Herb Garden Designs for Hillsides

Structure

• Use retaining walls or terracing to retain soil when building an herb garden on a hillside. Terraces also help with irrigation by reducing the slope of the land so that water soaks into the ground instead of running off.

Access

• Plant your herbs across the hillside leaving unplanted strips between the beds to create paths for tending your plants. Keep the planted beds less than 4 feet in width or depth, so you can easily reach all of the plants in your garden.

Landscaping Features

• Take advantage of the hillside to build in features, such as a dry bed stream or small waterfall, which are harder to achieve on level ground. Instead of uprooting large rocks and boulders, incorporate them into your landscape design as accent pieces or anchors for a rock garden.

Plant Selection

• Choose herbs adapted to growing on hilly landscapes. Mediterranean herbs; such as thyme, lavender, sweet marjoram and oregano; grow well on sunny hillsides with good drainage. Plant mint, which likes moist conditions, near the bottom of the hill or around a water feature, but confine the roots by planting it in its own bed or terrace.