Creating Your Own Herb Rock Garden

When I was a kid, I lived out in a rural community and we only had clay sod once you dug about 6 or 12 inches down. When you are planning your garden, you have got to put sunshine and soil quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the correct amounts of both sunshine and water, your garden won’t flourish. With the right combination of water, sod and natural light, you can grow just about anything.

Rather than trying to fix the dirt issues, I changed my garden plan and learned about rock gardening, which uses rocks and only a thin layer of nice earth.

If you have got a similar situation, you can grow your own rock garden. Some herbs truly love the rocky craggy sod that you have in areas like this all over the world. If you do not have the rocky soil and want the aesthetic of a rock garden, be sure you’ve got room for roots to grow and also some good drainage.

When planning your herb garden, be sure that you are choosing herbs that can stay compact, because with limited space you do not want anything taking over. Look at your reference books for the right herbs for rock gardens. A good rule of thumb are those that have silver or gray leaves. It is not a hard-and-fast rule, but it should help in making good choices.

  • Hen-and-Chicks: I cannot imagine cutting open a hen or chick and rubbing it on a wart, but this perennial succulent herb, which is also known as St. Patrick’s cabbage, has a long history of healing them. The leaves of this herb store water for periods of drought. Your hen can get up to 4 inches across pretty fast. Soon small off-shoots, or chicks, will sprout up from the edges of your hen. You will enjoy the reddish-pink blooms that can appear atop a 9 inch spike that shoots straight up from the center of each hen in the summer. The herb will continue to add chicks and grow into a colony of herbs.
  • Wild Oregano: This perennial from the Mediterranean region will grow energetically up to 30 inches tall with its oval leaves and purple blossoms that come out late in the summer. Although you certainly may eat this variety of oregano, it will not quite be the same as the Greek oregano you are familiar with from Italian meals.
  • Marjoram: You can cook with marjoram, but you can use it to landscape your rock garden. It’s a perennial that has a delicate scent with oval gray-green leaves and tiny white flowers. For marjoram to retain its shape and form, keep it trimmer back (use the clippings in your Italian meals) so that it will keep growing well—full sun and the good drainage in your rock garden will help too.
  • Thyme: The shiny, little leaves of the thyme plant are clustered along woody stems that are adorned with numerous white or pink blossoms and grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Thyme grows best when the earth is sandy, well-drained and gets a whole lot of light. You’ll want to keep this herb trimmed back to maintain its shape and to help it remain hearty.

The contrast between the rocks and the herb plants will dazzle the eyes, without losing any of the other sensations, including smell and taste.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Designs. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.


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This post was written by admin on March 8, 2010

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Your Balcony Herb Garden

Does your balcony need a new image? Try potted herbs! Having your herbs in pots makes it a cinch because you can move them around (as you figure out the amount of sun your balcony gets). Their portability also helps for bringing your herb plants indoors at the end of the growing season—you do not want to leave your herbs on the balcony all winter.

Balconies are all about natural light and you will want to go with herbs like morning glories that grow well with a lot of sun. Morning glories are fantastic because they can handle the bright reflection from your windows and also all the heat that a metal balcony can generate. Observe the amount and type of natural light, heat and intensity on your balcony during a regular day. You will also want to know which way your balcony is facing—will you get more morning or afternoon sun?

A good rule of thumb for balcony herbs would include any plant with a thick leaf or a velvety texture as well as any plant that is gray or silver. They will do well because they lose less water in evaporation.

Try a few of these great herbs on your balcony:

  • Aloe vera: Aloe vera is an easy herb to grow. It doesn’t need much water and it tolerates a lot of sun and heat. It is also very helpful for burns, just clip a small piece off and rub it on the burn. It’s sticky, but you’ll feel better in no time!
  • Cayenne pepper: If you grill out on your balcony, imagine being able to break off a pieces of cayenne pepper to add to your next meal. This herb should do very well on your balcony and add some color too.
  • Cucumber: A trailing vine, like a cucumber, will provide an added touch to your balcony. Cucumbers are wonderful for facials, ladies. You can also grab a few cucumbers to slice for your salads, straight from the balcony!
  • Hens-and-chicks: These are among my very favorite plants. Because they are succulents, they can hold water very well (less watering for you) and they will handle the bright sun and hot temperatures you may have on your balcony. They are adorable to look at too!
  • Lavender: Because lavender is a fragrant plant, you will be able to breathe in the soothing smell of lavender when you put it on your balcony. It is also a beautiful plant that provides a nice pop of color.

You can select a few nice-sized pots to put on your balcony or use a hanging balcony basket that has an inside layer from a coconut liner. I once made my own balcony basket with chicken wire and moss. It was my first attempt at something like that. That basket was not the best thing since sliced bread, but it was functional. It will work better if you carefully consider the drainage when you are buying your basket or container.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Windowsill Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.


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This post was written by admin on March 7, 2010

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Growing Herb Rock Gardens

When I was a kid, I lived out in a rural area and we only had clay earth once you dug about 6 or 12 inches down. When you are planning your garden, you’ve got to put light and sod quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the correct amounts of both sunlight and water, your garden will not grow. With the right combination of water, earth and light, you can grow just about anything.

To solve my clay sod problems, I turned to rock gardening, which focuses on adding lots of rocks to your landscape and focusing on plants that only need a few inches of good dirt.

A rock garden is about the positive features that you might have in your garden already or those that you want to create. Some herb plants truly love the rocky craggy earth that you have in areas like this all over the world. If you don’t have the rocky sod and want the aesthetic of a rock garden, be sure you’ve got room for roots to grow and also some good drainage.

When planning your herb garden, be sure that you are choosing herbs that can stay compact, because with limited space you don’t want anything taking over. Look at your reference books for the right plants for rock gardens. Good ones are those that have silver or gray leaves. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but it should help in making the best choices.

  • Hen-and-Chicks: {I cannot imagine cutting open a hen or chick and rubbing it on a wart, but this perennial succulent herb, which is also known as St. Patrick’s cabbage, has a long history of healing them.} The leaves of this herb store water for periods of drought. Your hen will get up to 4 inches across before you know it. Soon little off-shoots, or chicks, can sprout up from the edges of your hen. You will enjoy the reddish-pink blooms that will appear atop a nine inch spike that shoots straight up from the center of each cabbage in the summer. The plant can continue to add chicks and grow into a colony of plants.
  • Wild Oregano: This perennial from the Mediterranean region can grow vigorously up to 30 inches high with its oval leaves and purple flowers that bloom late in the summer. This isn’t the same type of oregano that you find in Italian meals, but you can eat it.
  • Marjoram: It’s wonderful when you can sculpt a lovely rock garden using culinary herbs like Marjoram. Its oval gray-green leaves have a sweet scent that will remind you of your favorite pasta sauce and its tiny white flowers will bring a smile to your face. Keep it clipped back so that it can stay lovely and full and do not forget that it appreciates full sun and good drainage.
  • Thyme: The shiny, little leaves of the thyme herb are clustered along woody stems that are adorned with numerous white or pink flowers and grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Thyme grows best when the earth is sandy, well-drained and gets a whole lot of natural light. You will want to keep this plant trimmed back to maintain its shape and to help it remain hearty.

Part of the wonder of rock gardens is the mix of the hard rocks and the soft plants. The differentiation in colors also helps in achieving a sense of the awesome. You can even use aromatic and culinary herbs in your rock garden, which will provide you with all the benefits of a regular herb garden.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Designs. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

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This post was written by admin on February 22, 2010

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Herb seeds – Do You Recognize how to Gain the Perfect from herb seed? Check this Out!

Herb seeds can give you the best once you start to make your own herb garden. Most herb garden, either you make by purchasing a kit or scratching; need a special approach and care. You need to plant herb seeds to begin the entire process of planting and making herb garden. You can get a cheap-price herb seeds if you buy them at packages rather than buy one by one in a local nursery.

once you strive to buy them, you will need to plant your herb seeds to obtain the plants to grow by themselves. This is the begin, where the beginner requires making sure that they follow the right process to gain the best results.

Make Sure You Read the Rules

Planting herb seeds is as essential as planting bulbs or flowers. Both can work best if you follow the rules very carefully. You have to use different approach and care for each herb since they are not the same. For example, basil can grow well if you grow them in early spring – around March. Mint lives if you grow it slightly later.

that is why you need to grow your herb seeds based on a schedule. Then you have to plant each one in a different time and make sure you have enough room for the ones you will need to grow at a later date.  Some herbs are able be planted both indoors and outdoors, while others are much better grown indoors just because they aren’t strong.  But if you don’t know this before you start planting your herb seeds, you may think that you aren’t good enough at growing herb seeds. Even though you can blame the weather as it is not supporting.

Indoors or Outdoors?

It is commonly though that the growing conditions for each location are exactly the same. It is not right, since herb gardens work equally well indoors and outdoors. Some herb seeds live much better when you plant them indoors, because the environments are much better. basically, they can still be grown outdoors but it may take longer for you to see it grows well.

In sum, read the instructions carefully first just to make sure that you have successfully plant them in the proper time. You will not be disappointed at the result if you have caught the rule well. You will be very happy of what you have worked on your herb seeds after you catch all instructions recommended.

So, what are you waiting for? Find out more about herb seeds and have a thorough understanding about it by clicking the links here!

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This post was written by admin on June 21, 2009

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Herb – Suggestions You Can Use to Obtain the Best Beautification on Your Garden

Have tried planting herb on your garden? Well, they can be a very exclusive-beautification at your garden. Herb has its own beauty and virtue, so you can pick some that you want most. You are able create the best garden if you could plant them carefully. Hence, you can make your pretty herb garden by looking at this.

The Ideal Place to Make a Miniature Kitchen Garden

The most familiar problem related to herb garden is that it tends to spread out once you have planted them. So, it is a great idea to have another way to make a best spot to grow them on. Then, you are able manage whether they begin to spread out on your lovely garden.

If a terrace or veranda is available at your house, why don’t you just put herb to the plant pots you have?  You can make or buy a wooden channel for growing them in, and paint or mark it to match in with your existing decoration. You can even place a selected gravel or decorative pebbles around each. It can add a degree of prettiness to the last result.

creating the Most of the Aromas

It can’t be denied that each herb has its own fantastic smell to enjoy. That’s why it’s a great idea to place them on near your seating area. strive to put mint next to your back door and you’ll see what effect it can have each time the breeze is blowing. It’s a strong and interesting fragrance that really smells good when you inhale the air.

Rosemary is another good option if you want to grow them. It provides a fantastic smell that you will take a look every time you walk by.  If you love lamb, you will definitely want to plant it, because it brings out the flavors any time you cook it.

when you have become better of planting them, you will strive another seed and grow them more and more. Try to surf at the internet to create the best beautification of herb garden. But be sure that your herb lives long and always looks best. You can never absolutely stop on planting after you strived grow them on. Remember that by having them on your garden, you will absolutely get a huge happiness whenever seeing them.

Don’t keep yourself trapped in doubt. Have more knowledge about herb and get yourself updated with it by clicking the links here!

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This post was written by admin on May 6, 2009

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Easy Herbs for a Starter Herb Garden

If you have ever wanted to get into herb gardening, you should know that herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow. Even if you don’t think of yourself as having a green thumb, you can be a successful gardener if you grow the following easy herbs that can be used fresh or dried.

Parsley – Parsley is easy to grow and has many uses. While it is a popular garnish found in many dishes, it is also excellent for curing bad breath. You can grow curly leaf and flat leaf parsley easily, and they grow wonderfully without you having to give them a whole lot of care. They do well in light shade and full sun, and they prefer moist, rich soil. Parsley doesn’t do overly well in the heat, however.

Cilantro – Cilantro is used in many Spanish dishes and has a distinct flavor. This is an annual herb that grows well both in the shade and the sun. You’ll find that it is very easy to care for and it will grow pretty well in just about any type of climate.

Chives – Chives are a perennial herb. They can grow well in almost any soil, and almost any conditions. Chives have been known to be seen growing in old gardens that haven’t been tended in many years! It’s hardy in zones 3-9, and prefers full sun. They tend to do better in rich soils, but don’t need it to survive. Chives have a rich, oniony flavor, and they taste great on baked potatoes.

Oregano – Oregano is probably one of the most popular herbs to grow in an herb garden and it is tasty with a variety of foods. You can use it in many dishes, including pork, chicken, and pasta dishes. It is an herb that does great in just about any area. It should have soil that is well drained and also likes full sun, but it will even grow in soil that is rocky and poor.

Thyme – Thyme is a perennial herb. It is hardy in zones 4-6. It’s a small, shrub-like herb that requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is quite hardy in its standard zones, and doesn’t require much care at all.

Basil – Basil in a warm-weather annual herb. It is hardy in most zones, but it requires hot, dry conditions to reach peak flavor. It needs full sun, and very rich, moist soil. The only major issues with growing basil are slugs and cool conditions. As long as basil has enough light and heat, and its soil is allowed to dry out between waterings, it usually requires little additional care.

Bay – Although it is a type of shrub, this is actually a very good herb for beginners to grow. It’s hardy in zones 8-11, and is remarkably hardy in those zones. It needs full sun to light shade, and rich, well-drained soil. It will tolerate variations in conditions rather well. Just remember, bay leaves reach their full flavor when dry, so be sure to press them between layers of paper towels inside heavy books for a few weeks before you use them.

When you grow these herbs, try to pay attention to the climate they like. While they may be hardy and grow in a variety of places, they’ll do the best when you keep them in a climate suited to their needs. So, as long as you consider the zones they grow best in, usually you’ll find these herbs will grow well in your vegetable garden, and they’ll be easy for you to take care of as well.

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This post was written by admin on April 25, 2009

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All About Herbs and Gardens

All About Herbs and Gardens

Here some garden advice that you might find useful. Looking for gardening tips? What is the top information that you need to know: amount of sunlight the plot is likely to have, tips on fertilizers, mulch and soil management. The tools necessary along with the type of tiller and watering system that would make your gardening job more convenient are things which you ought to know.

Herb Gardening Tips

You will save more time this way. Having a friend to help you with advice is a good idea and then having the area in front of you will really get the brainstorming started. There could be other points of consideration also.

Gardening Tip #2: The garden is a success if the soil is prepared well. Remember that different plants need different types of soil. For growing vegetables or herbal plants, use organic fertilizers as they would not affect the natural flavor of the food. Wooden chip mulch or any good compost would be a better choice than ordinary fertilizer.

You could easily have a backyard compost heap. Though fresh home brew compost is a rich source of nutrients, it may not be as realistic as one imagines, for the herbal and vegetable garden. Though mulch is a good alternative to home compost mixture, ensure that you use redwood or pine as it breaks faster. Ensure that you mix the ingredients well whether you prefer to use mulch, compost or fertilizer.

Herb Gardening Advice

Just lay them out ion top of the soil and check whether you like what you see. I firmly believe it is wise to plant plants together that have similar characteristics. Plants with larger spread should be planted together. Then, if you arrange the plants in such a way that the taller ones are at the back with the shorter ones in front, then you can see all the plants together.

Gardening Adivce

Gardening Tip 4: Watering your garden is very important. Depending on the size of your house, watering a garden can be tough. An automatic watering system is a wise alternative, if you want your garden to grow on its own. Ranging from a big sprinkler system to a timer on a hose sprinkler, these automatic systems can provide the solution. Using gardening as a hobby is very rewarding, providing shade, beauty as well as food too!

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This post was written by admin on April 19, 2009

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