How to plan a kitchen herb garden in a temperate climate: choosing a sunny, well-drained site, grouping herbs by their needs, and deciding what is worth growing.
The short answer¶
Put your herb garden as close to the kitchen door as the sun allows. A herb you have to put boots on to reach is a herb you will not use. Most of the culinary herbs worth growing in Britain want full sun (six hours or more), sharp drainage and shelter from cold wind, and they want it within arm's reach of the cook. If you only have a shady corner, grow the herbs that tolerate it (see below) and buy the rest.
The second rule is to grow what you actually cook with, in the quantities you use. A single rosemary bush will supply a household for years; a single pot of basil will not survive a summer of pesto.
Two families of herbs, two kinds of soil¶
Almost every kitchen herb falls into one of two camps, and planning a herb garden is mostly a matter of not putting them in the same bed.
| Group | Examples | Wants | Hates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean shrubby herbs | rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, marjoram, savory, lavender, bay, hyssop | Full sun, poor gritty soil, little feeding, dry winters | Wet clay in winter, rich compost, shade |
| Leafy, moisture-loving herbs | parsley, chives, mint, coriander, chervil, dill, sorrel, lovage, lemon balm | Moisture-retentive, fairly rich soil; many tolerate part shade | Drying out, baking-hot walls in midsummer |
The Mediterranean group evolved on thin, stony hillsides. In rich, wet soil they grow soft and sappy, taste weaker and — crucially — rot in a British winter. More woody herbs are killed by cold wet roots than by frost. On heavy clay, grow them in raised beds or large pots with plenty of grit mixed in: roughly one part horticultural grit to three parts soil-based compost (John Innes No. 2 or 3 type).
The leafy group is the opposite. parsley and coriander bolt (run to flower) when they are stressed by drought, and chervil positively prefers a cool, lightly shaded spot in summer.
Choosing and preparing the site¶
- Sun. South- or west-facing is ideal. A sunny wall adds a degree or two of warmth and helps borderline plants such as lemon verbena through winter.
- Drainage. Dig a hole 30 cm deep, fill it with water and see how long it takes to drain. If water is still there after a few hours, raise the bed or use containers.
- Shelter. Cold, drying winds in spring do more damage than a light frost. A hedge, fence or wall on the windward side makes a real difference.
- Access. A path or stepping stones so that you can pick in the rain without compacting the soil.
Clear perennial weeds (couch grass, bindweed, ground elder) thoroughly before planting. They are almost impossible to extract from among established thyme and sage.
Containers and small spaces¶
Pots suit herbs well because you can give each group the soil it wants. Use terracotta or other porous pots for Mediterranean herbs, with a layer of grit or gravel on the surface to keep the crown dry. Leafy herbs are happier in larger glazed or plastic pots that dry out more slowly. As a guide:
| Herb | Minimum pot size |
|---|---|
| Rosemary, bay, sage | 30–40 cm diameter, growing on over the years |
| Thyme, oregano, chives | 15–20 cm |
| Mint | 20–30 cm, on its own |
| Parsley | 20 cm deep (it has a long taproot) |
| Basil | 15 cm per plant, indoors or on a sunny sill |
Containers dry out quickly in summer and must be watered more often than beds, but should never stand in saucers of water over winter. See growing herbs indoors for windowsill growing.
⚠️ Mint is a thug
mint spreads by vigorous underground runners and will colonise a bed in a couple of seasons. Grow it in its own pot, or plant it in a bottomless bucket sunk into the ground with the rim a few centimetres proud of the soil. The same goes, to a lesser degree, for lemon balm (which self-seeds everywhere), horseradish and French tarragon's much coarser cousin, Russian tarragon.
What to grow if you have shade¶
No herb enjoys deep shade, but in dappled or half-day shade the following do respectably: mint, chives, parsley, chervil, sorrel, lemon balm, lovage and wild garlic, which is a woodland plant in the first place. Avoid trying rosemary, thyme or basil there.
A planting calendar¶
Timings are for lowland England and Wales; add a week or two for Scotland, northern England and exposed sites, and check your local last-frost date.
| Herb | Sow indoors | Sow outdoors | Plant out | Life cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| basil | Mar–May (18–21 °C) | — (too cold) | June, or keep indoors | Tender annual |
| parsley | Feb–Apr | Apr–Aug | May | Biennial |
| Coriander | Mar–Apr | Apr–Sep, every 3–4 weeks | Direct sow is better | Hardy annual |
| dill | — | Apr–Jul | Direct sow (dislikes moving) | Hardy annual |
| chervil | — | Mar–May, Aug–Sep | Direct sow | Hardy annual |
| chives | Mar–Apr | Apr–May | May | Hardy perennial |
| thyme, oregano, sage | Mar–Apr | — | May; or buy plants | Perennial |
| rosemary, bay | Buy plants or take cuttings | — | Apr–May or Sep | Shrub |
See annual and perennial herbs for which herbs come back each year and propagating herbs for cuttings and division.
A starter list¶
For a first herb garden, most cooks are well served by six plants: rosemary, thyme, sage, chives, parsley and mint in a pot. Add basil and coriander as short-lived summer crops, and bay in a large tub if you have the room. Then add the herbs that are hard to buy fresh: chervil, lovage, sorrel, savory, lemon verbena, French tarragon and shiso. These are where a herb garden really earns its keep.
Common mistakes¶
- Over-feeding. Rich compost and liquid feed make Mediterranean herbs lush and bland. Save the feed for basil, parsley and pots of leafy herbs.
- Buying supermarket pots for the garden. Living supermarket herbs are dozens of seedlings crammed into one pot. They need dividing into small clumps before planting, or they will fail. See growing herbs indoors.
- Leaving woody herbs unpruned. Lavender, sage and thyme become leggy and bare in the middle within a few years. A light trim after flowering keeps them compact.
- Planting everything at once in April. A late frost will take out basil and young tender plants. Wait until the frosts have passed.