Herb Gardening: Basic Herb Groups

Herb gardening has been around for a very long time and the joy of gardening herbs is well known to many gardening enthusiasts. Even beginner gardeners can achieve success in herbal gardening by choosing simple and easy to take care of herbs then working their way up to the more complicated ones. There are many herb groups and categories out there, but for now three main categories will suffice for us. These herbal categories that can be planted in your own garden are ornamental herbs, medicinal herbs, and culinary herbs.

Ornamental Herbs
Ornamental herb gardening adds attraction to your garden, as well as fragrance and style. Ornamental, meaning that the main purpose of having this type of herb garden is purely for decorative purposes only. These herbs help in adding interest and texture to your garden and flower beds. A few herbs used decoratively are Rue and Dittany of Crete. Rue has a unique blue green color that adds contrast to any other neighboring plant. It's leaves can be used as garnish in food decoration. Dittany of Crete is an oregano herb that is used for decoration because of it's fine silvery hairs that are attractive to look at.

Medicinal Herbs
Medicinal herbs have been in use for centuries. They are known to strengthen organs to help heal itself, purge the body of illness and toxins, and some are used to build up the immune system that can help avoid illnesses. There are a variety of ways to use medicinal herbs like ointments, tinctures, teas, infusions, and herb vinegars. Herbs are also highly popular and used to make healing teas. A known medicinal herb is the Stevia, which can be used as a mouthwash to help lessen gum disease and tooth decay. A word of reminder though, it is ideal to consult with your doctor first before undertaking any kind of medicinal herb treatment.

Culinary Herbs
The main purpose for culinary herbs is to add flavor and a distinct taste to your cooking. Herbs can be used fresh or as dried leaves. Some of the most popular herbs used for cooking are parsley, basil, rosemary, oregano, sage and thyme. It's best to consider that the location of your herbs have access to direct sunlight because the more sunlight the herb gets the deeper the flavor will develop.

These are the basic groups and categories of herbal gardening. Keep in mind that you can plant your herb garden in the ground, indoors, or in pots and containers. Have a happy gardening experience!