Gardening Edible Gardening Herbs The Best Herbs to Grow Together for a Flavorful Container Garden Not all herbs thrive in the same conditions. Use these tips to successfully combine different herbs in your garden or a planter. By Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on May 14, 2024 Reviewed by David McKinney Reviewed by David McKinney David McKinney is an experienced plantsman sharing his expertise in horticulture. His knowledge spans landscape management, growing plants indoors and in the greenhouse, ecological plant selection, and much more. With nearly 15 years in the industry, he is well versed in both herbaceous and woody plants with additional interest in entomology. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Close Planting herbs to grow is a simple way to add beauty to your garden, enhance the flavor of food, bring fragrance to your home, and even enhance your well-being. Most herbs grow as easily in containers as they do in the ground. When you know the best herbs to grow together, it will help your garden thrive. Once you understand the combinations that get the best results and the conditions they need, you'll be on your way to creating an herb garden that will bring beauty to your yard and exciting flavors to your meals. How to Plant a Container Garden in 6 Easy Steps Emely / Getty Images What Is an Herb? When it comes to herbs, you probably think of plants used to add flavor to your favorite meals. However, the category of herbs is more extensive than that. Herbs are any plant used for food, well-being, flavoring, or scent—a broad definition that includes a lot of plants. There are about 100 kinds of herbs and flowers in the National Library of Medicine herb garden. Here's a breakdown of the most common and best herbs to grow in your garden. Types of Herbs to Grow and Their Uses Before you plant herbs, you need to know about the three main types: annuals, biennials, and perennials. The difference between these herb types is the plant's life cycle. Once you know the life spans of herbs, you can decide how and which herbs to grow and figure out whether they need a permanent place in your garden or a temporary location. 5 Methods for How to Dry Herbs for Cooking and Crafting Annual Herbs Annual herbs typically complete their life cycle within a single year. Botanically speaking, that means they grow from seed, bloom, set seeds of their own, and die in one growing season. In some cases, a plant may actually be a perennial in warmer regions but isn't hardy in colder ones, so it is usually treated as an annual. Some of the most common annual herbs to grow are: Basil Borage Chamomile Chervil Cilantro/Coriander Dill Fennel Lemon Verbena Marjoram Stevia Grow These 13 Herbs in Pots for a Fragrant Garden Almost Anywhere Biennial Herbs Biennial herbs such as lovage and parsley germinate and grow vegetatively in the first season, go dormant over winter in cold areas, and then mature and flower in the second growing season before dying. These herbs have the best flavor the first year that they are seeded. Perennial Herbs Perennial herbs don't need to be replanted each year. Once perennial herbs are established, they come back every growing season and only die down in the winter. Well-drained soil is essential with perennial herbs. If you plan to grow herbs in poorly drained areas, consider building raised beds. Some of the most common perennial herbs are: Chives Ginger Lavender Lemon Balm Mint Oregano Rosemary Sage Thyme How to Keep Spices Fresh Longer to Make Cooking So Much Easier Best Herbs to Grow in Full Sun The best herbs to grow in full sun need direct, unfiltered sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Plant the following in full sun for the most flavorful, beneficial, and fragrant herbs. Basil Chives Cilantro/Coriander Comfrey Dill Fennel Lavender Oregano Parsley Rosemary Sage Salad Burnet Best Herbs to Grow in Part Shade The best herbs to grow in part shade can take full sun during the morning when the sun isn't as intense but prefer to be shaded from direct afternoon sun. Each of these shade-loving plants requires partial shade growing conditions. Angelica Bee Balm Catnip Chervil Hyssop Lemon Balm Lovage Mint Sweet Cicely Sweet Violet Peter Krumhardt Best Herbs to Grow Together in a Container Most herbs make excellent container garden plants. The beauty of growing herbs in containers is that you can easily move your plants around without disturbing them. And for those who garden on a balcony or patio, planting pots of herbs is convenient and the answer to gardening in a small space. Generally, the best herbs to grow in one container need the same amount of light, water, and soil nutrition. How to Freeze Herbs for Fresh Flavors When You Need Them Growing Herbs in a Strawberry Planter Use a strawberry jar to plant cascading herbs such as creeping thyme, pennyroyal, marjoram, oregano, and creeping rosemary in the individual pockets. Plant small upright-growing herbs to grow on the top, such as parsley, chives, short varieties of basil, or savory. Your plants will thrive in these planters because of the excellent drainage that the multiple pockets provide. Best Herbs to Grow Together Indoors Planting herbs to grow indoors lets you enjoy fresh-picked herbs year-round. All it takes is transplanting the herbs from the garden to pots and then moving them indoors in fall before freezing weather arrives. The following herbs are great herbs for growing indoors: Basil Borage Calendula Chervil Chives Ginger Hyssop Lemon Balm Lemon Verbena Lemongrass Marjoram Mint Oregano Parsley Rosemary Sage Scented Geranium Sweet Bay Thyme What Herbs Not to Grow Together Some herbs are considered invasive or can grow quickly enough to crowd other plants and even take over a garden with their underground runners. For example, tansy, catnip, comfrey, horseradish, lemon balm, hops, artemisia, and mint should not be planted with other herbs because they aggressively spread unless you control them. Growing these herbs individually in containers is best to keep them from spreading. To add rambunctious herbs such as apple mint, spearmint, and chocolate mint directly to your garden, first submerge a 12-inch pot in the ground, with about an inch of rim above the soil surface, to discourage running stems. Then, plant your herb in that pot. Make sure to trim off any stems that start growing over the barrier, or they could root into the surrounding soil. This technique allows you to enjoy various herb flavors without worrying about aggressive plants taking over your garden. Frequently Asked Questions Which herbs are easiest to grow for beginners? Many herbs are easy-to-grow, low-maintenance plants. If you're just getting started with herbs, begin with basic herbs such as chives, basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme. Which herbs are associated with romance? Rosemary and basil have ancient connections to romantic potions and love spells. Single women wore basil to attract a suitor, and rosemary was worn in wedding headdresses for good luck in marriage. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit