Herb Gardens–What would you put in yours?

This time of year always makes me want to get my hands dirty and grow things. I love putting little seeds in the ground and watching them sprout and grow. Granted, I definitely am not a green thumb. In fact, I’ve killed a cactus before. And I’m not talking about one of those picky little cactuses they sell in the store. I’m talking about a wild and hardy prickly pear cactus. Those things are supposed to be able to grow in the harshest of conditions, but I guess I was just a bit too much for it. But this doesn’t stop me from trying occasionally.

Some of my favorite things to grow are herbs. They feel like they have a double use. They can look nice, and they are useful for cooking, and some other stuff, depending on the sort. Granted, I’m not sure I’ve been able to keep them alive long enough to truly become useful, but I still like them. Perhaps I’ll try again this year.

If you want to grow your own herb garden, the first step would be deciding what you want in it. It probably depends on what the purpose of your herb garden is supposed to be. Some people grow herbs for their medicinal uses, while others use them more for culinary purposes. Because I love Aviandria I like to think of this in terms of, would Alder grow it, or would you find it in Milanya’s herb garden? Some of them would overlap, but here are some ideas of what you could grow depending on your purpose.

Milanya’s Garden (Culinary)

If Milanya were growing herbs, they would be the herbs used mainly for cooking. This is probably the type of herb garden I hear about and see most often. This is the kind you’ll find most people keeping because it is really nice to have since it gets expensive to buy fresh herbs from the store. Here are some common ones you might find. Most of these do well in pots on windowsills or other places, so long as they can get enough sun, so they are supposed to be some of the easier things to grow (unless you’re me) and they can be in easy reach for kitchen use.

• basil
• chives
• thyme
• oregano
• sage
• rosemary
• parsley
• cilantro
• mint

Alder’s Garden (Medicinal)

On the other hand, if you are leaning toward a more medicinal herb garden, or the type Alder would be more likely to grow, here are a few I’ve heard are handy. *Note, I am not a doctor, and I can’t tell you to use these instead of going to a doctor. I have very little experience with this, and you should not take this as medical advice. This is primarily for the fun of list-making, and it is possible these would need to be prepared in certain ways, or only certain parts of the plant should be used. Don’t just pick a plant and start eating it without professional consultation. I am definitely not a professional. I’m just a writer that enjoys researching and random knowledge.

• Oregano (Alder likes this one for its antibacterial/antiviral/antifungal properties.)
• Yarrow (lots of uses, including stopping bleeding, antibacterial, decreasing fevers, and more)
• Chicory (a natural painkiller)
• peppermint (helps with stomach issues and headaches)
• chamomile (has a calming effect, among other things)
• meadowsweet (reduces fevers and can do a lot of the things aspirin does)
• echinacea (immunity booster)
• feverfew (fever/pain reducer, especially for headaches)
• calendula (helps with some skin issues and healing)

I’m sure there are a lot of other possibilities, but those are some basics that are supposed to be good. At least that’s what I’ve heard. As I said, I’m not a doctor, a botanist, or an herbalist. Still, I think it would be fun to have a garden with some of these. I love chamomile, both the way the flowers look and the tea. I also love peppermint (both the smell and tea), and I think oregano is pretty good in spaghetti. I don’t think I have really tried any of the others, but it is interesting knowledge to have in the back of my head.

Which herbs would you choose for your garden? Are you more like Alder, Milanya, or a combination?