Choosing the Best Herb Garden Plants

Just as with other types of garden plants, you will find herbs available as annuals, perennials, and biennials. In addition, the options for herbs are incredible. Prior to growing any herb, we recommend that you choose the types you are most interested in growing and then go online to learn everything you can about those specific plants. However, we also want to provide some useful information in this article to get you started with herb garden plants.

Herbs that fall in the annual category would include summary savory, basil, and cilantro, all plants that cannot live in frost. Instead, annuals are planted usually as a small seed or you could start them as baby plants. The next group is perennials, which include winter savory and sage. Perennials are somewhat hardier, being able to live in colder temperatures than annuals can. Additionally, perennial herbs are planted just once and they come up each year. The next group of herb garden plants is biennials, which form leaves during the first season and then in the second season, they grow seeds and flowers, followed by dying.

In the biennial category, you would choose herbs such as caraway, parsley, or angelica. These herbs are sown during the late spring months, being planted directly into the garden. However, beforehand, the soil would need to be worked and prepared, meaning it needs to be weeded, fertilized, and watered. For biennials, the seeds would go into very shallow rows with soil spread out on top. If seeds are planted, then a fine mixture of sand needs to be mixed into the soil, spreading it out over the seeds. If you prefer, once the seeds are planted, they can be covered with wet burlap, which helps the plants germinate.

In addition to categories based on type for planting and growing, herbs are also classified on the way they are used. As an example, herb gardeners grow what are known as culinary herbs, which come in a wide selection and offer bold flavors. Some of these herbs include basil, sage, marjoram, chives, thyme, and savory, which are used in small amounts for flavoring all types of cuisine. Parsley falls in this category although it is primarily a garnish.

The next classified in herb garden plants is often used in the creation of foliage and flowers called aromatic herbs. Often, the oils from these herbs such as rosemary, loyage, and mint are added to candles, perfumes, and other products that need fragrance. When placed in the drawer, certain parts of aromatic herbs are left intact or, the herbs can be dried and used for floral wreathes of potpourri. Two of the most common herbs for this use are lemon verbena and lavender, which have long-lasting fragrance.
Then, a classification of herbs is used specifically for medicinal purposes, herbs that have been used for thousands of years. In fact, modern day doctors now understand and respect the healing properties but just as with prescription medicine, herbs must be used properly. After all, some herbs are mild and virtually harmless while others could pose serious risk.

Another classification for herb garden plants has nothing to do with flavor, fragrance, or healing power but simply used because they look beautiful. Known as ornamental herbs, these plants produce bright foliage and colorful flowers, often with bold colors or white flowers. The most common include borage and chicory with gorgeous blue flowers and valerian, which produces bright red blooms.

Although herbs fall within specific categories, many herb garden plants are multifunctional. For instance, mint is great for use in ice tea but mint also keeps insects out of the garden and is an aromatic addition to floral arrangements. If you want to grow herbs, take time to look online so you can learn about the different options you have in each of the categories and specifically for what you want to get from growing certain herbs.