Herbs Ideas, Tips & Guides

The world has finally begun recognizing the value of indigenous, perennial plants in restoring diversity. Therefore, we have compiled a list of native American herbs and spices that lend stunning flavors, are replete with medicinal uses, and lure endemic wildlife back to your backyard.

Tips for Growing Mint Mint is an excellent addition to any cocktail garden! Learn the secrets for growing this classic herb and how to keep it from taking over your garden. Add mint to your cocktail garden!

Learn About 9 Types of Bay Trees

Companion planting is an age-old practice that pairs plants together in the garden to provide some benefit to one or both partners. Companion plants play various roles in the vegetable garden community. Onions produce strong odors in the form of volatile compounds that can confuse and deter plant pests. Planting onions with companion plants is a great way to manage insect pests on carrots, peppers, and other vegetable crops. Onion companion plants provide similar benefits to onions, helping to attract beneficial insects and reduce pest pressure. Some herbs are even rumored to improve the flavor of onions when grown in close proximity.

Pineapple sage is an ornamental herb that I like to include in my container arrangements. It also looks really striking in a garden, especially if it grows to its full size. This edible, shrubby herb can grow up to five feet tall and two to three feet wide! Following a few simple tips for pineapple sage care will ensure a healthy plant that will eventually produce those tubular, red flowers that butterflies, hummingbirds, and all kinds of bees love. Pineapple sage’s slightly fuzzy, oval-shaped leaves release a strong pineapple fragrance when rubbed. Some of the same chemical c

Herbs are super-easy to grow in garden beds orcontainers, and nothing tastes better than fresh herbs snipped from your garden for all your homecooked favorites. But while you may always plant annual herbs, such asbasil, dill, and cilantro, you’re missing out if you’re not growing perennial herbs. Perennial herbs come back year after year, making them a smart investment in your garden. Many also have beautiful flowers that pollinators love.

When and How to Harvest Bay Leaves

Monoculture and non-native landscapes harm our natural ecosystems in more ways than one, which is why it’s important to keep balance! A good way to minimize this is by growing more endemic and native plants and herbs in your garden. Not only will this give you abundant harvests of these special herbs, but it will also help restore essential life to your biome.

One of the best things about being in the plant business for over 40 years has been trying out new and rediscovered plants. Every year I like to grow the latest perennials and annuals, testing them to see if they’re worth ordering again the following year. The herb garden—though it seems a pretty staid and quiet sanctuary—has actually had its share of exciting new plants too. Visions of sauces and meats, drinks, and pastries flavored with delicious herbs tended by my own hands are all the inspiration I need to try something for the first time. Additionally, these plants add color, texture, and scent to my containers and gardens. In many cases, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that these improved options are actually better looking and/or tasting than the familiar staple. The following are some of my favorite herb varieties. Some are new—and some have simply flown under the radar for far too long.

Rosemary is one of the easiest herbs to grow if you grow it right; if not, it can be a bit tricky to maintain and even harder to keep in the pink of its health. Discover those right things in this article to grow the most flavorful, productive, and thriving rosemary plant.

A harmonious Dorset rose garden designed by Isabel and Julian Bannerman

Adam Albright

Say you’re done making your favorite recipe, and run to your herb garden for some home-grown seasoning. But all you find are leggy shadows of a once-robust plant! Well, you can avoid this picture if you gently top your herb when it’s young with sets of true leaves and even after.

Raised garden beds are an excellent choice for gardeners looking to enhance their growing space. The best raised garden beds offer benefits, such as improved soil conditions, better pest control, and easier maintenance. Our expertise at Savvy Gardening stems from years of hands-on gardening in raised beds and thorough research, ensuring that our recommendations are practical and reliable. We’ve narrowed our favorites to a list of six. We meticulously evaluated various factors, including durability, material quality,

From kitchen gardens to edible landscapes, rosemary pairs beautifully with a wide range of plants. Many of the same herbs and vegetables that mingle with rosemary in the pot, like peppers and oregano, also work well as garden neighbors. Rosemary companion plants also include ornamental species. With upright and spreading forms available, rosemary can be used in a variety of garden settings, from containers to rock gardens. The soft blue flowers attract pollinators and other beneficial insects while complementing ornamental grasses and perennials.

When I think of mint, the first thing that enters my mind is its inimitable fragrance. With one whiff of a crushed mint leaf, menthol fills my nose with a coolness that invigorates me, opening my sinuses, awakening my senses, and clearing out the cobwebs in my mind. Just the thought of mint in my mouth makes my tongue tingle. Peppermint penetrates the taste buds with a lively pepperiness; spearmint permeates them with a subtle sweetness. Mint is exotic and yet a part of our everyday lives. Can you imagine growing up in America without tasting mint chocolate chip ice cream? What would tabbouleh be without mint? And what about our grandparents and the mint candies hidden in their pockets or set out on the coffee table? Menthol, which gives mint its well-known scent and flavor, is found in foods and medicines worldwide. It’s used commercially in toothpaste, chewing gum, and mouthwash. Menthol has soothed many stomachs, and it’s an antiflatulent to boot.

Boxwoods can be fantastically formal hedges or the basis of whimsical topiaries on their own, but, if you know what to plant in front of boxwoods, they’re also the perfect backdrop for a dazzling mix of companion plants. You can pair boxwoods with a combination of smaller shrubs, perennial plants, herbs, and even flowering bulbs. This supplies winter interest, attracts pollinators, keeps deer away, and more. No matter what effect you’re after, the plants you choose should play nicely with your boxwoods and fit in with your growing conditions as well as the size of your landscaping area. Keep reading for lots of beautiful ideas of what to plant in front of boxwoods. Why boxwoods are so popular Hailed as “man’s oldest garden ornament,” boxwoods have served as the “bones” or foundational plantin

When one thinks about a production garden designed to yield copious amounts of vegetables and flowers, it’s not often one with perfectly manicured rows overflowing with color and paired with thoughtfully organized spaces for gathering. Practicality and function are usually the focus, not a dedication to stunning surroundings. This is where the team behind Oakland-based Pine House Edible Gardens stands out with their impeccable layout and design philosophies, showcasing the ability to implement important functional garden systems with incredible style.

Growing herbs from softwood cuttings is the best way to never let the supply of fresh organic sprigs come to a halt. You can grow them easily from new growth without waiting for the old hardwood growth to appear!

The traditional stone farmhouse stands on a limestone outcrop in the Chianti hills. Tall cypress trees mark the driveway, contrasting with the rounded forms of clipped hornbeam on the lowest terrace and cloud-like plane trees on the top one. The three terraces incorporate several distinct, intensively cultivated areas, including kitchen, herb and cutting gardens, as well as romantic flower borders

When it comes to herb gardening for beginners, it’s easy to end up in the weeds. After all, there are countless articles on specific herbs and their medicinal properties. Some of these might even include a few growing tips. But what if you have no idea which herbs you should try to grow—let alone know how to grow them? We’ve got you! This quick-start guide on herb gardening for beginners includes suggested plants, notes on site selection, spacing your plants, harvesting fresh herbs, and more, so you’ll be able to plan and plant an herb garden tailored to you. Why grow your own herbs? In thinking about herb gardening for beginners, it’s important to consider the specific reasons you migh

If you are looking for an option to save money while enjoying fresh coriander sprigs right at your home, then learn How to Grow Cilantro from Stem Cuttings!

Container gardening is a bit different from traditional gardening, requiring a bit more attention. But the results can be incredibly satisfying. We’ve compiled some plants that you might consider growing in containers that are just a foot wide.

Show your green-fingered father figures how much they mean to you with our Fathers’ Day gardening gift guide. To help them create the garden of their dreams we’ve picked out some of our favourite  expert-tested, Best Buy winning gardening tools, and added some gardening themed treats. From beer to planters and pizza ovens to seeds, there’s something for everyone.

Who needs to go to the grocery store when you can enjoy an endless supply of basil from your own garden? In this article, we show you ways to turn a big single pot into a personal basil factory!

Pruning shears are a gardener’s best friend when nurturing a healthy and visually appealing garden. In our gardening journey, we’ve found them indispensable for making precise cuts, shaping plants, and removing dead or overgrown branches. When selecting the ideal pair of pruning shears for your gardening toolkit, always prioritize quality and durability over cost. A well-crafted pruner can save you money in the long run by avoiding the need for frequent replacements. After conducting thorough research and using popular brands and models for years, we have shortlisted a range of the best pruning

Sage is one of the most popular perennial kitchen herbs and is used in many lip-smacking recipes made using pork, cheese, and beans. You can grow it easily in pots in a limited space, outdoors and even indoors.

Companion planting in the garden can serve several purposes, ranging from maximizing garden space to attracting beneficial insects and pollinators to luring insect pests away from other food crops.

Studio McGee

Ants are known to provide refuge to insects such as aphids and whiteflies and can do much damage to the garden. Plus, ant colonies are massive and can keep you from using a portion of the lawn! So how do we fix that? By planting plants that are anti-ant and keep them away.

If you’ve got a shady garden or you live in an urban apartment where you don’t have access to direct sunlight, this list of Herbs that Grow without Sunlight is going to help you. These low-light herbs can survive in a lack of sunlight!

Carson Downing

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We all love herbs don’t we? Be it their flavor, and many uses in the kitchen—we all want a few that keep on growing, providing us with plentiful leaves all year round!