Many people have very little space in their gardens, or may have nothing bigger than a window box. Planting herbs in containers is a wonderful solution.  Besides, by using container gardening, you can grow your own herbs to give away as gifts.  Here are some lovely gift ideas which I hope will increase the popularity of herb plants, and that can be kept indoors for an indoor herb garden or in a very small space.

Windowsill Herb Garden

First you must choose your container. You could buy a ready-made unbreakable plastic window box or make a wooden one yourself, depending on the time you have available and the skills you wish to make use of.

A terracotta trough blends in with many styles of houses. If you are a skilled potter, you could even make your own. If you make a window box from wood instead, you must treat the wood well with a timber preservative to protect it from the elements.

Most herbs hate waterlogged soil, so good drainage is vital. Make sure your chosen container has plenty of drainage holes drilled through its base, then place about 2 in (5 cm) of broken flowerpots or stones in the bottom as a drainage layer. Fill the trough with richer soil than normal garden earth; proprietary brands of herb potting compost can be bought from most garden centers. An organic mix can also be used, made up of:

4 parts good garden soil
3 parts well-rotted garden compost
3 parts moist coconut fiber compost
1 part horticultural sand

Water the soil well and leave to settle before planting up the container. Assuming that the trough is approximately 24 in (60 cm) long, some creeping thymes could be planted at the front to trail over the edges. Other small cuttings from plants such as lavender, rosemary, the scented leaf geraniums, marjoram and parsley all lend themselves well to window boxes.

In many cases the plants have culinary or other uses, so their size will be contained by the frequent trimming of an enthusiastic cook or maker of pot-pourri. The window box will need some regular maintenance to ensure that all the plants have adequate room, and one overly enthusiastic specimen is not crowding out all the other inhabitants of the box. It will make a lovely present either for someone with no garden or for a keen gardener or cook who would enjoy having these lovely plants close at hand.

Strawberry Pots and Other Containers

There are many other containers that lend themselves well as presents, but I am only mentioning a few of them here. Once you have decided to plant up an attractive container, you can start looking around garden centers, antique shops or even junk shops and jumble sales until inspiration strikes.

Strawberry pots look lovely planted up with attractive herbal foliage poking through each aperture. Smaller plants work best. A collection of various colored thymes would look stunning or perhaps a selection of different sages. The sage “Tricolour” is a particularly attractive plant and would contrast well with a silver grey and purple sage.

Take care to have a good balance of plants in the container, because a large plant on the left-hand side with a much smaller, lighter plant on the right gives the pot a very uncomfortable, wobbly look. You must keep all the plants a roughly similar size and weight to give an even overall balance.

Making a Miniature Herb Garden

An old chipped sink could be put to excellent use as a small herb garden just outside the back door. Although this idea would not win any prizes as the most easily portable gift of the year, it would certainly be very much appreciated. This is the kind of project that many people intend to tackle but never get around to, but it is well worth the effort. Choose some popular culinary herbs, remembering to avoid mint, as it will swamp all the other plants in a very short time. Tarragon, basil, parsley and nasturtiums would make a good splash of color and would all be useful so near the kitchen. Alternatively, you could choose herbal plants that you know the recipient loves, such as lavenders or flowering herbs, to give a pretty and colorful look to this miniature garden.

A half-barrel can look very effective filled with bushy and trailing herbs. Of course, it is not a very practical present if you are traveling to the recipient’s house by train, but assuming you would not find the transport a problem, and you do not choose a large barrel, this is an unusual idea that would be well received.

Don’t know what to do with that old toilet. Plant a selection of herb plants in the seat and the tank. The white porcelain makes a beautiful contrast to colorful herbs.

If you have an old stock tank with a hole in it that won’t hold water anymore, you can plant a beautiful miniature herb garden in it. Fill the bottom with plenty of rocks or old broken flower pots. Even empty soda or beer cans make a good drainage.

Indoor Herb Pots

Most people can find a small space on their kitchen window sill for some pots of herbs. By growing them indoors, the season for such tender annuals as basil and summer savory can be extended and, of course, they are always within easy reach whenever they are needed.

An attractive terracotta pot planted up with a single variety of herb would be a lovely gift, or a larger container with a selection of herbs for people with plenty of space. When thinking of a present for a family member or close friend (when you know it will be well received), you could design an indoor herb garden around a kitchen or other suitable window. It must be a sunny and draught-free position and preferably receiving full sun (the herbs will go leggy and pale in deep shade). Even if the window sill space is limited, more room could be found by adding a narrow shelf halfway up the window. This looks decorative as well as being practical.

Many plants that are ideal for indoor herb gardening are very easily and cheaply raised from seed or cuttings, so the major outlay for this gift idea would be your time and effort rather than your money. Try to find a particularly attractive container, as it makes an enormous difference to the final appearance of the gift; a rather dull plastic container with a semi-healthy specimen inside it won’t raise more than a half-hearted thank you. On the other hand, a really unusual, perhaps even antique, terracotta container filled with a flourishing clump of vivid green parsley, or whichever herb you decide upon, will be received with true appreciation.

If you’re new to herbal gardening and would love to be able to grow your own beautiful herbs, I strongly recommend you read the “Beginners Guide to Herbal Gardening“.  It will take you step-by-step into creating your own gorgeous herb garden.

The range of colors in herbal plant varieties is wide, but the greys, silvery blues and hazy lilacs seem to predominate.  A color scheme can be planned alongside the overall planting scheme or it can develop as the garden does, gently over several years.  Many of the prettiest country gardens are the product of many years work–perhaps not intensive planning so much as general loving care and attention to plants, and an eager eye that collects new plants whenever the opportunity arises.  Many herbs grow well from cuttings or inexpensively from seed, so gathering a collection of herb plants need not be time consuming or expensive.

There is a multitude of possible herbs that you could choose to grow, and similarly a multitude of books on herb gardening that offer advice and expertise on the care of your plants.  My aim here in this website is to give ideas and inspiration for products that can be made from your herbal harvest.

However, one must now be creative in planning your organic herb garden.  Diseases, weeds, parasites and pests now have to be dealt with.  But don’t despair, there are a few things you can do to help along this line before you even plant a seed.

Choosing the Best Spot for Your Herb Garden

Don’t choose a spot because it is convenient for you or because you want to advertise it to your neighbors.  Choose a spot where it is most likely to flourish.

Morning Sunlight–A place free from large shade trees and that gets the morning sun is a good spot.  The morning sun will dry up the dew that has accumulated on the leaves of your herb plants in the more humid areas.  Constant moisture on the leaves tend to attract fungal parasites.

Good Drainage–Do not plan your garden in an area that continually collects water, never completely dries out and is mostly muddy.

Using Clean, Disease Free Soil 

Planting Soil–Start out with a clean, disease free soil.  Control what goes into your soil.  Extract every bit of weed possible.  Boost your soil by mixing in peat or a composted manure to make your soil rich and nutrient.  This will also give your organic herb garden good drainage.

Worm Your Garden–Instead of artificial fertilizers, go organic and use earth worms.  They provide nutrients and oxygen to your plants and help keep these elements in the soil.  They are cheaper and safer.

Keep the Soil Loose–Do not pack down the soil in your garden.  The plants need oxygen to breathe.  If soil does become packed down, loosen it up with a small garden hand tool.  Keep rows between your plants so you can walk through your garden without treading on th;em.

Raised Garden Beds–You will have complete control over your soil if you build a raised garden bed–no weeds or uninvited creatures to deal with.  They are not difficult to build and look so neat with a nice frame around them.

Research Your Plants–Before you buy any seeds, do some research on your planting zone.  Some plants are tolerant of fungus and insects, some are not.  Others are tolerant of drought or frost, others are not.  Knowing this ahead of time will save you a lot of money and disappointment.

Organic Care After Planting

Rotating–Do as the farmers do.  Rotate your plants at least every other year.  Planting the same plants year after year in the same spot will drain your soil of all its nutrients.  So rotate, rotate, rotate.

Mixing–Keep the same variety of plants mixed in with other herb plants.  For instance, there are a number of varieties of oregano, thyme and basil.  Try to varigate these with other types of herbs.  This will make if more difficult for parasites and grazers to feed on your garden.

Get your free “Beginners Guide to Your Herbal Gardening Mini-Course” HERE!

Planting herbs and starting an herb garden of your own, cultivating and harvesting your crop, is fairly easy. Herbs can grow in most any type of soil, as well as in containers for indoor or outdoor use. By preserving your fresh crop of herbs, you will be able to enjoy and make use of them all year long.

Most cooks use herbs at some time or another, but very few know how to use them in recipes such as jellies or bath oils. Herbs can also be used for making beautiful decorations. Any of these, when given as a gift, would be greatly appreciated by the receiver.

Hopefully, the pages in this site will give you some delightful and new ideas for using your home grown herbs.