Herbs can be grown for their culinary, medicinal, cosmetic, aromatic and decorative qualities.
If there is sufficient space, a formal herb garden offers a neat and practical way of growing and displaying herbs.
Beds are usually square or rectangular, dissected by brick or paved paths.
Another option could be in the shape of a wheel, with spokes of bricks or wooden sleepers radiating from a central point, such as a bay tree or sundial, with herbs planted between the spokes and an outer ring of rosemary or lavender to strengthen and enclose the design.
Popular culinary herbs
Plant these herbs in your kitchen garden this month:
n Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) has tiny aromatic leaves and with parsley and bay leaves, is part of the traditional bouquet garni. Thyme is known for its antiseptic and digestive properties.
n Oregano (Origanum vulgare) leaves can vary from mild, hot to peppery, and are added to vegetables, meat and fish.
n Sorrel is a large-leafed herb that reaches about 60cm in height. Fresh young leaves are delicious in salads and with eggs. It combines well with herbs such as thyme, chives and marjoram. The indigenous sorrel, Oxalis pes-caprae, is used in traditional Cape Malay cooking.
n Rocket grows very easily and is a very hardy herb. Its young leaves are great for salads, while the older leaves can be added to soups and stews.
n Chives are a great tonic herb and help to ward off colds and flu. They can be used in any savoury dish, but are especially tasty with egg and cheese dishes.
n Pak choi is very low in calories and is rich in vitamins A, C and folic acid. It has a bulbous base, thick white stems, dark green, oval-shaped outer leaves and inner leaves that are almost white. It is mild flavoured and succulent and is used boiled, sautéed, steamed, braised, stir-fried, in salads and in soups.
n Mustard – also called Japanese greens. This plant can be grown like true spinach and harvested young.
n Tatsoi is very rich in calcium and vitamins and has a lovely strong taste that makes it an excellent ingredient for stir-fries and salad mixes.
n Fennel is a hardy perennial that is easy to grow. It has a strong flavour which goes well with parsley and chives. It is a good digestive herb, a leaf or piece of stem chewed after a meal does wonders.
n Coriander is a hardy annual that makes a great insect repelling spray. Its leaves are widely used in salads, sauces and as a garnish.
n Sage. The grey-green leaves of sage (Salvia officinalis) are used to flavour poultry and pork dishes. Pineapple sage (S. elegans) grows a metre tall and has red flowers for flavouring fritters, drinks and fruit salad.
n Dill has feathery leaves on long, 75cm-high stems. It is a favourite herb in fish dishes and adds a wonderful flavour to green salads.
n Spearmint has light, lime-green leaves and is easy to propagate. It is refreshing as a tea and delicious finely chopped over most vegetables. - Daily News