How to Create an Herb Circle

When to Plant: Spring
At Its Best: Summer
Time to Complete: 4 hours

Materials Needed:

• shovel
• trowel
• 3 small terra-cotta pots
• a selection of herbs, such as chives and fennel, oregano, parsley, violas (as a decorative filler), lemon balm, mint and thyme

Lighten the Soil

Most herbs prefer to grow in well-drained soil, so in all but the lightest soils it's important to find a good site, then dig in plenty of composted organic matter before planting.

Add Plants

Lay out the herbs before planting. Place three of each plant in a triangle so that they'll form the "wedges" of the circle once they have grown together. Plant the mint in individual terra-cotta or plastic pots to contain the roots and sink these into the soil.

Aftercare

Water the herbs in well after planting and keep them watered while they settle in. All plants are hardy and can be left in the bed, but the parsley and violas will need refreshing with new plants every year or two. Tip: Harvesting and pruning are the same job when you're growing herbs. Nip out the tips of the plants regularly to use in the kitchen, and to help keep the plants bushy and compact (Image 1).

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