8 HERB GARDEN COMBO'S FOR UNIQUE WINDOW-BOX UPGRADES

A few years ago my husband and I had a joint venture supplying windowsill herb gardens to a local specialty store. That was fun – he built the planters and I took care of the herbs. Unfortunately for us, the store didn't survive, putting an end to our little enterprise.

The part that made our planters popular, and which set them apart, was that we had arranged them to specific tastes, such as our Poultry Lover’s Herb Garden which contained Chives, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme. Similar planters were available for beef, pork, seafood, Italian, Bouquet Garni and Fines Herbs, using only those plants that grew well inside.

I decided to take that idea outside to promote growing specific-use herbs with flowers in window boxes and patio planters. This would have a dual benefit - first, it would provide a constant supply of no-cost, fresh herbs for culinary use; and second, this would benefit nearby plants since herbs are known to help many other plants grow stronger.
Combination herb gardens include:
     Poultry Lover’s Herb Garden – Chives, Parsley, Sage, and Thyme
     The Lamb Lover’s Herb Garden – Chives, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary,                   Savory, Thyme
     The Beef Lover’s Herb Garden – Chives, Parsley, Rosemary,                             Savory, Orange Thyme
     The Pork Lover’s Herb Garden – Chives, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary,             Sage, Thyme
     The Seafood Lover’s Herb Garden – Lemon Basil, Dill, Parsley, Lemon             Savory, Tarragon
     The Italian Herb Garden – Basil, Italian Parsley, Oregano, Thyme
      Bouquet Garni Garden – Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme
      Fines Herbes Garden – Chervil, Chives, Parsley, Thyme

Richter's 'Globette Basil'

1. This pretty basil is only 4-6 inches high and an excellent plant for south-facing window boxes, or to add to patio planters to keep mosquitoes away. There are many basil varieties with the purple-leaved and variegated types providing great contrast. Much loved by butterflies, it also helps other plants grow stronger.
2. Chervil (no picture available) is another attractive plant with leaves somewhat like parsley. It grows 12-24 inches high and in mid-summer will produce white flower clusters on taller stalks. Its a great companion plant as it repels aphids and increases growth of nearby plants. Its a tender, shade-loving annual.

Richter's 'Garlic Chives'

3. Chives, a hardy perennial, is a rose's best friend, protecting the plant against aphids and Japanese beetles. Chives have attractive 'lollypop' purple flowers; garlic chives have white starry-shaped ones. It attract bees, repels other pests. grows best in full sun/part shade and moist soil.

4. Dill, a hardy annual, likes a sunny spot to grow in. It attracts butterflies and repels aphids and spider mites. The 'Monia Dill' shown is ideally suited for pots and window boxes. It has attractive, fern-type foliage and large yellow flower clusters in summer.

5. The candied fruit mint shown is only one of many attractive varieties of mint. All mint plants spread like crazy and its best to plant them in high-rimmed planters placed in the window-box. Parsley really dislikes mint, but other plants love it as it repels ants and aphids. The pink or purple flowers attract bees and butterflies.

Richter's ''Red Oregano'

6. Oregano or Marjoram, an attractive perennial in zone 5-9, likes a sunny location. The trailing types are perfect plants for the window box. Leaves vary from golden to dark purple to silver - flowers range from white to red, as shown.  As this plant repels all kinds of pests it makes a great companion to other plants.

Richter's 'Parsley'

Richter's 'Thyme'

Richter's 'Golden Sage 

7. Parsley is a well-known plant that                                    works well with most flowers. It

Richter's 'Rosemary'

 repels harmful  insects and attracts butterflies. Its a biennial that grows in sun or part  shade.
 8. Rosemary, a tender perennial that won't tolerate any frost, loves the sun. There are  pretty trailing types that are perfect for the window-box. Flowers are  mostly shades of blue but some varieties have pink flowers.
9. Sage, a well-known kitchen herb, is an attractive, hardy perennial that comes in many varieties, size and colour of flowers. The Golden Sage shown makes a gorgeous contrast plant in the window-box. Besides the known culinary use, the dried stalks - with leaves - make a lovely addition to floral wreaths.
10. Savory (no picture) is a perennial in zone 5-8 and is a delightful creeping plant for the front of the window-box. The white, pink or purple flowers attract bees and butterflies. Summer Savory is an annual while Winter Savory is a perennial and has a much stronger flavour (not always liked).
11. Thyme adds so much to so many different foods that its almost indispensable in the kitchen. Its a hardy, creeping perennial that grows best in full sun. It comes in a variety of flavours and flower colour. It intensifies the fragrance of nearby aromatic plants and attracts butterflies.

There are many more herbs that would enhance window-boxes, but the ones listed are the more familiar ones that most people have used for culinary purposes at one time or another. It just made sense to start with the ones that were easily recognized.

The pictures are courtesy of Richter's. All Richter's herbs are organically grown or wildcrafted. I am a WebAgent for them and do receive a commission on any sales initiating from this site - clicking on the Richter's logo in the sidebar will take you directly to their catalog. I have been a satisfied customer of theirs since the early 1980's which is why I chose them to be the herb supplier on my site.

Talk to you again next week,

Lenie