Herb garden borders: decorative combinations you can also eat

Herbs as ornamental planting

Herbs are too often tucked away in a corner by the back door. A pity, because they are at least as beautiful as ornamental perennials. The grey foliage of sage, the blue-purple flowers of rosemary, the golden variegation of lemon balm — herbs deserve a prominent spot in the border.

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Combination 1: Mediterranean herb spiral

Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary, 100 cm, blue-purple flowers) at the top, Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens' (purple sage, 50 cm) in the middle, Thymus vulgaris (thyme, 20 cm) and Origanum vulgare (oregano, 40 cm, pink flowers) at the base.

All four love sun and dry soil. The height differences create a naturally layered effect. The colours range from grey-green to purple to pink — a visual feast that also smells wonderful.

Combination 2: Shade-tolerant herbs

Not every herb corner sits in full sun. Combine Petroselinum crispum (parsley, 30 cm, fresh green) with Mentha x piperita (peppermint, 40 cm — plant in a container to prevent spreading), Allium schoenoprasum (chives, 25 cm, purple globe flowers) and Myrrhis odorata (sweet cicely, 80 cm, white umbels).

Chives bloom a spectacular purple in May-June and attract bees. Sweet cicely has delicate ferny foliage that graces any border.

Combination 3: Colourful herb border

Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor' (tricolour sage, 40 cm, green-white-purple leaves), Foeniculum vulgare 'Purpureum' (bronze fennel, 150 cm, fine bronze foliage), Borago officinalis (borage, 60 cm, bright blue star flowers) and Calendula officinalis (pot marigold, 40 cm, orange).

The contrast between bronze fennel, blue borage and orange marigolds is striking. All four are edible — borage and marigold flowers look stunning in salads.

Combination 4: Evergreen herb garden

Rosmarinus officinalis 'Miss Jessopp's Upright' (upright rosemary, 120 cm), Laurus nobilis (bay laurel, 200 cm, can be clipped as a ball or pyramid), Satureja montana (winter savory, 30 cm, evergreen) and Thymus x citriodorus 'Silver Queen' (silver lemon thyme, 15 cm).

This combination stays green all year and provides winter structure. The bay can be topiarised as a centrepiece; the rosemary gives height and the thyme covers the foreground.

Tips for success

Herbs need drainage. On heavy clay: raise the border 20 cm or work coarse grit into the soil. Feed sparingly — too much nutrition produces limp leaves with less flavour.

Harvest regularly: it keeps the plants compact and productive. Prune woody herbs like rosemary and sage lightly after flowering, cutting to just above old wood.

Your herb garden

From kitchen border to ornamental garden, herbs work everywhere. Discover at gardenworld.app how a herb border would look in your own setting.