A herbal garden is a great landscaping tool. You can make whatever design comes to your mind as long as you have the elements and will to do it. You have to take into account certain things.
Before you start digging up the back yard you need to do some planning. First you need to decide how much interest you have in accomplishing this task. If you want a herb garden but it's only a lukewarm feeling you have about it, don't go overboard. You will have to take care of the plants in the garden.
Another aspect you need to consider is how much time you have for this project. Again, you will have to take care of the plants and area once it's established. Also you will have to have time to set it up so you want to make sure that you have the time to set it up properly if you want a large area.
Space and family need are equivalent to how large you make your garden. If you don't have a huge amount of space and your family uses a lot of herbs then you might have to reconsider how you plant your garden and how you design it. If you don't use tons of herbs you might want to scale back your plans.
Now that you've decided how much time and space you have to devote to your new garden. You need to figure out where this area is going to be located. All herb gardens will benefit from 4 to 6 hours of continuous sun. With that in mind if you live in the north you probably want an area that is sunnier in the afternoon. Conversely, southern herb gardens would benefit from shadier afternoon because of the intense heat.
The best way to start, as far as determining which plants will work best, is to head to your local garden center. Here they will only sell the types of plants that will flourish in your climate. You can decide what will work best.
The main thing that will be a part of your garden is, of course, the herbs. Herbs aren't the only thing that will make your garden. The layout of your garden will help you determine what all will go in your garden. If you are planning on using a portion of your yard for this project you might go ahead and use a few pots and containers. The whole reason for you to use part of your yard is so that you can plant the herbs in the ground but to add to the look of your garden a plant here or there in a pot will just make things pop.
Also if your garden is large enough you might want to spread it out and place walking paths through out. It will help to break up the scenery and allow you easy access. If you are building this herb garden for relaxation purposes, this is a must.
If you have room for a bench or small seating area, it can add to the ambiance of the garden. Even if you are just doing a small patio garden you can place them around a seating area. There are many different types of decorative globes and items that you can put in your garden to spice things up.
Think about your home herb garden layout. You want a layout that will please you but be easy to maintain. You want to enjoy your garden not spend a bunch of time working on it. A popular layout is the basic square layout, with pathways intersecting the garden. The pathways can be plain dirt, wood, or gravel. Another popular shape is the circular shape. This one is great for smaller spaces.
As far as how you place your herbs, that is totally up to you. It really is dependent on what you are placing in your garden and what you are using it for. If you are using it for cooking then you might want to group the herbs together by which ones you use together most often. If you are using it for medical purposes then group the herbs by which herbs complement each other. For a relaxing garden you might intersperse flowering herbs with the green ones.
There are several types of gardens. You just have to think about the uses you are going to give the herbs and how you would like your garden to look like. If you and your family are into cooking, then you probably want a cooking herb garden. Herbs such as chives, parsley, basil and mint might be abundant here. If you are interested in a medical garden then you might find Aloe Vera, chamomile and lavender in strong supply.
Other types of herb gardens include a formal herb garden design which usually is extensive designs that look more imposing than they are usually. It's generally a square design with the four corners filled with herbs and a center area overflowing as well. Botanical gardens are filled with flowering herbs. Japanese gardens are often really relaxing gardens as well. Herbal tea gardens are an example of this type.
