Kiwis love their vege patches, and the desire to grow our own edible gardens has never been stronger. Culinary herbs are a vital ingredient in many popular dishes from salads to Italian, Mexican or Asian cuisine, every dish tastes better with fresh herbs snipped straight from the garden.
Some herbs have natural medicinal and healing properties which have been used in therapies for thousands of years, not to mention make a great cup of tea too. Find more information on herbs for your health here.
A fresh herb garden at the kitchen door is a cook‘s dream, but can easily be brought indoors for even better access. Windowsill garden planters, hanging baskets and creative herb gardens full of your favourite herbs not only provide the garnish you need, they also add a vibrant splash of colour and aroma in the kitchen environment. Herbs work almost as well indoors as they do outside, and they are very easy to grow in any kind of container as long as it has drainage holes.
Get creative with these herb garden ideas:
Herbs are a great space filler if you are short on planting area, simply scatter them throughout your garden or add to your existing vege patch. Some herbs work really well in combination with other plants (called companion planting) for example; planting basil close to your tomatoes is beneficial for both plants – take a look at our extensive companion planting guide here.
Not only are they delicious and versatile but herbs are easy to grow. All you need is a small space and enough sun, which makes them perfect for children and beginner gardeners. For everything you need to know about growing herbs at home see our ‘How to Grow Herbs’ guide here.