Creating a formal herb garden
It's easy to design a formal herb garden to suit almost any outdoor space. In a scaled-down city yard, a row of bricks will make a slender path for a small bed. A geometric planting of herbs in a half barrel can fit onto an apartment balcony. Most herbs need at least six hours of sun daily and weed-free, well-drained soil.
Mark the perimeter of your planned bed(s) by tying twine between stakes at each corner; to mark the centre, tie twine to diagonally opposite outside corners. Using a half-moon edger or straight spade, cut edges. Deeply dig soil, removing existing plants and roots, and amend with compost.
Leave lawn paths or pave walkways with stones, bricks or bark chips, or plant with noninvasive ground cover(s). Add a central feature such as a birdbath, large urn, ornamental shrub or sculpture. Set hedge plants 30.5 cm (12 in) apart and 15 cm (6 in) in from edge.
Beginning 15 cm inside hedge, plant herbs in formal or random patterns. Popular choices include bay, dill, French tarragon, lavender, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme. Enthusiastic cooks will want to experiment with coriander (for Mexican or Thai dishes), basil (for pesto) and lemongrass (for Thai). Remember, the best herbs to grow are the ones you enjoy.
Tip: 1 tsp (5 mL) of dried herbs is equivalent to 2 to 3 tsp (10 to 15 mL) of fresh.
In each section you may want to place hardy perennials around a central urn containing an annual or tender perennial, such as rosemary or bay laurel, which can overwinter indoors.
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