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Herb Garden Plants - Tips For Choosing The Right Plants

Like other plants, herbs are annuals, perennials and biennials so it's a good idea to have a variety of different types of plants.

Some annual herbs are basil, summer savory and cilantro. These herbs will not live through a frost and need to replanted every years from seed or starter plants.Perennials last for more than two years and can survive the winter to come back again in the spring. Sage, winter savory, rosemary and thyme are popular perennials. Biennials herbs grow for a couple of seasons and produce their leaves and roots the first season, and flowers and seeds the next year. Examples of biennial herbs are parsley, burdock, salvia and caraway.

Prepare the soil first by working it to a fine texture and wet it slightly. Plant the seeds in shallow rows then firm the soil on top of them.Until the seeds have germinated, you can protect them and keep the soil moist by covering the garden with we burlap or paper.

Herb garden plants are also grouped into the categories for which they are used. Cooking, or culinary herbs are some of the most popular because they are so useful for cooking.

Aromatic herbs have a wonderful aroma that fills your garden with fragrance. The essential oils in aromatic herb plants have been used for centuries to make perfumes, soaps and other scented items. A fun way to use aromatic herbs is to dry them for your own potpourri. Popular herbs for this is lavender and lemon verbena.

Medicinal herbs have been used to heal aches and pains as well as a variety of illnesses for centuries and many still use these healing herbs today. Modern medicine has recognized many traditional medicinal herbs actually do have healing properties, while others have not been shown to be helpful. Herbs used for medicinal purposes should be used carefully. Some herbs are harmless but others can be dangerous if eaten.

Many of these herbs have bright flowers and beautiful green foliage that adds beauty to any garden. Many have whitish or various light colored flowers like valerian which has crimson blossoms and borage and chicory which grow gorgeous blue flowers.

Although herb garden plants can be divided into categories, many will fall into more than one category. For instance, mint can be used for cooking, teas, fragrance and even pest control. By having an understanding of the different types of herbs and how they are commonly used, you will be able to pick the best herb garden plants for your own garden.

Article Source: GardenGap.com

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