Medicinal Garden Layout: What to Plant Where

A medicinal garden does not need much space. It needs the right herbs in the right spots - and a plan for where the harvest goes once it is cut.

Start with the sunniest corner

Most medicinal herbs want 6+ hours of sun. Thyme, sage, rosemary and lavender belong in the brightest, driest spot you have - and they actively prefer poorer soil than vegetables. Do not give them the rich bed.

Give the spreaders their own space

Mint, lemon balm and feverfew spread by runners and seed. Either give them a bed of their own or sink them in pots up to the rim. Trying to keep them in a mixed bed is a losing battle.

Spacing, by herb

Group by how often you harvest

• Cut often (parsley, chives, mint) - nearest the path, so picking is easy
• Cut occasionally (thyme, sage, oregano) - middle of the bed
• Harvested once or twice a season (echinacea root, marshmallow) - at the back, where they can be left alone

Leave room to dry

Plan where the harvest goes before you plant. A drying rack needs more space than most people expect, and a dark, airy room is better than a bright kitchen windowsill. See how to dry herbs for the methods, temperatures and how to tell when they are properly dry.

Orientation and paths

• Run the bed north-south where you can - both sides get sun through the day instead of one side staying shaded
• Keep the bed 1.2m wide maximum so you can reach the middle from both sides
• Paths of 45cm are enough; you will kneel on them more than walk

Where to put it in the garden

Three things matter more than aesthetics:

• Visibility - put it where you walk past daily. Out of sight is out of mind, and that is how herb gardens die
• Water access - a tap or water butt within hose reach decides whether you actually water in a dry spell
• Drainage - herbs rot in waterlogged soil far more readily than they suffer from drought

What to plant in it

Nine herbs earn their space in a small medicinal garden - chamomile, calendula, echinacea, lemon balm, thyme, sage, peppermint, feverfew and marshmallow. The nine medicinal garden plants worth growing covers what each is traditionally used for and how much room it needs.

If you are starting from seed rather than plants, what a medicinal garden kit actually contains explains what comes in a starter set and how much space it fills.

Common questions

How much sun does a medicinal herb garden need?

Six or more hours for most herbs. Thyme, sage, rosemary and lavender want the sunniest, driest spot you have.

Which medicinal herbs should be grown in pots?

Mint, lemon balm and feverfew - all spread aggressively. Sink the pots to the rim, or give them their own bed.

How far apart should medicinal herbs be planted?

Echinacea and marshmallow 45-60cm; chamomile and feverfew 20cm; sage and lavender about 60cm.

Where should a herb garden go?

The sunniest spot you have, somewhere you walk past daily, within reach of water.

For seed plus a planting and use guide: the Medicinal Garden Kit.

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