What Herb Garden Plants to Start in a Herb Garden - Image of green herbs laid out on a wood board with a green box that has text that reads what herbs to start in a herb garden written on it

Herb Garden Plants: Best Herbs to Start Growing in Your Garden

May 18, 20245 min read

Candy the Aquaponics Lady stands in the centre with a range of herb garden plants either side of her

The Best Herbs to Plant in Your First Herb Garden

When you are starting your gardening journey, there is so much to learn. This is one reason I always suggest starting by growing your own herb garden and then expanding to other vegetables and plants. After all, you don't know what you don't know, right?

As the fundamentals are the same for a veggie garden, the practice you'll get with a herb garden will put you in a good position to succeed with your future gardening.

What types of herb plants are there?

It can be a tough choice of what to start growing in your garden of herbs. There are many different varieties of herb plants, each having different growing requirements.

To start with, you have your herbs that need to be in the soil. These varieties of herb plants grow huge and are often used in hedges.  If this sounds enticing, you might want to grow herbs like rosemary and lavender.

Then, you have herb plants that take a long time to grow. When they do, it is the roots that you harvest, like ginger and turmeric. It takes approximately 9 months to grow ginger and turmeric!

Then you have the seasonal herbs vs perennial herbs. We'll have a look at these ones in a sec.

Right now, though, check out this video to get a visual of growing herbs, and what they are like.

This video shows you about some different types of herbs.

It can be daunting when starting a herb garden. Sometimes, you might wonder if the costs are worth it.

No matter what project we start, when starting from scratch, there will always be a cost. There is usually both a start-up cost and often ongoing costs that people don't tell you about.

This is especially true if you're growing herbs and living where you cannot make your own compost.

The solution is choosing the right herb garden plants to grow easily at home.

Seasonal herbs vs perennial herbs

When choosing which herbs you'll be growing in your herb garden at home, you should first understand the difference between seasonal and perennial herbs.

Seasonal herbs

Seasonal herbs will germinate, grow, flower and die within one season. Some good herbs you might want to grow of the seasonal variety are basil, cilantro (coriander) and chives.

These herbs are easy to grow season after season. You collect their seeds and grow them in the season that suits them. Growing them outside the season will mean they probably won't grow well and die quickly meaning you'll be buying herbs each time they die.

So, it is important to make sure that you plant your herbs and are growing them in the right season.

TIP: Don't rely on what is available; do the research on the correct seasonal herbs to get, as some garden stores sell things year-round, not caring if they will grow or not.

Perennial herbs

Perennial herbs, on the other hand, are herbs that grow year-round and often last for many years.

They will have a season that they grow lots in and flower in, but they won't die off (unless you forget to water and fertilise them); they will go dormant outside their optimal growing season and patiently wait until it feels right, then get a growth spurt as it were.

Some examples of perennial herbs to grow in your garden are sage, thyme and oregano.

Once you know a little more about your herbs, you can work out the type of garden you want to create

Grow herbs as pest control

The final TIP for you is that many herbs have such a strong scent. Because of this, it's great to plant herbs in your veggie garden and use them as a method of natural pest control.

If the pests can only smell the herbs, they miss the yummy veggies. Some fresh herbs that you can grow together with vegetables include planting basil next to your tomatoes. It deters the pests and saves your growing tomatoes.

Online Aquaponics Course

If you are interested in learning aquaponics or how to start your own herb garden, keep reading. We have an easy-to-follow, step-by-step online course that will show you everything you need to know. This course is ideal for those who want an easy start without too much DIY.

Ready to start? Register for our Courtyard Aquaponics Course

Don't forget to Check out My YouTube Channel 'Candy The Aquaponics Lady'

To learn more about aquaponics and how to grow aquaponic herbs and veggies.


Want a Taster? Get started with our FREE Online Aquaponics Essentials Course?

This free aquaponics online course is a great free resource to really show how aquaponics works. The course highlights how aquaponics is a sustainable ecosystem that will grow your organic food in a productive way.

You learn how all the 'parts' make up the 'whole', and helps to give you the foundations of understanding aquaponics.

Sign up for our Free Aquaponics Essentials Course Online

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Candy Alexander aquaponics specialist

Candy Alexander is a dedicated aquaponics enthusiast with a wealth of formal training in aquaculture. Over the past 15 years, Candy has been deeply immersed in both commercial and backyard aquaponics, honing her skills and expertise in this sustainable farming method.

Candy's passion lies in making aquaponics accessible to everyone. With a mission to simplify aquaponics, she believes that anyone can embark on this sustainable journey.

She encourages those new to aquaponics to "kick the tires" without a significant financial investment. Her guidance focuses on helping people start their aquaponics journey with small-scale systems, ensuring a low barrier to entry for newcomers.

Candy shares practical tips, step-by-step guides, and personal stories to inspire and guide readers on their aquaponics adventure. Whether you're a seasoned farmer or a curious beginner, Candy Alexander is your go-to source for simplifying aquaponics and fostering a sustainable gardening experience.

Candy Alexander is a passionate aquaponics educator who believes in the philosophy of keeping things simple and close to nature. With over 15 years of experience in aquaponics and 4 years of formal training in aquaculture, Candy is determined to help people create sustainable gardening in their urban lifestyle. Additionally, she advocates for the therapeutic benefits of aquaponics, viewing it as a form of garden therapy for mental health. Through her expertise and dedication, Candy strives to make the intricate world of aquaponics accessible to all, fostering both environmental sustainability and personal well-being.

Candy Alexander

Candy Alexander is a passionate aquaponics educator who believes in the philosophy of keeping things simple and close to nature. With over 15 years of experience in aquaponics and 4 years of formal training in aquaculture, Candy is determined to help people create sustainable gardening in their urban lifestyle. Additionally, she advocates for the therapeutic benefits of aquaponics, viewing it as a form of garden therapy for mental health. Through her expertise and dedication, Candy strives to make the intricate world of aquaponics accessible to all, fostering both environmental sustainability and personal well-being.

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