I absolutely love growing herbs and even wrote a book about it! They’re not terribly fussy plants for the most part and many will provide a very good harvest in even the smallest spaces.
My books You Grow Girl, Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces, Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers from Small Spaces, and Drinking the Summer Garden all contain instruction on growing these delicious flavour-packed plants in small spaces and on a tiny budget. They also include herb and edible flower focussed recipes that include making your own homegrown dressings and vinegars, olive oil infusions, refreshing alcoholic and non-alcoholic summer beverages, herbal teas, and much, much more.
You can also try searching key categories and tags such as: herbs and edible flowers.
The Basics
- Make more herbs by taking cuttings.
- How to extend the harvest.
- Grow thyme indoors through the winter months.
- Broadleaf thyme — an unkillable herb to grow indoors.
- How I got my non-gardening brother set up with a fresh herb garden on his apartment balcony. Here’s what it looked like at the end of the summer.
Container Growing
- Grow a selection of herbs in a strawberry pot.
- This mixed container includes ‘Mojito’ mint.
- Flea market mint pot.
- Grow a Stunning Mixed Strawberry and Herb Container
- Strawberries and violas in a recycled flour cannister.
- Two types of mint growing in a vintage doll buggy. (I have violets growing it in now)
- An old washbasin filled with chives, thyme, and pansies. Cheap and easy!
- Herbs in a shopping cart — another unique container idea!
- This fall, grow an edible, container full of herbs.
Herbs and Edible Flowers to Grow
- Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Basil (Ocimum spp.) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Bee Balm (Monarda) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Borage (Borago officinalis) [young greens and flowers]
- Brassica flowers (i.e kale, mustard greens)
- Calendula (Calendula officinalis) [flowers and young leaves]
- Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) [leaves, flowers, and bulbs]
- Dill (Anethum graveolens) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Edible weeds
- Garlic (Allium sativum) [flowers/scapes]
- Lavender (Lavandula spp.) [flower buds are best]
- Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) [leaves]
- Marigold (Tagetes spp.) [flowers and leaves of some species. Consume in moderation]
- Mint (Mentha spp.) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Nasturtium (Tropaelum majus) [flowers and young leaves]
- Oregano and Marjoram (Origanum spp.) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Pansies and violas (Viola cornuta, V. tricolor) [petals]
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) [leaves, stems, flowers, and roots]
- Add Pea flowers (Pisum sativum)
- Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) (flowers)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Roses (Rosa spp.) [flowers and fruit/hips]
- Sage (Salvia spp.) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Scented Geranium (Pelargonium spp.) [leaves and flowers]
- Shiso (Perilla frutescens) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Sorrel (Rumex spp.) [young leaves are best]
- Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) [leaves and flowers]
- Sunflowers (Helianthus annus) [flower buds, petals, and seeds]
- Thyme (Thymus spp.) [leaves, stems, and flowers]
- Violet (Viola odorata) [flowers and young leaves]
Preserve and Eat
- Homegrown and Homemade Lavender and Honey Caramels
- Breakdown of a homegrown greens and edible flowers salad.
- Herbal Vinegars
- Whip up a batch of scentsational Salomoia Bolognese (Italian Herbed Salt)
- Tomato and Sage Bread Soup: a rich and warm way to use the fall sage harvest.
- Lemon Balm Tea is a rainy day delight
- Sage leaves, battered and fried. Yum.
- Simple tips for preserving and using the herb harvest.
- Stinging Nettle Tea
- Refreshing sun tea on a hot summer day.
- Nettle Soup.
Use
- Grow and make your own bath and beauty products (Borage Toner, Calendula Oil, and Chamomile Tea).
- Make your own herbal bath tea.
- Make herbal pillows for all occasions — easy to sew!
- Gift It: A bouquet of fresh, homegrown herbs for a friend who loves to cook.
- Make your own smudge sticks from plants grown in your garden.