7 Brilliant herb garden ideas

Choose seven different herbs and plant them in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet containers. The containers could be old tin cans or coffee cans (the ones that come with plastic lids). Ideas of herbs to grow in the seven pots are oregano basil, coriander, thyme, parsley, chives and mint. You can buy seven coloured plant pots, potting soil and a zinc display tray with handles. There are lots of coloured pots including hanging pots available online or you could even use cheap plastic beakers. Make holes in the bottom of the pots or put small stones in the bottom, fill to within about ½ inch of the top of the pot and plant your seeds or seedlings then place the rainbow pots on a tray or shallow dish.

Put your old mismatched teacups to good use and transform them into mini indoor herb gardens – or perhaps pick up old china teacups from your local charity shop, car boot sale or vintage market. They are equally attractive with or without saucers. Just line the bottom of the teacup with small stones then pack with potting soil to about ½ inch below the brim. Make a small divot in the soil and plant your seeds – or make a large hole and plant a seedling – then water. You can make a paper tag to identify the herbs and then tie it to the cup handle with a pretty ribbon. 

Lacking space for an indoor herb garden? Why not have a hanging herb garden? You’ll be able to find a host of hanging grow bags online – with pockets ready to take the soil and the seedlings. You could buy or make a macrame plant-holder to hang in the window or a sunny spot. One idea is to hang herb planters on the window – your herbs will certainly get plenty of light. It’s possible to buy a set that fits any window or make your own by fixing a bar across the top of the window and hanging the pots from the bar.

Spice racks, wall mounted or free standing, make wonderful small indoor herb gardens. You can use old spice jars or small pots that fit into your spice rack. If you use spice jars, make sure there is sufficient space in each spice jar to add small stones for drainage. 

An old chest of drawers makes a perfect indoor herb garden. Open each drawer to a different distance or take the drawers out and stack them. Narrow drawers may be removed and placed on a windowsill. Place the chest of drawers in a sunny location and either plant directly into the drawers or place plant pots in the drawers. Make sure you have a waterproof surface at the bottom so you don’t spoil your flooring – and paint or stencil the chest of drawers for a unique look.

Using an old kettle for use as a planter creates a rustic ambience in the kitchen – or you may choose a modern kettle. 

Instead of using soil, think about growing your herbs in nutrient-rich water solutions. 

• Hydroponic plants grow approximately 30% faster
• They generally produce a higher yield
• You don’t need to worry about over or under-watering them