Herb garden

[Lozzles]

I have always grown herbs, but usually in small plots or just in pots on the patio. My dream has been to have a proper good sized herb garden where I can grow a variety of different herbs. I now have a plot large enough to make more of a statement So apart from the usual suspects does anyone have any unusual herbs that I could plant for either cooking or medicinal use?
This is not a picture of my garden unfortunately but this is the sort of size I have in mind.

[Diflower]

Doesn't that look lovely - it's probably the size of our garden

Chervil is often mentioned in recipes, I've never grown that. I have grown fennel, both green and bronze, just because they look so pretty and they're tall.
Oh and is it borage that's meant to go in Pimms?

There's someone who goes to the Christchurch food festival market every year who has a huge stall with every herb imagineable, and they're very knowledgeable too, wish I knew the name as I'm sure they go to other markets as well.

[Lozzles]

It does look lovely doesn't it?
I have grown fennel in the past, so I could try that again. I also would like a bush of lemon balm as it smells so good.

[tonicha]

Thyme and lemon thyme, basil and I've also got lemon verbena. That can get quite bushy

Rosemary, mint - as well as spearmint - are in seperate pots. Because they go bonkers.

A bay tree somewhere in amongst it all?

[Kaz]

Oh lovely idea Loz

I always keep my mint in pots as it does indeed spread like a plague Don't forget to grow some lavendar -you can have it in salads or use it to replace rosemary in recipes

[TheOstrich]

Not especially unusual, but don't forget chives, for garnishing and for soups. They're pretty indestructible once the clumps get going .... we had a small pot, but after a couple of years decided to ditch the contents in a "lump" at the end of the garden when the chives got a bit too matted for the earthenware. Next spring, they happily regenerated where we'd dumped them - and they've thrived there ever since!

[meriad]

I'm not overly keen on most herbs, but the ones I like for cooking are sage, tarragon, basil, some rosemary and mint. A bay tree would be lovely as well - they can grow huge and provide excellent shelter for lots of birds.

Rosemary and lavender come to mind for for medicinal purposes and not sure it would survive outside all year round, but what about an aloe cactus in a pot?

[Ally]

I'm not overly keen on most herbs, but the ones I like for cooking are sage, tarragon, basil, some rosemary and mint. A bay tree would be lovely as well - they can grow huge and provide excellent shelter for lots of birds.

Rosemary and lavender come to mind for for medicinal purposes and not sure it would survive outside all year round, but what about an aloe cactus in a pot?

We have a bay tree ria and it's always stuffed with birds in the day..and cicadas at night.

[meriad]

Loz, what kind of medicinal use are you talking about?

i've got this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/1001-Natural-Re ... 394&sr=8-1 which has some great ideas in it as well as a long list of so many herbs / plants. If you want to borrow it to have a read through it then pm your address and I'll send it off to you

[Lozzles]

Loz, what kind of medicinal use are you talking about?

i've got this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/1001-Natural-Re ... 394&sr=8-1 which has some great ideas in it as well as a long list of so many herbs / plants. If you want to borrow it to have a read through it then pm your address and I'll send it off to you

Oh, how kind I do actually have a couple of books already. I'm really looking into simple things for the skin or maybe tisanes. I think it would be nice to use more herbs in things as I have the space and the time