About English Herb Gardens

History

• English herb gardens were not developed until the 19th century. Before that time herbs, both medicinal and cooking, were incorporated into what was called a kitchen garden. As cottage herb gardens of today, the kitchen gardens were small plots near the kitchen door. They not only included herbs, but flowers and some vegetables as well.
  Formal English gardens of old included herbs, but they also had flowers and other plants. They were created in a knot, maze or geometric pattern. Today, you can find gardens with herbs specifically designed with a formal setting. Both then and now, these formal gardens may contain brick pathways, metal or wood gates, containers and stone walls.

Significance

• Either cooking herbs, medicinal herbs or both are grown within an English Herb Garden. The significance of herbs for cooking is, of course, for flavoring in almost every type of dish: meat, fish, fowl, vegetable, fruits and desserts.The herbs might include: basil, bay, borage, chives, dill, fennel, lemon balm, mints, rosemary and others.
  Medicinal herbs were popular in original English herb gardens in early times when more conventional medicine was not available. However, in recent times, the popularity of natural, alternative healing many times includes the use of herbs. Medicinal herbs growing in an English herb garden might be: milk thistle, chamomile, feverfew, valerian, peppermint, catnip or coriander.

Features

• The English cottage herb garden is usually packed with herbs in a small plot. The only distinction as to herb placement might be the separation between medicinal herbs and culinary herbs. The rest of the herbs should be planted according to height; the taller ones in the back. If your garden area is only partly sunny, the herbs would be planted according to the amount of sunshine needed.
  The English formal herb garden would be planned on paper long before the first plant or seed is placed. Decide on a geometric shape such as a square, circle, diamond or triangle. You could even choose one of the shapes and then add a second, different shape to the center of the English herb garden. In the center shape, add a statue or birdbath in the middle or make a crossed walk way with pavers. Choose an herb to follow around the inner shape and then a walkway around that herb. From this point choose the herbs for the different sections, keeping color, height and texture in mind.

Considerations

• When choosing which herbs to plant in your English herb garden, consider not only the height and color, but the texture. For example, curly parsley will work well as an edging plant along the outside of a cottage garden or as a border in a formal garden. Annual herbs should be pinched for use before they flower. After flowering the new leaves are bitter. However, it's the flowers that will give your English herb garden the look of authenticity. Adding potted herbs throughout your herb garden will add to the interest. If it is a formal garden, match it with more elaborate pots or urns.

Size

• The herbs you choose for different areas of your English herb garden are as important as the choice of herbs, themselves. It is even more crucial if you are planning a formal English herb garden. However, the formal herb gardens may be any size. The cottage herb gardens are traditionally small.
  Small herbs (1 foot tall or less): parsley, chives, thyme and cilantro.
  Medium herbs (less than 2 feet tall): thyme, peppermint, tarragon, marjoram and most basil.
  Large herbs (4 to 6 feet tall): rosemary, lavender, lemon verbena and sage.