Five Fun Reasons to Grow an Herb Planter

Reason #1:Culinary Adventure

Herbs are likely a part of your daily life, whether you know it or not! If you like to cook, drink tea, or order pizza from the local pizza delivery place, you will surely be enjoying herbs in your diet.

Herbs have been used in cooking for thousands of years and are usually the key ingredient in creating those signature dishes we all know – a spaghetti sauce without oregano and basil or a baked potato without chives or green onions just wouldn’t be as delicious or as memorable.

Savoury or sweet, herbs can be the star of the show when it comes to meal prep. Rosemary for example, is equally delicious when used to season a main course as it is for a dessert!

Rosemary in bloom

Having a few key herbs growing fresh at your doorstep can inspire some creative time in the kitchen and invite even the novice chef to go on a culinary adventure.

Reason #2: Healing Benefits

These days there are a ton of resources out there to help people learn how to soothe a discomfort with an herbal remedy. Whether it’s an ache, an insect bite or insomnia, many people are able to find comfort with a natural herbal remedy.

Herbal salves, teas and other products on the market target specific health issues like these and offer natural approaches to easing discomfort.

A small herb garden of your very own can become a mini-pharmacy that you can tap into once in a while. A great resource for the health benefits of herbs is the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. They offer a ton of information on the benefits of many plants, not just herbs.

Reason #3: Year-round Use

In our climate here on the west coast, we are so fourtunate that many of the herbs we love will persist through the winter months. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage are some of the hardier plants that we can grow and harvest from all year long. Parsley, chives, green onions and mint will also hang-on through the early winter, with a wonderful flush of fresh new growth in the spring.

Others like dill, basil and cilantro like it warmer so these guys will want to be planted out at the start of each summer. But, even if you can’t enjoy fresh garden basil in December, you can enjoy dried garden basil!

Dried herbs for tea

One of my favourite reasons to grow herbs is for their year-round use. Drying fresh garden herbs is easy and allows you to enjoy their health and culinary benefits all year long.

When you think about how much a small jar of dried oregano or basil costs at the grocery store, it feels pretty rewarding to enjoy your own organic garden herbs in the middle of winter. There is nothing like a warm cup of your own home-grown mint tea on a cold snowy day.

Reason #4: Pollinator-friendly

Some herbs we grow specifically for their flowers, like chamomile and calendula - it is the flower that we harvest and use in our teas and herbal creations. But did you know that other herbs flower too?

From the tiny flowers of thyme to the pompom like flowers of chives, to the calming scented flowers of lavender and the yellow umbrella-like flowers of dill, herb flowers are an important source of food for pollinators.

Honey bee at mint flower

By growing herbs in your garden or on your balcony you can give nature a helping-hand. Why not create a sanctuary of flowery goodness for our local bees, hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators that are out there living alongside us?

And in case you’re wondering, many herb flowers are edible for people too. Try putting a few chive flowers in your next summer salad!

Reason #5: Patio Gardening

Limited outdoor space is no reason to stop you from growing herbs! Many herbs do very well in containers. If your outdoor space is a small patio or balcony you can still enjoy the fun and interaction an herb garden can bring.

Two of the main factors to consider when locating your herb container are sun and water. Almost all of the herbs we enjoy originated from a Mediterranean climate, where they evolved to handle a lot of sun and little water.

To make sure your herb plants thrive, they need to be put in a spot that gets sun throughout the day. They also don’t mind if the soil dries out briefly between watering. It’s best to make sure your herbs are planted in a well-draining soil and that they are not over-watered.

Are you ready to grow your own herb planter?!

Kinglet Consulting has Spring Beauty Herb Planters available to bring some fun to your outdoor space.

Spring Beauty Herb Planter

Each planter is filled with herbs and flowers including 5 different herbs to get you started and, for added spring beauty, tulips and edible viola flowers. Plus, these durable and beautiful galvanized steel planters have rolling casters to make sure they can be easily moved to just the right spot on your deck or patio.

Hop over to our Shop for pricing and ordering information. Happy gardening!

Kinglet Consulting offers garden coaching and landscape design in Nanaimo, BC. We would love to help you learn more about gardening and growing your own herbs, flowers and food.

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