My knowledge of herbs and herb uses is pretty good, but growing them that's a whole new ball game. I discovered that i could not really rely on the seed suppliers or the educated experts to give any input on how to grow herbs, by that i mean their knowledge comes from having grown plants in extremely controlled environments. Just as someone would learn the theory about being a heart surgeon the practical side requires something special.

Many herbs are extremely tougher than i thought, and i soon found out that whatever the experts told me only applied to controlled environments. To become a farmer the biggest advice i can offer is know your own environment, weather, soil, rainfall and any other specific location data. Advisors had said to me, "You'll never grow Thymus vulgaris (common thyme) not only did i grow Thyme but i grew lemon thyme and camphor thyme. But the greatest surprise was being told that temperature wise i would not be able to produce good Ocimum basilicum (basil), months later my lands flourished with the sweet scents of, sweet basil, cinnamon basil, lemon basil, red ruben and dark opal and siam queen.

Most herbs do not require large amounts of water therefore they make sound sense for a water wise gardener, and on-top of that they provide a wealth of healing abilities. The European and Asian cultures have taken advantage of this healing power, testament to this is their great health record in diseases like cholesterol to name just one.

When planning to start a herb garden one must realise that between some of the rainforest trees, such as angostura (Galipea officianalis), and Lichens, such as oak moss (Evernia prunastri) which are extremely difficult to grow because of the exact environment they thrive in, you are bound to find numerous herb that are easily grown and attractive for your garden. Many factors may influence the types of herbs you plant such as soil, water, humidity, light levels and temperature. Most critical is the maximum temperature tolerated by many plants, that being 35 degrees celsius (96 F). For this reason the hardiness of a plant is the first thing to consider. Minimum temperatures should be taken as night time lows. For example Full Hardy plants requires minimum -15 degrees celsius (5 F). Some Mediterranean plants such as Lavendula, Salvia, Thymus, and Rosmarinus spp. tolerates low occasional temperatures but many succumb to prolonged cold especially in wet weather. Similarly desert species are hardier in sunny, dry conditions. Aloe vera, for instance tolerates 2 degrees celsius (36 F) if kept on the dry side in winter. Many of the other factors can be controlled to some degree, like soil and water.

For beginners starting out I would suggest looking at Mediterranean culinary herbs most are easy to grow, preferring ample sunshine, mild winters and free draining soil. These herbs should be listed in any half descent cook book, taking the guess work out of your cooking experience (Sage, Thyme, Rosemary). Chives, parsley and mint are also huge winners for a beginners garden. One should also attempt to add a few tea making herbs to your garden and these could include fragrant lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), chamomile (Matricaria recutita), lemon verbena Aloysia triphylla), or peppermint (Mentha x piperita).

The upside of planting herbs is that you will soon discover that they offer more than just healing powers. The colour and scent they add to your garden outstrips any commercial plant that may exist in your garden. Colour can come from flowers such as, borage (Borago officinalis), poppies (Papaver rhoes), and pot marigolds (Calendula officinalis), or from foliage, such as, red shiso (Perilla frutescens var. crispa) or bronze basil (Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal'). Purple-leafed shrubby herbs, as in Salvia officinalis ' Purpurascens', combine well with silver artemisias. Scented herbs are something to appreciate at every opportunity, so plant them near to where you sit or near entrances and doorways. Yellow evening primroses (Oenothera biennis) or white Madonna lilies (Lilium candidum) planted near a window will scent the evening air on summer evenings.

Plant as many varieties as you wish, but remember if you are going to use them for human consumption in any form be sure to find out exactly what power they posses. Many herbs contain highly toxic active constituents and may be harmful in certain quantities. One last note, something that has a 6000 year old history as is the case of herb history cannot be overlooked in our modern society. (ASmit)