Get a jump on your herb garden this year by doing a little winter planning. For a unique touch, try a theme garden. The possibilities are endless–for example, try a “For the animals” garden with barley grass and such herbs as catnip (Nepeta cataria) and catmint (Nepeta faassenii). Or, you could create a “Favorite scents” garden with lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), mints (Mentha spp.), or any herbs with scents you enjoy.
In her book Herbal Remedy Gardens: 38 Plans for Your Health and Well-being (Storey, 1999), Dorie Byers has created garden plans for rejuvenation, throat care, skin care, and many more. Here are two of her garden plans.
Relaxation Garden
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Lavender
Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana)
Hair-Care Garden
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Chamomile
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Source: Byers, Dorie. Herbal Remedy Gardens: 38 Plans for Your Health and Well-being. Pownal, Vermont: Storey Books, 1999.
