Sunny herb garden
 

Hi Everyone

One of the first tasks I want to do in my new garden is to plant a herb
garden somewhere fairly close to the house. There are various places I could
choose, which get varying amounts of sun. None gets sun all day, but some
places get sun for most of the day. Others just get it for a couple of
hours.

I'm mostly going to be planting fairly traditional herbs: parsley, sage,
rosemary, thyme (isn't there a song in there somewhere?), chives, that sort
of thing. Maybe some more unusual ones as well (I'm open to suggestions!)

How much does it matter how much sun they get? Should I go for maximum sun,
or is a couple of hours in the middle of the day enough? The most convenient
places for planting don't get very much sun.

Many thanks

Adam

Sunny herb garden
 

On 5/8/06 11:28, in article , "Adam"
wrote:

Hi Everyone

One of the first tasks I want to do in my new garden is to plant a herb
garden somewhere fairly close to the house. There are various places I could
choose, which get varying amounts of sun. None gets sun all day, but some
places get sun for most of the day. Others just get it for a couple of
hours.

I'm mostly going to be planting fairly traditional herbs: parsley, sage,
rosemary, thyme (isn't there a song in there somewhere?), chives, that sort
of thing. Maybe some more unusual ones as well (I'm open to suggestions!)

How much does it matter how much sun they get? Should I go for maximum sun,
or is a couple of hours in the middle of the day enough? The most convenient
places for planting don't get very much sun.


It seems to be a bit of a mixture. The woodier herbs like rosemary etc.
like quite a lot of sun and good drainage but some of the annual ones will
tolerate shade, but not a lot. It sounds as if you could do some mixed
planting to achieve what you want. You could, for example, plant rosemary
or lavender as a low hedge somewhere, as long as it drains well.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sunny herb garden
 

We don't restrict chives to a herb bed. They work well in small clumps
amongst flower beds. They have lovely purplish flowers if you let them. And
the clumps just keep getting bigger every year, so we just divide them
periodically and have yet more clumps of chives. Really handy when we have a
cheese or ham baguette etc, just popping into the garden with a pair of
scissors and chopping off a handfull. They provide a fresh tasty snack for
much of the year.
--
David
.... Email address on website http://www.avisoft.co.uk
.... Blog at http://dlts-french-adventures.blogspot.com/

Sunny herb garden
 

In article ,
"Adam" writes:
|
| One of the first tasks I want to do in my new garden is to plant a herb
| garden somewhere fairly close to the house. There are various places I could
| choose, which get varying amounts of sun. None gets sun all day, but some
| places get sun for most of the day. Others just get it for a couple of
| hours.

Most herbs grown in the UK fall into one of three classes:

The Mediterranean labiates and similar (thyme, rosemary, sage, winter
savory, bay etc.) These like good drainage and as much sun as they
can get. Most will not thrive with very little direct sun. They can
take drought, and may be best grown in pots in clay soils.

The northern umbellifers and similar (parsley, lovage, chives etc.)
These don't need any sun, if the location is light enough, and need
fairly damp conditions. They don't thrive in hot, dry conditions.

The humid tropicals (basil, coriander, dill(!) etc.) These need constant
warmth and fairly damp conditions. Dill isn't really a tropical, but is
pretty tricky to grow in cold OR dry conditions, just like basil and
coriander.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Sunny herb garden
 

"David (in Normandy)" wrote in message
...
We don't restrict chives to a herb bed. They work well in small clumps
amongst flower beds. They have lovely purplish flowers if you let them.
And the clumps just keep getting bigger every year, so we just divide them
periodically and have yet more clumps of chives. Really handy when we have
a cheese or ham baguette etc, just popping into the garden with a pair of
scissors and chopping off a handfull. They provide a fresh tasty snack for
much of the year.

Yes, we have some in a window box on the table on the terrace and help
ourselves when we're having meals. Trouble is, one of the boy chicks has
discovered them and likes them too :-(

Mary

Sunny herb garden
 

"Adam" wrote in message
...
Hi Everyone

One of the first tasks I want to do in my new garden is to plant a herb
garden somewhere fairly close to the house. There are various places I
could choose, which get varying amounts of sun. None gets sun all day, but
some places get sun for most of the day. Others just get it for a couple
of hours.

I'm mostly going to be planting fairly traditional herbs: parsley, sage,
rosemary, thyme (isn't there a song in there somewhere?), chives, that
sort of thing. Maybe some more unusual ones as well (I'm open to
suggestions!)

How much does it matter how much sun they get? Should I go for maximum
sun, or is a couple of hours in the middle of the day enough? The most
convenient places for planting don't get very much sun.

Many thanks

Adam

Only marjoram, thyme, rosemary and mint live in permanent beds here.
Everything else is in pots, even a miniature bay, which are moved around
according to conditions. Basil is restricted to the kitchen and bathroom.

Mary

Even within the traditional herbs there can be quite a variety. For example, try Blackurrant sage - the leaves smell wonderfully of blackcurrants and the flowers are a zingy red/pink. Here in my Buckinghamshire garden it makes a bush of about 3 feet, and survives several winters - if it doesn't then just replant it. Also try lemon verbena (NOT lemon balm, which is a terrible coarse weed) which has the most gorgeous lemon scent. Grow it in a pot, and don't be dismayed if it appears dead in spring, it takes a long time to leaf up. You could try majorcan Pink or Tuscan blue ( much deeper than the species) rosemaries - mine do well in pots. And how about "blue" chives ( allium nutans) not really blue, but more so than the usual ones, and bigger.
Hope this helps.
Good luck
Deborah

Sunny herb garden
 

snip
One point other haven't mentioned is that a permanent planting of herbs
seems to attract weeds, in our case Couch Grass, and some like Mint and even
oregano/marjoram can spread alarmingly, so we now grow all our herbs in
large pots.

I have a very sunny border and it is planted as follows - honesty- mints
of various sorts -bronze fennel- soapwort -lavender- garlic chives and
ordinary chives -blackcurrent -sage -lavendar sage -rosemary -curry
plant -ajuga and various other bits and pieces all living in a very
untidy but happy manner,

kate

Sunny herb garden
 

"Adam" wrote in message

I'm mostly going to be planting fairly traditional herbs: parsley,
sage,
rosemary, thyme (isn't there a song in there somewhere?), chives,
that sort
of thing. Maybe some more unusual ones as well (I'm open to
suggestions!)

Rosemay likes dry conditions and mine does best under the eaves of the
house facing due north (I'm in the southern hemisphere) and is never
watered. It grows like Topsy. Thyme makes a great edging plant whcih
I pop in all aver the place. I grow my chives in the flower garden
and the parsely under the roses.

How much does it matter how much sun they get? Should I go for
maximum sun,
or is a couple of hours in the middle of the day enough?

For the rosemay I'd recommend as much sun as you can give it. Not so
important for the parsley but the thyme likes sun too. My chives
don't seem to be too fussy but then my sunlight levels would be more
intense than that of the UK.

Sunny herb garden
 

On 5/8/06 21:56, in article , "tresco"
wrote:

Adam Wrote:
Hi Everyone

I'm mostly going to be planting fairly traditional herbs: parsley,
sage,
rosemary, thyme (isn't there a song in there somewhere?), chives, that
sort
of thing. Maybe some more unusual ones as well (I'm open to
suggestions!)



Many thanks

Adam

Even within the traditional herbs there can be quite a variety. For
example, try Blackurrant sage - the leaves smell wonderfully of
blackcurrants and the flowers are a zingy red/pink. Here in my
Buckinghamshire garden it makes a bush of about 3 feet, and survives
several winters - if it doesn't then just replant it.

There's also a lovely pineapple sage.

Also try lemon
verbena (NOT lemon balm, which is a terrible coarse weed) which has the
most gorgeous lemon scent. Grow it in a pot, and don't be dismayed if it
appears dead in spring, it takes a long time to leaf up.

This is known as Aloysia triphylla but used to be Lippia citrodora. It can
succumb to frosts, so might need some protection in colder areas. It has
lemon-scented leaves which can be used to make a tea, put in the bottom of a
cake tin to flavour a sponge or dried and put into little bags to scent the
linen cupboard. In previous houses, I've always grown it by the front door,
so that every time people go in and out they can brush its leaves and get
that lovely smell on their hands. It's one of my very favourite plants and
here's some info on it from the Plants for a Future database:
"Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves.
Edible Uses: Condiment; Tea.
Leaves - occasionally cooked as a spinach[177] but more commonly used as a
flavouring in salads, fruit salads etc[14, 21, 104, 183]. A delicious
lemon-like flavour, it is adored by most people who try it[K]. A delicious
and refreshing tea is made from the leaves[14, 21, 103, 183]. The dried
leaves will retain their lemon aroma for many years[4].
Medicinal Uses
Antispasmodic; Aromatherapy; Febrifuge; Sedative; Stomachic.
An undervalued medicinal herb, lemon verbena contains a strong lemon-scented
essential oil that has calming and digestive qualities[254]. The plant has a
gentle sedative action and a reputation for soothing abdominal discomfort.
It has a mildly tonic effect upon the nervous system and helps to lift the
spirits and counter depression[254]. The leaves and the flowering tops are
antispasmodic, febrifuge, sedative and stomachic[4, 7, 238, 240]. A tea made
from the leaves has a deliciously refreshing lemon flavour and is used
mainly in treating digestive disorders[4] such as flatulence, indigestion
and acidity[244]. Some caution is advisable though, since prolonged use or
large internal doses can cause gastric irritation[268]. The herb is also
useful as a stimulant for treating lethargy or depression[244] whilst it is
also used to treat feverish colds[238]. The essential oil is used in
aromatherapy in the treatment of nervous and digestive problems and also for
acne, boils and cysts[238].
Other Uses
Essential; Insecticide; Pot-pourri; Repellent.
An essential oil obtained from the leaves is extensively used in
perfumery[7, 61]. An average yield of 0.5% is obtained[7]. There is some
evidence that the use of this oil can sensitise the skin to sunlight and so
its use has been largely replaced by the tropical plant lemongrass,
Cymbopogon spp.[238]. The dried leaves retain their fragrance well and so
are used in pot-pourri[238]. The growing plant repels midges, flies and
other insects[201]. The essential oil is an effective insecticide in 1 - 2%
concentration[240].
Scented Plants
Leaves: Crushed Dried
The leaves are very aromatic with a strong lemon scent."
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sunny herb garden
 

In article , Sacha writes:
| On 5/8/06 21:56, in article , "tresco"
| wrote:
|
| Also try lemon
| verbena (NOT lemon balm, which is a terrible coarse weed) which has the
| most gorgeous lemon scent. Grow it in a pot, and don't be dismayed if it
| appears dead in spring, it takes a long time to leaf up.
|
| This is known as Aloysia triphylla but used to be Lippia citrodora. It can
| succumb to frosts, so might need some protection in colder areas. ...

It's definitely tender, and won't do at all in colder areas. It needs
some protection except in the warmest areas, unless there is a hardy
variety I have not seen.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Sunny herb garden
 

On 6/8/06 10:34, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:


In article , Sacha
writes:
| On 5/8/06 21:56, in article , "tresco"
| wrote:
|
| Also try lemon
| verbena (NOT lemon balm, which is a terrible coarse weed) which has the
| most gorgeous lemon scent. Grow it in a pot, and don't be dismayed if it
| appears dead in spring, it takes a long time to leaf up.
|
| This is known as Aloysia triphylla but used to be Lippia citrodora. It can
| succumb to frosts, so might need some protection in colder areas. ...

It's definitely tender, and won't do at all in colder areas. It needs
some protection except in the warmest areas, unless there is a hardy
variety I have not seen.

The OP lives in Buckinghamshire, I believe. I wonder if she gives it winter
protection. However, it went through last winter with us which went to -5
or -6 on more than one occasion. OTOH, I once lost it in a Jersey garden
where it was in a very open position. I think the actual situation in the
garden must count for a good deal and the protection of e.g. a house or
courtyard wall would probably make a small but significant difference.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sunny herb garden
 

In article , Sacha writes:
|
| | This is known as Aloysia triphylla but used to be Lippia citrodora. It can
| | succumb to frosts, so might need some protection in colder areas. ...
|
| It's definitely tender, and won't do at all in colder areas. It needs
| some protection except in the warmest areas, unless there is a hardy
| variety I have not seen.
|
| The OP lives in Buckinghamshire, I believe. I wonder if she gives it winter
| protection. However, it went through last winter with us which went to -5
| or -6 on more than one occasion. OTOH, I once lost it in a Jersey garden
| where it was in a very open position. I think the actual situation in the
| garden must count for a good deal and the protection of e.g. a house or
| courtyard wall would probably make a small but significant difference.

Bean says that it is OK in the very warmest parts (e.g. IOW, Cornwall,
Channel Islands) with no protection, but needs protection near London.

Buckinghamshire and Cambridge are a lot colder than London - the soil
freezes (shallowly and briefly) most years, nights of -5 Celcius are
normal, and there are occasional nights of below -10 Celcius, even in
the recent mild winters. And it gets even colder oop north. He/she
may well keep it in a cold greenhouse over the winter - pots are much
easier to protect than the open ground.

Last winter was weird - there was one spell of below -10 Celcius, but
nothing else of note (i.e. not even reaching -5 Celcius).


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.