LAMONTEE

A hanging basket overflowing with various herbs. If you have a paved area near your kitchen, you could grow a great variety of herbs conveniently near to hand. These could be in tubs, either in the modern types or in those of more traditional styles according to the setting. It is not essential to reserve one container for one type of plant. I would suggest that if you mix them you choose one upright type such as sage, rosemary, lovage or tarragon; one sprawler such as marjoram, thyme, mint or savory; and one temporary kind which can be raised from a pinch of seed sown among the perennials such as parsley, chervil or basil.

Chives can go with any mixture. On the other hand, and especially if you have a large basement or patio, a few big isolated herbs could give it great style and atmosphere. For instance, giant angelica in tubs grouped in some shady spot have great beauty of form. Rosemary can be grown on a stem as a standard, like some picture book tree. These plants revel in the sun. They could tower over a mat of carpeting thyme planted below them. Lemon verbena, Lippia citviodora, is a splendid plant for a container in a protected area. Main Part If the area in which you grow herbs is also the main part of your garden, remember that they can be alternated with showy plants.

Marigolds, borage, nasturtiums and poppies will all grow in containers. Some of the potpourri plants will grow this way also, particularly the scented leaved pelargoniums. A word of caution: If you own a dog, raise the tubs on bricks if necessary so that the plants in them do not become soiled. Small Area An attractive way of growing herbs in a small area and at the same time, to restrict those with wandering roots is to make a three-tiered bed in much the same way as used for strawberries. Aluminum lawn edging would do for this, though if the bed could be made deeper the plants would do better.

Bricks or concrete blocks can also be used and peat blocks too, so long as these are kept moist. The lowest circle is left at, say, nine inches deep, then a smaller circle is placed on this in the center and an even smaller circular bed on top of this. You can go higher, of course, if you wish, though by doing this you would tend to increase the shade on one part of the pyramid. Much depends on the style of the garden and the plants you wish to grow. Obviously those plants which thrive in dry conditions will go at the top, as well as those which are taller and upright growing. It is possible to make such a bed look quite attractive because little plants like thyme and summer marjoram can scramble prettily over the edges. Touches of creative originality such as this do much to give a garden that individual and well-loved look. They help you to establish your own personal stamp upon it.…