Herbs are undemanding and easily-grown plants that can be used in many different ways. Humans have gathered and used wild herbs for food and medicine for centuries. However, they are also commonly used to make cosmetics, for their perfume, for dying and to make wines and cordials. In addition, many herbs are also very attractive to wildlife. So, if you haven't already experimented with growing herbs why not give it a try?

It's important to realise that a herb garden doesn't need be large in order to be useful. It's possible to grow a wide variety of herbs in quite a small area. In fact you don't even need a garden in order to grow your own herbs successfully. Many herbs do well in containers and can thus be grown in a backyard, on a patio or balcony, in window boxes or even indoors on a sunny window sill. What's more growing herbs doesn't need to be expensive either. If you want to purchase ready made containers for your plants then by all means do so. But it is much cheaper and more environmentally friendly to use recycled containers. Look out for suitable second-hand containers such as old clay sinks, clay drain junctions, chimney pots, strawberry jars, pottery bowls, wooden troughs, sawn-in-half beer barrels, hanging baskets, fish kettles and window boxes. Visit jumble sales, charity or second hand shops,  market stalls, scrap yards and car boot sales. And don't forget to let your friends, neighbours and relations know that you are looking out for them too for they may well have such items that they no longer want. It is, however, important that the containers have drainage holes and it is best to avoid planting herbs in solid metal containers. But don't be frightened to use your imagination when it comes to choosing containers! Another inexpensive possibility is to simply remove some of the paving stones from your patio, add a little compost to the soil and then plant out your new herb plants or seeds. You can of course plant herbs directly into your garden soil, either in a special herb area that you have created or in an existing herbaceous border. And many of the low-growing herbs will also do very well if planted in a rock garden.

Siting your Herb Area

It is always a good idea to give some thought to the siting of your herb area at the planning stage. For example, if you intend to grow herbs mainly for culinary purposes, then your herb garden should be easily accessible. No point needlessly getting your feet wet traipsing over the grass every time you pop outside for a sprig of parsley is there? A site near to the kitchen door would be well worth considering for culinary  herbs, if a suitable spot could be found in this location. As many herbs originate from warm climates, most herbs tend to thrive best when planted in a sunny, sheltered position, although a few herbs, for example the mints, actually prefer a partially-shaded, damper location. It is, therefore, a good idea to site your main herb area in a sunny, sheltered position and ideally there should be a hedge, fence or wall at the back of the herb garden in order to provide shelter and protect the plants from cold winds.

Which Herbs to Grow?

Once you have decided where you intend to grow your herbs, you then need to decide which herbs you want to grow. What do you want to do with your herbs? Do you mainly want to use them to enhance the flavour of your food? Or are you interested in their medicinal properties? Perhaps you want to use them to make your own cosmetic products or herbal teas? Or to grow them for their smell or to entice wildlife into your garden? Of course if you grow a wide selection of herbs, then it should be possible to use your herbs for more than one of these purposes. Herbs can either be purchased as plants, by mail order or from a garden centre, or they can be grown from seed. It is usually more expensive to buy ready-grown plants, but if you're in a hurry to harvest your herbs then this is probably your best option. How many plants will you need of each kind? If you are only ever likely to need one of each type of herb, then it will probably work out cheaper to buy ready-grown plants. However, if you require several plants of each kind, then growing your own plants from seed would probably be your best bet. I have listed some good mail order stockists of herb seeds in the supplier section at the end of this article, just in case you are not able to purchase your herb seeds locally. However, if you are completely new to herb growing you will probably find it useful to visit your local garden centre. Even if you don't intend to purchase any herb plants from them, this will enable you to see, touch and smell the herbs and you should come away with a much better idea of the ones you would like to grow.

---

The Top Twenty Herbs

---

Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare)

Alternative name(s): Oregano
Height: 75 cm
Type of Plant: Perennial
Growing Position: Full sun, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Used to treat coughs, colds and flu, to treat wounds and as a mouth wash for mouth and throat inflamations.
Wildlife Plant: Quite good for attracting wildlife. Its nectar is used by moths, butterflies and bees and the plant is also a caterpillar food plant
Other Uses: Used a lot in Italian cooking, especially to flavour pizza and pasta sauces. The strongest of  the marjorams, so use in small quantities only.
Container Growing: Perhaps a bit too tall for container growing. Use Pot Marjoram (Origanum onites) for this purpose instead.
Growing Instructions: Seeds are sown in spring. Plants can also be propagated from cuttings. Oregano dries well for use in winter.

---

Basil (Ocimum spp.)

Height: 16-60 cm, depending on species.
Type of Plant: Annual.
Growing Position: Full sun, rich soil.
Medical Uses: Used to treat depression. The oil can be used for massage purposes.
Wildlife Plant: The nectar is used by butterflies and bees.
Other Uses: Used a lot in cooking. Goes well with tomatoes and is most commonly used to make a pesto sauce.
Container Growing: Bush basil (Ocimum minimum) is ideal for container growing and can be grown indoors.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds indoors, or in a green house in early May. Put plants outside, in early June, when there is no longer any danger of frost.

---

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum.)

Height: Dwarf to 60 cm, depending on species used.
Type of Plant: Annual.
Growing Position: Sunny position, moist soil.
Medical Uses: Supposed to be good for rheumatism. Can be used to sweeten the breath after eating garlic!
Other Uses: Used a lot in cooking. A good source of calcium, vitamins A & C and iron. Curly-leaved parsley makes an attractive garnish. Use chopped parsley leaves in salads and on vegetables.
Container Growing: Ideal for container growing and grows well indoors.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in April and in August. Seeds can be slow to germinate. Keep plants well watered in dry weather. Parsley makes a good edging plant.

---

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)

Height: 30-40 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Sunny position, moist, rich soil
Wildlife Plant: Has lovely mauve flowers from May to July. These are very attractive to bees, so do allow some plants to flower!
Other Uses: Has a mild onion flavour and is often used for culinary purposes. It is especially good when finely chopped and used as a salad garnish.
Container Growing: Ideal for container growing. Grows well indoors. If grown in a container give the plant a liquid feed every fortnight to stop leaf tops turning brown. Chiltern Herbs offer a 'Windowsill Chives' for growing indoors.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in spring. New plants can be propagated by dividing clumps in spring or autumn, every 3-4 years. Makes a very good edging plant for a herb garden or border.

---

Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

Height: 30-90 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial shrub.
Growing Position: Sunny position, moist, rich soil
Medical Uses: The flowers can be made into a tea to treat insomnia. Lavender is also used to treat depression and the oil can be used externally to treat aches and pains and rheumatism.
Wildlife Plant: Lavandula angustifolia is very attractive to both bees and white butterflies and the seeds are often eaten by birds. Choose any of the Old English lavenders if you want to use them to attract wildlife.
Other Uses: Can be used in cookery. However, lavender is mainly grown for its perfume, which is often used in cosmetics. Dried flowers can also be used in pot pourris, or placed in muslin sachets to repel moths or to scent the room.
Container Growing: Rarely reaching more than 45 cm the dwarf lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is ideal for container growing.
Growing Instructions: Seeds are usually sown in the autumn. Cuttings can be taken from established plants and set in a box of sand in the summer. By late autumn they should be well rooted and can be planted outside the following spring. Lavender makes a good low hedge and is often used to surround the herb garden.

---

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Height: Up to 60 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Sunny position, moist, rich soil
Medical Uses: Has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Can be used to treat parasites such as ringworm and threadworm and is often used medicinally to treat colds, flu, catarrah and bronchitis. Reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels and may be helpful in the treatment of diabetes. Try rubbing garlic cloves on to pimples!
Wildlife Plant: Not attractive to wildlife. Interestingly though, both garlic and onions seem to deter slugs.
Other Uses: Indepensable in cookery and one of the oldest seasonings. Can also be eaten raw, crushed up and used in salad dressings.
Container Growing: Can be grown in pots, although more usually garlic is grown in the open ground.
Growing Instructions: Best planted between November and January. Plant individual cloves 5 cm deep and 15 cm apart. Keep well watered in a dry summer. Lift the bulbs when the tops die down in late summer and dry out thoroughly under cover before storing.

---

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Height: Up to 60 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Rich, moist soil, partial shade.
Medical Uses: Used to treat flatulence, colic, dyspepsia, nausea, travel sickness, ulcerative colitis/Crohn's disease, digestive problems associated with migraine, fever, colds and flu. The oil contains menthol, an analgesic and this can be used to treat sprains, toothache and bruises.
Wildlife Plant: The spikes of pinky lilac flowers are popular with bees.
Other Uses: Peppermint leaves can be added to fruit juices, but they are most commonly used to make peppermint tea. Peppermint oil is often used to flavour cakes and candies.
Container Growing: Grows well in pots, but keep well watered and clip regularly. It is a good idea to plant mint in a bottomless container, even if it is planted in the soil in a border, otherwise it will spread rapidly and start to encroach on other herbs nearby.
Growing Instructions: Can be grown from seeds, or rooted runners can be planted 5 cm deep in spring when danger of frost is over.

---

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

Height: Up to 45 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Rich, moist soil, shady position.
Medical Uses: Used to treat digestive complaints in much the same way as peppermint.
Wildlife Plant: The spikes of pinky lilac flowers are popular with bees.
Other Uses: Most commonly used to make mint sauce, but spearmint is also added to the cooking water when cooking young vegetables, especially peas and new potatoes. It can be used to make mint tea, but is not as popular as peppermint for this purpose. Serve mint teas hot or iced cold.
Container Growing: Grows well in containers and window boxes, but keep well watered. Clip regularly to encourage new growth.. It is a good idea to plant spearmint in a bottomless container, even if it is planted in the soil in a border, otherwise it will spread rapidly and start to encroach on other plants nearby.
Growing Instructions: Can be grown from seeds, or rooted runners can be planted 5 cm deep in spring when danger of frost is over. Water well in dry weather.

---

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

Alternative Names: Featherfew, Flirtwort, Featherfoil.
Height: 60 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Sunny position, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Commonly used to treat migraine headaches, but can also be used to treat sluggish menstrual flow or delayed menstruation. Eat two leaves a day to treat migraine. Note: eating fresh leaves may cause mouth ulers in sensitive people. Incidentally, the bitter leaves taste pretty disgusting, so hide them in your food!
Wildlife Plant: The daisy-like flowers, similar to those of Roman Chamomile, are visited by butterflies and bees.
Container Growing: Can be grown in containers. Grows well in a pot indoors over the winter.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in trays or containers in spring or autumn, sowing the seeds 1.5 mm deep. Transplant to a sunny position when plants are large enough to handle.

---

German Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Alternative Names: Wild Chamomile, Scented Mayweed.
Height: 60 cm.
Type of Plant: Annual.
Growing Position: Sunny position, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Chamomile tea is used to treat anxiety, insomnia, indigestion, flatulence, gastritis and irritable bowel. It can also be used as a mouth wash to treat mouth inflammations, gingivitis and sore throat.
Other Uses: Chamomile tea can be used as a herbal rinse for fair hair. The dried flowers add fragrance to pot pourris.
Container Growing: Can be grown in containers.
Growing Instructions: Chamomile is easily grown from seed. Sow seeds in early spring in the flowering position, mixing sand with the small seeds in order to sow them evenly. Keep watered until the leaves appear, then thin plants to 15 cm apart. Chamomile self-seeds readily. This plant is sometimes found growing wild by roadways and along the edges of fields. The dwarf species known as Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis), which is commonly used to make a lawn, is used in a similar way.

---

Pot Marigold (Calendula officinalis)

Alternative Names: Calendula
Height: 60 cm
Type of Plant: Annual
Growing Position: Sunny position, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers, indigestion, gall bladder problems, infections, delayed and painful periods, mouth ulcers and gum disease. It can be used externally as an ointment to treat skin inflammation, burns (including sunburn), bruising, eczema, wounds and fungal infections including thrush and athletes foot. The ointment is also supposed to be helpful for sore nipples when breast feeding.
Wildlife Plant: A colourful, attractive plant with daisy-like, single or double, yellow, orange or red flowers. The flowers are visited by butterflies and moths and the plant is used as a caterpillar food plant.
Other Uses: Petals can be used as a substitute for saffron to colour rice etc or eaten raw in salads. Pot marigold is often used in cosmetics because it is good for the complexion. Looking at these attractive plants is supposed to lift the spirits!
Container Growing: Can be grown in containers.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in spring. Thin plants to 45-60 cm apart. Easy to grow and self seeds readily. Dehead regularly to prolong flowering season. Often grows in the wild on waste ground.

---

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Height: 60-120 cm
Type of Plant: Evergreen shrub.
Growing Position: Sunny position, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Used as a remedy for coughs, colds and fevers and as a general tonic. Also used to treat night sweats and hot flushes in the menopause and as a mouthwash or gargle for gingivitis, canker sores, tonsillitis or sore throat.
Wildlife Plant: The flowers are popular with bees.
Other Uses: The strongly flavoured leaves are often used for culinary purposes, for example in sage and onion stuffing.
Container Growing: Ideal for container growing, both outside and indoors.
Growing Instructions: Sow seed in early spring under glass, transplanting the plants into open ground in late spring and spacing them 45 cm apart. Divide plants every four years.

---

Anise (Pimpinella anisum)

Alternative Name(s): Aniseed
Height: Up to 45 cm
Type of Plant: Annual
Growing Position: Sunny position, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Chewing the seeds is said to be a cure for hiccups! Aniseed is used to treat many digestive ailments, including flatulence and can also be used to treat insomnia.
Other Uses: Anise has a strong flavour, similar to liquorice and it is often used to flavour medicines. The leaves can be added to salads and fruit salads. The small, crescent-shaped seeds are used in cakes, biscuits, bread and apple pie and can also be used to make a pleasant-tasting tea. Ground aniseed is often used in pot-pourris and can be added to face packs to fade freckles.
Container Growing: This plant has a long tap root so it is unsuitable for container growing unless the container is very deep.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in their flowering position in early summer when there is no longer any danger from frost. Thin plants to 15 cm apart. Gather the seed heads in the autumn and finish drying off indoors.

---

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)

Height: 30-60 cm
Type of Plant: Annual
Growing Position: Sunny sheltered position, rich soil.
Medical Uses: Used to treat flatulence. Can be given to women after childbirth to increase breast milk. Good for stimulating the circulation.
Other Uses: This spice is especially popular in Indian and Middle Eastern cookery. The seeds are ground to make a strong, aromatic spice which makes an excellent seasoning for many dishes, including lentil soup. Whole or ground seeds are used in cakes, bread, biscuits and in pickles and chutneys.
Container Growing:
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in early summer and thin plants to 15 cm apart. If planted in a sunny spot the seeds should be ready for harvesting in 3-4 months. When the seeds are ripe cut the plant down and finish drying indoors.

---

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Alternative Name(s): Garden Thyme.
Height: 5-45 cm
Type of Plant: Evergreen Perennial
Growing Position: Sunny position, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Contains thymol which has antiseptic properties and can be used to treat infected wounds. Thyme tea is gargled to ease sore throats, laryngitis and tonsillitis and can be taken to promote sleep, to treat dyspepsia, asthma and coughs such as bronchitis. The oil is used in aromatherapy to lift mood. Thyme ointment is good for pimples.
Wildlife Plant: Flowers provide nectar for bees and butterflies. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is even better for attracting wildlife and is also a caterpillar food plant.
Other Uses: Thyme is one of the ingredients in bouquet garni and is used in all good cooking.
Container Growing: Grows well in containers.
Growing Instructions: Sow seeds in spring, or propagate new plants by division or by taking cuttings. Space plants 30 cm apart. Creeping Thyme can be used to make a small lawn and both species grow well in a rockery.

---

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Height: Up to 2 metres.
Type of Plant: A slow-growing, evergreen shrub.
Growing Position: Sunny sheltered position, poor, well-drained soil with some lime.
Medical Uses: Stimulates circulation and is used to calm digestion. May help to prevent aging and memory loss. Can be used to treat a sore throat and headaches, including migraine. External uses include the treatment of muscular pain, sciatica, neuralgia, to treat wounds and to prevent baldness! It is used in massage oils to relieve anxiety and lift depression.
Wildlife Plant: The plant has a strong aromatic smell and the clusters of flowers are popular with bees and hoverflies and supposedly butterflies, although I have never seen any on mine, perhaps because it tends to flower very early in the year.
Other Uses: Rosemary is used as a strewing herb and in cosmetics, especially in shampoos as it is supposed to deepen the colour of dark hair. Traditionally it is used in cooking, especially in lamb and fish dishes, but it can also be added to fruit salad, jellies and jams and is often used to preserve food.
Container Growing: Dwarf varieties can be grown in a container. Bring indoors in the winter if possible, or give some protection outside. Do not overwater.
Growing Instructions: Seeds are best sown in pots as germination can be slow. Cuttings can be taken from established plants in August. Take off small side shoots about 15 cm long and put them in sand, allowing them to root and planting them out in spring. Rosemary needs very little watering.

---

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

Height: 30-60 cm.
Type of Plant: Evergreen Perennial.
Growing Position: Sunny position, light, well-drained soil.
Medical Uses: Hot hyssop tea is used to treat coughs, bronchitis, chronic catarrah, colds, anxiety, hysteria and petit mal epilepsy.
Wildlife Plant: Hyssop's long spikes of blue or deep pink flowers are very popular with bees and hoverflies and the nectar can be used by butterflies.
Other Uses: Used to preserve meat and in the liqueur Chartreuse and it is one of the oils used in the perfume, Eau de Cologne. The leaves have a faintly minty taste and can be used in salads, added to stewed fruit and used in tarts and pies. The dried flowers and leaves are used in pot-pourris
Container Growing: Does well in a container.
Growing Instructions: Sow seed in spring and thin plants to 60 cm apart. Stem cuttings can be taken from established plants in spring and roots of established plants can be divided in the autumn or in early spring. Hyssop can be used to make a low hedge around a herb garden and is ideal in stony areas where there is little soil. Protect from damp in the winter. Hyssop will self-seed once established. Chiltern Herbs offer a pink-flowered variety which can be grown in a rockery

---

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

Alternative Name(s): Bruisewort, boneset, Knitbone
Height: 60-90 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Grows in most soils, likes a damp position and sun or partial shade.
Medical Uses: Used for centuries as a wound herb. The leaves are laid on to cuts, bruises and open wounds to promote healing and were once used in poultices to treat minor fractures and pulled ligaments. It is best not to use it on open wounds before they have been throughly cleaned because the allantoin can cause such rapid healing that the dirt may be trapped, leading to abscesses.
Wildlife Plant: The blue, pink or white flowers are popular with bees. Comfrey is also a caterpillar food plant.
Other Uses: An excellent composting plant. Comfrey leaves can be added to your compost heap to activate it. Alternatively, soak comfrey leaves in water for a few weeks to make a liquid feed and use this on your tomatoes and pepper plants. Comfrey leaves can also be added to leaf mould to make comfrey potting compost or spare leaves can be used to mulch vegetable beds or your herb patch. A very valuable plant for veganic gardeners.
Container Growing: Not suitable for container growing because of its large roots.
Growing Instructions: Can be propagated from seeds or by dividing established clumps. Sow seeds in early spring in their flowering position and thin to 30-45 cm apart. Roots can also be divided in the spring. Comfrey is often seen growing in the wild, especially by canals.

---

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Height: Up to 150 cm.
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Sunny position, most soils.
Medical Uses: Netle tea is often used to treat anaemia because it is a good source of iron. It's an excellent spring tonic and can be used to treat many ailments including uterine haemorrhage, cystitis, diarrhea, chilbains and arthritis.
Wildlife Plant: A very good wildlife plant. Nettles are the caterpillar food plant for many butterflies and moths including the red admiral, peacock, comma, painted lady, pale clouded yellow and small tortoiseshell. The seeds are also a valuable source of food for many birds and other birds will eat the caterpillars on the plants. Nettles usually become covered with aphids and will therefore attract ladybirds to come into your garden.
Other Uses: Nettles can be used to make nettle tea, leaf curd and nettle soup. When cooked they make an excellent green vegetable, high in vitamin C and iron. They can also be juiced. Once cooked they do not sting, but be careful how you handle them when picking them!
Container Growing: Never tried this, but I expect it is possible, as nettles don't tend to be fussy about where they grow!
Growing Instructions: Not usually necessary to plant stinging nettles, but seeds are available from John Chambers. Grow your nettles in a sunny position if you want butterflies to lay their eggs on them. Nettles can be soaked in water and used as a liquid feed in much the same way as comfrey. If you prefer, mix the nettle leaves with comfrey leaves before soaking and leave to soak for at least two weeks before use.

---

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Height: 45-60 cm
Type of Plant: Perennial.
Growing Position: Sunny position, grows in most soils but prefers a rich, moist soil.
Medical Uses: Melissa tea is used to relieve headaches and tiredness.
Wildlife Plant: The white, insignificant flowers are highly attractive to bees.
Other Uses: The leaves are highly scented. Lemon Balm was once used as a strewing herb and was laid on the floor to freshen the room. Can be used to make a refreshing and relaxing tea and is often used in stuffings. Add leaves to fruit salads, fruit drinks, stewed fruit or rhubarb jam. Dried leaves can be used in pot-pourris.
Container Growing: A useful plant for growing in a window box or container.
Growing Instructions: Can be grown from seed, but the seeds can take a long time to germinate. Most easily grown from stem cuttings, taken in spring or autumn. Space cuttings 30 cm apart. Lemon balm spreads rapidly, so keep it well trimmed. The scent will be stronger if the plant is grown in a rich, moist soil.

---

The most commonly grown herbs are outlined above. However, there are many other useful herbs that you could plant in your herb garden.Unfortunately I do not have the space to cover all of these in great detail here. However, it would, for example, be worth planting some climbing herbs, perhaps up a trellis or a wall, either at the back of your herb bed or on your patio. Herbs that would be suitable for this purpose include hops, dog rose or nasturtium. And if you have room for shrubs in your garden, then elder is another possibility and has many uses. In addition, Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis) and Lemon Verbena (Lippia citriodora) are ideal for growing in containers on a patio and Soapwort, Liquorice and Horse Radish would also be worth including in your herb garden. Yarrow, Bergamot and Borage are attractive to wildlife as well as being useful to man.

---

Mail Order Stockists

• Suffolk Herbs, Monks Farm, Coggeshall Road, Kelvedon, Essex, C05 9PG. Tel: 01376 572456. E-mail: sales@suffolkherbs.com.
• John Chambers Wild Flower Seeds, 15 Westleigh Road, Barton, Seagrave, Kettering, Northants NN15 5AJ. Tel: 01933 652562.
• The Organic Gardening Catalogue, Riverdene Business Park, Molesey Road, Hersham, Surrey, KT12 4RG. Tel: 01932 253666. E-mail: enquiries@chaseorganics.co.uk.
• Chiltern Seeds, Bortree Stile, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 7PB. Tel: 01229 581137. E-mail: info@chilternseeds.co.uk.
• Nicky's Seeds
• Seed Parade
  
  

---

Other Herb Web Sites

• Herbs
• A Modern Herbal
• Growing Herbs at Home
• Growing Herbs Indoors

---

Further Reading