Growing an herb garden in the front yard is a simple, low-cost way to ensure you always have these staples on hand. Gardening with herbs is an easy win, and fresh herbs are a staple in my cooking. They can elevate my otherwise ho-hum meal into a culinary masterpiece. A front yard herb garden is not only cost effective but allows you to know exactly how the herbs are grown. Plus they’re beautiful pollinator attractors. Read on to learn how to create your own gorgeous herb garden in your front yard.
Benefits of a Front Yard Herb Garden
There are several benefits to having a front-yard herb garden. As already mentioned, fresh herbs are the best way to add flavor and a little panache to uninspired dinners. Also, herbs can be costly, both fresh and dried. Growing your own keeps your budget in check without sacrificing flavor. And, many herbs are perennials, returning year after year.
When allowed to flower, most herb blooms attract pollinators. Welcome the bees with an abundance of oregano or lavender blooms. They will stick around and pollinate your fruit trees and veggie garden to thank you.
Many herbs also act as insect repellents, reducing the need for insecticides or other chemical controls. Herbs can also be interspersed with existing foliage, accentuating their beauty.
How to Grow an Herb Garden in Your Front Yard
You need two basic conditions to grow an herb garden in the front yard: full sun exposure (at least 6 hours per day) and well-draining soil. Otherwise, most herbs are relatively unfussy although they can be included in a formal garden.
Front Yard Herb Garden Ideas
Select a location with both of the above; sun exposure and well-draining soil. It might be part of an already landscaped area, a bare bed that needs filling, decorative containers flanking the front door, window boxes, or even a difficult area like a planting strip.
Planting strips can actually be great for growing herbs. This is an area that is often difficult to get to with proper irrigation unless you have an installed sprinkler system. Many herbs are drought- tolerant so if they don’t get daily doses of water they will still likely be fine. Plus, a bounty of herbs adds curbside appeal to your landscape.
You might however, want to put a footpath through the bed if the area is abutted by curbside parking. I know from experience how some people, surely not plant lovers, tromp through undeterred by your precious plants.
Herb plantings can be arranged in a casual manner in a raised bed or the garden proper, combined with other perennials or annuals in containers, or, ditch the turf grass and create a traditional geometric kitchen herb garden right outside your front door.
Herb Garden: Front Yard Tips
A traditional kitchen garden can be four square, a circle, or oval. It may include pathways, benches, fountains, statuary, seating and lighting. Think of a formal garden. Encompassing the entire space with a kitchen herb garden will reduce water bills, is more environmentally friendly, and requires less maintenance than a lawn.
Remember to layer your garden with the tallest at the rear of a bed or container and the shortest at the forefront. Make sure that all your herbs have similar requirements when combining them. For instance, oregano, sage, thyme and rosemary are all drought tolerant while basil, cilantro, mint and parsley need more irrigation.
On the subject of water, make sure water is accessible to the new garden. Many herbs are drought tolerant but even so they will need occasional watering. A layer of mulch can help to retain water and retard weeds around the herbs.
If you decide to allow some herbs to flower, plant enough of one variety to ensure you have plenty to harvest for your own use. Once herbs flower, their foliage becomes bitter; definitely not suited to tonight's culinary masterpiece.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Best Layout for an Herb Garden?
The best layout for an herb garden is what works for you. That said, it should be situated close to your kitchen or outdoor kitchen so it's a simple matter to snip some fresh leaves to add to your cooking. The layout may be casual, regimented, or geometric. You can intersperse herbs with perennials or annuals, grow in container or window boxes or create a traditional kitchen garden.
What Are the Best Edible Plants for the Front Yard?
There are so many edible plants it would be difficult to pick the best one for the front yard. I love my black lace elderberry but it does need a companion to produce berries. If you’re looking for an all around useful yet ornamental plant, I’d suggest an herb. Maybe something striking like a towering bronze fennel or a “hedge” of lavender.
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FAQs
Pair no-fail herbs like parsley with pansies, mint with marigolds, and basil with zinnias for spring-to-fall interest. Spice things up with peppers and lantana. Walk this way. Plant low-growing beauties like thyme, oregano, and strawberries between stones or to the sides of a path.
What is the best layout for an herb garden? ›
The simplest design would be four beds, each a square yard (or square metre) in size, around a sundial or small round bed containing one tall herb – a Rosemary bush or Bay tree as a permanent feature, or Fennel, which would grow up every year and offer sculptural stems in winter.
How do you decorate a herb garden? ›
The easiest way to create an herb garden design is to slip individual pots of herbs into one larger container, like this vintage wine crate that says “wine brings joy.” Add a few favorite herbs, including (clockwise from bottom corner) basil, thyme, rosemary, sweet woodruff and bay, and you'll find that herbs bring joy ...
How do I make my herb garden thrive? ›
Most herbs need sunlight every day, so choose a sunny spot as close to the kitchen as possible. Herbs also need fresh air to thrive – they don't grow well indoors for any length of time.
What herbs like to be next to each other? ›
Herb companion planting chart
| Herb | Suitable herb companions |
|---|
| Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) | Promotes the growth of lavender and savory |
| Basil (Ocimum basilicum) | Compatible with almost all herbs |
| Lovage (Levisticum officinale) | Promotes the growth of fennel and parsley (Petroselinum crispum ssp. crispum) |
8 more rowsIn this article, we'll explore some of the herbs that can be planted together and the benefits of doing so.
- Basil & Oregano. Basil and oregano can be planted together in a garden bed or container garden. ...
- Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, & Lavender. ...
- Cilantro & Parsley. ...
- Mint. ...
- Dill & Chives.
Consider each plant's growing habit. Set creeping or trailing herbs to the front and taller herbs to the back or in the middle, with bushier plants in between. Once you're happy with the arrangement, remove the herbs from their pots and place them back onto the potting soil.
Do herbs like full sun or shade? ›
Most herbs need a fair amount of sunlight. As long as an herb is growing in a space where it gets at least 4 hours of sunlight a day, it will most likely do well. Most can tolerate much more sunlight, though, with herbs like rosemary, lavender and basil thriving in full sun (6 – 8 hours a day).
Should herb gardens be inside or outside? ›
Many common herbs thrive in traditional gardens and outdoor containers, and even on sunny, indoor windowsills — keeping fresh herbs ready in every season. The aroma of fresh herbs can be especially enjoyed when placed along walkways and brushed with a knee or hand. Caring for herbs indoors or out isn't difficult.
What month should you start a herb garden? ›
If you plan to grow and maintain your kitchen herb garden indoors, you can start at any time of the year. But if you're thinking about creating a little herb corner in your garden or outdoor planter, then the best time to start planting herbs is spring, once the danger of frost has passed.
- Step 1: Pick a perch. If you're planting outside, look for a sunny area with well-draining soil, such as a raised bed. ...
- Step 2: Choose your herbs and get your setup started. What herbs should you grow? ...
- Step 3: Water the right way. ...
- Step 4: Prune like a pro. ...
- Step 5: Focus on the future. ...
- Step 6: Make a masterpiece.
In general, you should water your herbs two to three times a week. Herbs that require more watering: Basil, cilantro, mint and parsley. After initially planting or buying your herbs, provide enough water to keep the soil moist for a few days.
What herbs Cannot be planted together? ›
Examples of herbs that do not grow well together include chamomile and dill, dill and fennel, and basil and rue. It's best to research the specific herbs if you plan to grow and their compatibilities before planting them together.
What are the 3 sacred herbs? ›
Cedar, sage, sweetgrass and tobacco are sacred to Indigenous peoples across North America. These herbs are used to treat many illnesses and are crucial in many ceremonies.
What is a bad companion plant for basil? ›
Plants to Avoid Growing With Basil
- Herbs. While you can plant basil next to chamomile, oregano, and chives, basil generally prefers the company of vegetables over other herbs, and should not be planted near rue or sage. ...
- Cucumbers. ...
- Fennel.
Gardeners in areas with 5-6 hours of afternoon sun may be able to grow most vegetables and herbs. However, those with only 3-4 hours of morning sun will have better success with true shade-lovers, and should choose other types of plants as the main focus of their gardens.
Do herbs prefer full sun or shade? ›
Most herbs need a fair amount of sunlight. As long as an herb is growing in a space where it gets at least 4 hours of sunlight a day, it will most likely do well. Most can tolerate much more sunlight, though, with herbs like rosemary, lavender and basil thriving in full sun (6 – 8 hours a day).
What herbs should be planted separately? ›
For example, tansy, catnip, comfrey, horseradish, lemon balm, hops, artemisia, and mint should not be planted together with other herbs because they spread aggressively unless you control them. To keep these herbs from spreading in your garden, it's best to grow them individually in their own containers.
