Though I grew up learning about and working with herbs in my family home, it wasn’t until my early twenties when I really fell in love with herbalism at a community garden in rural Utah. At this garden I was teaching kids how to grow herbs like lemon balm and mint, and it was a truly transformative experience that inspired me to start my own herb garden.
What struck me most as I taught kids how to grow these herbs is how calm the entire class would become as we harvested lemon balm, which is a plant that has an affinity for soothing the nervous system. So I decided to start my own herb garden at home, and just like the seedlings I tended, my passion for herbalism soon grew.
Tending your own herbalist garden is a fantastic way to not only learn more about the plants but to also learn about yourself and how you move through each season.
So, to help you get started on your own magical herbalist garden journey, here are the questions I ask myself each time I start a new medicinal herb garden or plan for the year ahead.
1. What Plants Am I Drawn to Lately?
When I start planning a new garden, I begin by creating a “wish list” of medicinal plants I’d love to connect with more deeply this year. Perhaps I’m curious about spearmint and want to learn more about it’s medicinal gifts. Maybe I love the smell of lavender and want to experience its smell wafting on the gentle breeze as I walk around my backyard. Maybe I’m interested in growing plants like echinacea and artichoke to delight the pollinators in my neighborhood. Or maybe I’m excited to grow native plants in my yard and learn more about the medicinal properties of safe native plants growing near me.
This “wish list” gives me a great baseline for my garden, and then I can research whether these plants grow well in my zone and if there are any special considerations when growing these plants. For example, if I’m growing spearmint, I may want to consider growing it in a pot to start because it can easily spread throughout a yard rather quickly.
2. How Much Space Do I Have to Grow Plants?
To create an herbalist’s garden, I also need to take into account how much space I’m working with. Do I have a little front stoop that I’m adding a few pots to? Or do I have a yard that can accommodate garden beds. Taking space into consideration allows me to narrow down my focus and select plants that are well-suited for my space. For example, if I’m growing plants in pots, I’ll choose prolific plants that grow well in pots like calendula, catnip, or thyme.
3. What Herbal Remedies Do I Want to Make This Year?
I also ask myself what remedies I’m wanting to make this year. When I look in my apothecary, what’s missing? And what remedies will I want in the seasons to come? For example, I’ll probably want to make a summertime serum for my skin with calendula flowers and German chamomile, so it would be great to grow these plants myself. Or maybe I want to drink a lot of tulsi tea, so it would be lovely to have access to fresh flowers of tulsi in my yard.
4. How Much Time Do I Have To Tend This Garden?
It’s important to be realistic about how much time you’ll be able to devote to your garden. If you’re super busy, it might not be the best year to launch into a 10-bed herbalist’s garden — maybe you could opt for 1 bed or several pots instead. Or if you’re feeling a lot of spaciousness in your schedule, you might be ready for a multi-bed herbalist garden full of lots of plants. It all depends on your capacity and what you feel available for.
5. What is The Medicine That Each Season Offers?
When I’m getting excited about planning a garden, I also like to pause and ask myself what medicine each season offers. As a gardener I can focus my excitement on the harvests of late summer and fall, but it’s also important to remember all of the beautiful lessons that the seasons and garden can teach us year-round. The hibernating winter garden invites our bodies to mirror this restful state, the first sprouts of spring remind us of all our potential, early summer flowers delight the heart, and the harvests of late summer and early fall give us the opportunity to practice deep gratitude for what we’ve tended all year long.
How to Take Your Herb Garden to the Next Level
If you’re ready to start your own herbalist’s garden, then you’ll love Cultivating Wellness on HerbMentor. The Cultivating Wellness series shows you step-by-step how to create and tend to an herb garden using permaculture principles. You can enjoy the Cultivating Wellness series on HerbMentor for just $1. Learn more about HerbMentor here.
PS… And before I go, I couldn’t help but answer some frequently asked questions about the herbalist’s garden…
What herbs are in a medicinal garden?
There’s a wide range of herbs in the world, and it really depends on what you’re interested in growing, but some common herbs to grow in a medicinal herb garden include calendula, echinacea, tulsi, and chamomile. Or maybe you want to grow herbs for cooking! In this case I would grow culinary herbs like rosemary, thyme, mint, and sage.
Are herb gardens worth it?
Yes, absolutely! Not only does growing your herbs allow you to save money on buying herbs, it also gives you the opportunity to learn more about the herbs and build your relationship with these special plants. Plus, it’s such a joy to have easy access to fresh herbs.
How do you set up an herbal garden?
To set up an herbal garden, start by asking yourself the questions I’ve outlined above. If you’re feeling intimidated, you can also check out my guide here to 5 Easy-to-Grow Herbs. It’s also important to assess your soil type and prepare it for an herb garden — here’s how you can build your soil.
