Plant a Container Herb Garden

Enlarge Image Image Gallery You can grow culinary herbs as well as medicinal herbs like aloe vera in your container herb garden. iStockphoto.com/Magdalena Kucova

When it comes to choosing between containers of flowers or herbs on the back deck, good first choices might include a planter of lemon thyme; an old stockpot bursting with lavender; long, low containers of various mints; an old kettle brimming with parsley; and a barrel of chives, dill and lime basil.

Indoors, aloe vera plants make a great addition to garden windows. The best part is each plant can be used in a number of tasty, beneficial and/or healthful ways.

Herb gardening favorites

Lemon Thyme: Flavorful, fragrant, attractive and easy to grow, this plant looks as good as it smells. Crushing the leaves between your fingers releases a delicious lemon scent. When it flowers, a mist of frosty pinkish-lavender blossoms makes for a pretty sight. A tasty addition to fish and poultry, it adds zing to garlic bread and a delicate flavor to soups. Steep a few leaves with mint and lime basil for a relaxing, nutritious tea.

Lemon thyme should be grown in its own container. Line the bottom with gravel, fill with a good potting mix, and don’t let it get too wet or dry.

Lavender: English lavender is popular among both herb and landscape gardeners. A bush shrub that grows to 3 feet high, lavender’s silvery leaves are strongly perfumed, and the tiny flowers are beauty at its best. Use a large container and place in full sun.

Lavender can be used in cooking, but a favorite use is to harvest spikes of mature lavender after the flowers are opened, hang them to dry in a dark, well-ventilated area for two weeks, and then crush them onto squares of thin cotton. Gather the fabric edges and tie with string. Sachets freshen closets or chests, and repel moths. Tie under the bath faucet for a relaxing soak.

Mint: Mint is perfect for a steaming mug of tea. Mint is available in many varieties, and peppermint is often at the top for flavor and scent. Tasty as a tea, it also helps with colds, indigestion, nerves and more. Brew a cup and ease away the discomfort of a headache.

Like thyme, mint must be planted alone or it will choke out nearby plants.