Your Own Personal Herb Garden, Yessssss!!

There is nothing quite as wonderful as the smell of home-grown herbs.  The powerful scent from a single leaf of basil is so incredible that it can instantly transport us to an Italian restaurant or our favorite pizzeria.  And don’t even get me started on oregano.  Having access to a selection of those amazing herbs from your very own DIY herb garden  raises your spirits to new levels.  You can be a cook extraordinaire or a beginner in the kitchen, but the appreciation for great smelling herbs puts everyone on the same playing field.

The great thing is, you only need just a few key herbs on your patio and you can use them in different recipes and combinations. A little oregano, parsley, and basil will go a long way and their amazing flavors will have you using them more and more.

Starting your own patio herb garden is easier than you might think and the cost investment less than you may imagine. By reusing containers you have at home you can turn a discarded pot into a small garden or a silverware organizer into a work of art you not only are going green, but saving money via reuse.  Sprinkle in a few flowers and you can use your herb gardens to decorate your patio all summer long.

1.  Basil

This plant comes in many varieties with sweet basil being the most popular.  A few chopped leaves go a long way. Use it in pasta, on pizza or fresh bruschetta for a wonderful summer flavor that really elevates the sweet tomato.

2. Chives

This herb is recognized by its long grass-like appearance. Chives have a nice onion flavor and can be used in fish dishes, soups, and potatoes. Don’t forget the round purple flower of the chive. They make a lovely addition to a garden salad.

3. Cilantro

Also known as coriander this herb has a tart lemony taste. Mainly found in Asian foods it is also used often in salsas and other Mexican dishes. This herb can be used by dicing the leaves or drying and crushing the seeds.

4. Dill

Tastes just as it sounds and is mainly used in pickles. It also goes perfectly in fish dishes and soups. But don’t stop there, the flavors are so wonderful that if you add a bit of dill to your potato salad you can really elevate the flavors.

5. Lemongrass

Another grass-like herb that has many uses and is mainly known for its strong lemon aroma. It is commonly used in Asian dishes as well as Indian dishes such as curry. Lemongrass also has many medicinal and is commonly used in teas which makes this herb a popular choice.

6. Oregano

This is another of my favorites and is mainly known for its use in Italian dishes. Oregano tends to have a stronger flavor when dried but don’t let this stop you from growing it. You can easily pick and dry your own oregano and store until needed. If you love homemade pizza, then you will want to add oregano to your DIY patio herb garden.

7. Parsley

This herb grows best in moist well-drained soil and loves full sun. Another herb found in many different dishes it is mainly found in Italian recipes and can be used as a garnish as well. Parsley is perfect for the beginner cook because of it’s subtle flavor and wide recipe range.

8. Rosemary

This herb is pretty easy to grow and perfect for a patio garden. Mainly known for it’s use in stuffing it also does well in lamb, chicken and pork dishes. Rosemary is more of a shrub so you may want to give this herb its own container. It resembles needles and it’s those needles that you will be dicing and using in your next holiday meal.

9. Sage

Another stuffing herb that is widely used is most poultry dishes but also with beef, pork, and duck. This is a strong flavored herb so use it sparingly. I would experiment a bit first with a smaller dish and work your way up from there.

10. Thyme

This is an easy herb to grow in a patio garden because it loves the hot sun. A herb that has a very short fresh shelf life it is a popular one to grow for that reason. Sized out by “sprigs” this simply means the stem. You can just remove the small leaves from the stem and add it to your favorite meat dish.