Top tips for successful herb gardens

The Horticultural Trade Association (HTA) has declared herbs as its plant of the month for June and we’re keen to pass on as much free advice as possible to help you get the best from your plants. 

To keep your herb garden looking good you need to:

• Pick some herbs, like basil, regularly to encourage side shoots to form and to keep plants bushy and productive.
• Pick and dry the leaves of herbs like thyme, sage, bay and many others to store and use when cooking.
• Let your coriander flower as they'll encourage beneficial insects, like hoverflies, into your garden.

If you’re keen to have pots of herbs on your patio or by your kitchen door, then here are four hardy herbs we and the HTA suggest you include:

• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Mint varieties (they do better in pots as their roots can run riot if left unchecked)
• Chives – both regular onion flavoured and Garlic Chives.
• Thyme (Thymus varieties) - include Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit winners like golden thyme (Thymus ‘Aureus’), ‘Silver Queen’, ‘Pink Chint’, lemon scented ‘Bertram Anderson’.