Rosemary, bay

Herbs with yellow leaves

  • Golden lemon balm (Melissa officinalis ‘Aurea‘)
  • Golden marjoram (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum‘)
  • Golden thyme (Thymus citrodorus ‘Aureus‘)
  • Purple foliage
  • Bronze fennel
  • Purple basil
  • Purple sage
  • Silver leaves
  • Lavender
  • Curry plant
  • Cotton lavender

Raised beds

The perfect place to grow herbs is in a raised bed. The bed can be first filled with some stones or rubble to help with drainage and then filled with a good loamy top soil. A raised bed will be very easy to harvest from as long as the bed is not too wide so you can reach the centre from both sides. Place the bed near the house in a sunny position and keep it well watered.

Ground cover herbs

Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobilis ‘Treneague‘) Thyme especially Thymus serphyllum

Mixed herb bed

Here is another good use of herbs in a border that edges a patio. There are even a few veg thrown in such as runner beans and brassicas. Marjoram, lavender, chives and sage are ideal front-of-border plants forming neat clumps. In this setting the plants are near enough to the house and al fresco dining area to be plucked and used quickly.