How to grow fresh herbs in a kitchen garden

Herbs growing in your own kitchen garden look good, smell great, and add flavour and zest to your cooking. So, why not grow your own?

Having easy access to fresh herbs has many benefits:

Lift your cooking to the next level - Using herbs fresh from the garden can turn an ordinary dish into something spectacular. And there is a marked difference between truly fresh, just-picked herbs and herbs that are a few days old. Growing fresh herbs in your own kitchen garden, and picking them when you need them, will improve the character and flavour of all your home cooking.

Essential sunlight for healthy herbs - The most important requirement for growing a herb garden is to give it plenty of sunshine. Position herbs on a window sill or in an outdoor space where they'll receive at least six hours of sunlight a day, particularly morning sunshine, and you'll go a long way to keeping them healthy.

Root knowledge - Some herbs, like lemon balm and mint, have root systems that spread invasively. These herbs can dominate other plants in a herb garden, especially when they're sharing pots. Plant these herbs in their own pots, or when planting them in a garden bed, place them in pots with the bottom cut out to prevent their root systems spreading too far.

Keep herb pots watered - Herbs grow very well in pots, but it's important to keep them moist, since pots can dry out quickly, especially in summer. For your home kitchen garden, always use the best potting mix you can find - these contain water-saving granules and slow-release fertilisers. Keep pots in the sun, but consider moving them into the shade in the full heat of summer.

Keep your herbs close at hand - If you're planning a kitchen herb garden, place it as close to the kitchen as you can, as you don't want to be running to the back of the garden when you're in the middle of cooking. Pots can be placed near the back door, so you've got easy access to them when you decide you want to add something special to your cooking.

Plant for maximum exposure - Low-growing herbs like chives, parsley and thyme grow best at the front or edges of the garden, where they'll get plenty of light and won't be smothered by larger plants. Herbs like lemon verbena grow taller than others, so plant these further back. Consult your local nursery for more advice on how to get the most from your kitchen herb garden.

For supplies and tips for your own kitchen garden (and home-grown herbal happiness), talk to the experts at your local plant nursery: