The Beginner's Herb Garden: An Herb Society of America Guide
Garden Design
Choice of Plants
| Although an herb may be a tree, shrub, vine, or bulb, most herbs are herbaceous
(non-woody) in character. Some herbs, such as lavender, rosemary
and hyssop, may become semi-shrubs with woody stems, especially in temperate
zones.
Like other plants, herbs classified as annuals have but one season of growth, though some of them reseed. Biennials have two seasons of growth, producing |
Square garden in an open area using flagstones for walkways. The size of the garden will determine the required number of plants. |
| leaves the first year and then flowering and setting seed the second year. Most biennials will reseed themselves, so by planting them 2 years consecutively, you should have some plants producing leaves for harvest and others flowering and reseeding themselves for next year's foliage crop. Biennial herbs include some species of Digitalis (foxglove), Carum carvi (caraway) and Petroselinum (parsley). Perennials have ongoing growth, some of them lasting several seasons, others many years. In colder areas, perennials may die back completely to the ground in winter and re-emerge from the crown. Don't be hasty to remove perennials as some are slow to show new growth in the spring. | |
Next section: Selection & Sources of
Plants