It is not always necessary to grow herbs in their own garden.  Various herbs can be grown in existing beds and borders, complementing flowers and plants.  However, the tendency is to set aside part of our garden for herbs or vegetables so, with this in mind, here are some herb garden design ideas.

Start with a sunny spot in your garden that is near the kitchen, so that when cooking you can easily step outside to collect the herbs you need, fresh out of the garden.  If you are growing herbs in large quantity to harvest and dry at the end of their season, then you can use an area anywhere in the garden.

Basic design ideas
It is important to plan your herb garden from the beginning. Simple geometric forms such as square, triangles, circles or half-circles are a great way to begin a structure.  Putting forms together, such as a triangle inside a round shape or a large pie chart type of structure the dividing lines being pathways, can work really well.  Paths can be paved with bricks, stones or even old wood adding an interesting look to the finished garden.  You could consider a central figure, a birdbath or a sundial, which will add dimension and depth to the overall look.  A few well placed lights can add a dramatic effect in the evenings.

Herbs and vegetables
Certain herbs, such as basil, coriander and dill, grow very well alongside vegetables. Some even tend to flavour the surrounding veggies, adding their taste to them as they grow.

Herbs and flowers
Many herbs are very attractive and are a welcome addition to any flower garden. Lavender will give a flower garden a stunning effect and herbs such as dill and borage will look great in a cottage style garden where they can be left to self-seed with abandon.  Another advantage to adding your herbs in the vegetable or flower garden is that many herbs attract ‘good’ insects that can help in pest control.

Designing yourself a herb garden is a simple task that you can put together on paper first. Just start by doodling different arrangements of assorted shapes until you have a few good ideas to work with.  Once you have a basic design worked out, you can always call in an expert to work with you to complete your project.  Artscape Design & Build, based in Berkshire but covering surrounding counties, have a lot of experience in garden design of all shapes and sizes and would be very happy to discuss your requirements.  Please visit our main website or call us on 01628 629238