The Kitchen Garden Book - Richard Bird

Da Sotto le querce.
Richard Bird, The Kitchen Garden Book. Southwater (London, 2012)
Richard Bird, gardener since he was very young, has directed numerous magazines specialized in gardening, including the Plants section of Focus. About topics related to plants and gardens he wrote about thirty books.
Richard Bird, gardener since he was very young, has directed numerous magazines specialized in gardening, including the Plants section of Focus. About topics related to plants and gardens he wrote about thirty books.


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Herb Gardens

Herb gardens tend to fulfil two functions. The first, and obvious one, is to provide herbs. The second arises from the fact that herbs can be highly decorative, making an attractive garden on their own.

Herbs as herbs

Although we grow almost as many herbs as our ancestors, they are primarily included in our gardens for romantic reasons. The number of herbs that most gardeners use in the kitchen is relatively small. But small as this number is, those gardeners use in the kitchen is relatively small. But small as this number is, those we do use regularly are important. When you are designing a herb garden, make certain that these herbs are readily accessible from the path, and put those that are never or rarely used in the more inaccessible parts of the border.

The most frequently used herbs should be placed as near to the kitchen door as possible so that the cook can grab a handful when necessary. This means that either the herb garden should be located here or the important herbs should be mixed in with other plants in a decorative border. Another solution is to grow these particular herbs in a container or containers, which can then be placed near the kitchen door for easy access.

Herbs for atmosphere

Important culinary herbs
Basil Majoram
Bay Mint
Chives Parsley
Dill Rosemary
French tarragon Sage
Lovage Thyme

Although many people regularly use a large number of herbs, most of the gardeners who maintain herb gardens do so because of their romantic associations. And there is no doubt that herbs are romantic. This is partly their history and partly the atmosphere they create in the garden. Herbs tend to be gentle plants, and only occasionally do we come across brash ones. The colours are muted and soft, the atmosphere they create is hazy. On sunny days the garden is perfumed by their scents and is drowsy with the sound of bees. This is the perfect in which to sit and relax, so you should remeber to include a seat in your design.

Herbs by design

The layout of a herb garden depends largely on the space available, of course, but also on the time you can spend in it. Remember that a large one will take a lot of looking after.

It is possible to create quite small herb gardens, and the herb wheel is one of the most popular plans. An old cartwheel is laid out on prepared ground and the spaces between the spokes are filled with different herbs. When real wheels are not available, the same design can be created from bricks. Remember not to use herbs that are too rampant - a sage bush, for example, will soon become big enough to cover the whole area of the whell. If you want to use the more vigorous plants in a small area, regularly dig them out and replace them.

If you are working on a larger scale, almost any of the patterns mentionated as suitable for potagers can be used. It is worth mentioning that the only time of the garden will be clearly seen is in the winter when the vegetation has died back. During the growing seasons, the lush growth will be such that the outlines of the beds are not easily seen. If you want to see the demarcations, edge the beds with low box hedges, which will also give good definition to the overall design.

A Formal Herb Garden

Herb gardens need to be carefully planned if they are to be attractive. Primarily a herb garden is a place for growing herbs for the kitchen, but it should also be a peaceful haven where the scents and colours of the plants can be enjoyed. However, it is worth remembering that a well maintained herb garden needs more attention than a vegetable plot.

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