Herb bed
1.2 × 1.2 m (4 × 4 ft), 16 squares
Woody herbs that stay for years at one end, and annual herbs you resow at the other.
Herb garden layout
A 4 × 4 ft (1.2 × 1.2 m) herb bed: the woody herbs that come back every year at one end, and the herbs you sow each spring at the other.
Bed size, shape and units
Units
Shape
Plant in
This page can't save your plan. Print it, or on iPhone or iPad.
Start from a layout
Two herb layouts
- Rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano like sun and free-draining soil, and need little attention once they're settled.
- Parsley, coriander, basil, dill and chervil are sown each year. Sow coriander and chervil every few weeks, as they run to seed quickly.
- Mint isn't in the bed because it spreads. Grow it in a pot.
Kitchen herbs
90 × 90 cm (35 × 35 in)
Nine herbs and flowers in a square by the back door.
| Crop | Squares | Plants |
|---|---|---|
| Basil | 1 | 4 |
| Parsley | 1 | 4 |
| Chives | 1 | 4 |
| Coriander (cilantro) | 1 | 9 |
| Dill | 1 | 1 |
| Mint | 1 | 1 |
| Strawberry | 1 | 4 |
| Nasturtium | 1 | 1 |
| French marigold | 1 | 4 |
- A smaller 3 × 3 ft square, with strawberries, nasturtiums and marigolds among the herbs.
Looking after a herb bed
- Pick often. Regular picking keeps basil and parsley bushy and stops them flowering.
- Trim woody herbs after flowering. A light trim keeps sage and thyme compact.
- Plant it near the kitchen. You'll use the herbs far more if they're close to the door.
Questions
Which herbs grow well together?
Rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano all like sun and dry soil, so they suit one end of a bed. Parsley, chives, coriander and chervil like moister soil and put up with a little shade.
Can you grow mint with other herbs?
Only in a pot. Its roots spread fast and take over the bed. Sink the pot into the soil if you want it in the bed.
Save your herb garden in VegLog
VegLog keeps every bed you plan, tells you what to sow each week for your frost dates, and keeps a record of your harvests. Free for your first growing space.
