Homegrown herbs are nearly always the tastiest...
During lockdown so many of us enjoyed spending time together as a family in the garden and kitchen. We finally had time to fall in love with gardening and cooking again, getting all excited about a new recipe or what we could grow in that space. For anyone wondering where to start, I would always say start with herbs.
Gardening and cooking with herbs is becoming more popular every day. There's nothing like the taste of herbs picked fresh from your own garden! They're so easy to grow, whether in beds, borders, containers or on windowsills and with our full range of herb plants at Griffins, growing your own herbs has never been easier. Many herbs can also be grown all the year round and will save you buying expensive supermarket produce.
Herbs in containers
Growing herbs in pots and containers is a great way to grow fresh produce if space is limited. Place them outside your back door for easy harvesting when cooking!
Choose relatively deep pots and make sure the container has drainage holes and is raised up on bricks or 'pot feet' to prevent water logging in the winter. The best compost to grow herbs in is Westland Multipurpose John Innes. Feed your herbs regularly with a tomato feed throughout the growing season, following the manufacturer's instructions.
Over-feeding can cause the leaves to lose their pungent flavour so don't be too generous. One of my favourite house warming gifts is a beautiful pot filled with herbs.
Garden and raised beds
Growing herbs outdoors in a dedicated herb garden makes harvesting easier and will create a rich scent on hot sunny days! You could make a herb garden quite ornamental by combining the silver-grey foliage of lavender or sage with the blue flowers of borage and the movement of dill and fennel.
There are also great variations in foliage colour with herbs such as thyme and mint. Herbs also make a great addition to flower beds and borders if you don't have the space for a dedicated herb garden.
Try using low-growing herbs such as chives and thyme as an informal edge to a path. Herbs such as thyme and Corsican mint can also be planted in the gaps in paving and patios and will withstand light foot traffic while releasing their delicious scent when walked on. The tall, feathery foliage of fennel looks good in a herbaceous border and the yellow flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Always ensure your herbs are grown in a well drained and sunny position.
Indoors
Suitable herbs to grow indoors on the windowsill include chives, parsley, basil, coriander, dill and mint. Grow on a sunny window. Water well when dry and enjoy your culinary delights.