Herb gardens are something that almost everyone has room for without even knowing it. In general, they work really in pots and can flourish on a sunny windowsill.
There are, of course, the bog standard (yet not to be sniffed at by any means) culinary herbs, such as rosemary, sage, and thyme, but there are many other, more unusual herbs to explore, too.
Herbs can not only be incredibly delicious and raise otherwise run-of-the-mill meals to extraordinary heights, but they can also be medicinal and provide several health benefits.
Whether you are looking to expand your existing herb garden or gain some ideas for using the bounty you already have, one or more of the OGP herb-centric articles should be able to show you the way.
1. Healthy Herbs
Herbal medicines have been used traditionally for centuries and present-day demand has not dwindled. Herbal teas are popular in the mainstream with supermarket shelves stacked with teas for boosting your immunity to those helping you sleep or detox. Here are 10 Popular Super Herbs to Support Your Health
2. Lemony Herbs
Many lovely culinary and medicinal herbs have a distinctive lemony smell without the need for expansive land and tropical climates. What’s more, if you are short on space, many of these plants grow perfectly well indoors, in containers on a porch or balcony, or a windowbox or hanging basket. Take a look at this mouthwatering list of 4 Lemony-Scented Herbs for your Indoor or Outdoor Garden that can give you your lemony fix year-round.
3. Cleansing Herbs
Our bodies already have proficient systems in place, such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin, that work hard to keep us free of toxin buildup. That said, there are things we can do to help those systems out and not give them extra work to do. That said, there are some herbs and greens that are said to help with that feeling of sluggishness by aiding in the digestive process and supporting the body’s natural detoxification systems. Check out these 4 Herbs to Help Cleanse Your Body.
4. Oil Infusion Herbs
Herbal oil infusions are so simple to make and are incredibly versatile. With a few herbs and your favorite oil, you can create an infusion that can be used in the kitchen, bathroom cabinet, or first aid kit. Many of the most commonly used herbs for infused oil-making are easy to grow. You don’t even need to have a huge garden. A few pots on your patio will work just fine. Take a look at these 5 Herbs to Grow for Making Herbal Oil Infusions.
5. Medicinal Herbs
Herbs are plants that are grown for their culinary, medicinal, aromatic, and sometimes ornamental properties. Most people are familiar with at least a handful of culinary herbs and can either use them readily in their cooking or at the very least can recognize them in their favorite dishes. Without really giving it much thought, many of us use herbs medicinally, too. Though you might not be in your kitchen conjuring up potions, tinctures, and elixirs, every time you drink herbal tea, for example, you are enjoying the medicinal and aromatic powers of herbs. Have a look at this list of 5 Culinary Herbs and Their Medicinal Properties.
6. Happy Herbs
Unless you live in a practically tropical climate, many of the lovely summer herbs you enjoy from your garden are grown as annuals. This means that they have one growing season and one chance to set a seed for next year. Perhaps you are frantically trying to grow enough basil to keep you in pesto for the winter or harvest enough chamomile flowers to provide you with months of sleepytime tea. Whatever the case, you want to make the most of the growing season you have and keep your annual herbs in tip-top shape. Here are some handy tips that show you How to Keep Your Annual Herbs Happy for Longer.
7. Potted Herbs
It is commonly known that plants can be used for medicinal purposes. Folk may have a few plants dotted around the garden that can be picked to make a quick tea or a culinary herb garden that doubles up as a natural apothecary. Others might even have a full medicinal herb garden for all their herbalism needs. There are several reasons why someone might not be able to have a full garden. It might be a matter of space, time, or ability. However, that needn’t be a reason not to grow your medicinal herb garden in containers. Those with a small sunny porch or windowsill can still enjoy all of the benefits of some amazing plants right on their doorstep. Here are 5 Medicinal Herbs to Grow in Pots.
8. Prune Your Herbs
As is the case with all plants, from roses to forsythias, your herbs need to be pruned, too. As spring rolls around, so does the promise of bountiful herb gardens. One way to keep those herbs in tip-top shape and heaving with the harvest is to learn how to prune them properly. It is nothing to be afraid of, and with some simple tips, you will have healthy herbs all season long. Read on to learn How to Prune Your Herbs and Why You Definitely Should.
9. Unusual Herbs
Sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, and parsley are steadfast and very important mainstays for many herb gardens. They are well-trusted and understood, and folks are confident in using them in the kitchen and sometimes even medicinally. Still, if you are interested in expanding your herb bed, herb spiral, or container garden with even more aromatic, decorative, and delicious plants, then take a look at this list of more uncommon herbs that can help grow your culinary talents and maybe even your medicine cabinet. Check out these 4 Unusual Herbs to Grow at Home.
10. Cool-Weather Herbs
After the abundance of summer, with gardens producing sun-ripened tomatoes, cool crunchy cucumbers, and handfuls of fresh herbs, such as basil for pesto and dill for pickles, the thought of a winter garden can feel quite bleak. Gardeners all over are putting their veggies patches to bed ready for next spring. However, there are a few herbs that can keep you in with a little greenery during the cold weather. These herbs can withstand nights that fall below freezing, falling dormant in the coldest months and reviving in the spring. Learn how to grow these Culinary Herbs for Your Fall and Winter Garden.
Related Content:
Easy Ways to Help the Planet:
- Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
- Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade repeatedly.
- Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
- Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
- Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!
