Common Herb Gardening Plants - Basil, Dill and Lavender

Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished gardener,
creating an herb garden is one of the easiest ways to
enhance your love of nature. Having an herb garden is not
only a beautiful and aromatic addition to any home garden;
it is also a helpful and practical idea as well. For
centuries, these delectable treats of nature have been
fundamental in creating natural, holistic remedies for
minor to severe ailments. In addition to their medicinal
value, herbs have also been instrumental in creating some
of the world's most flavorful cuisine. While these plants
are known for being hardy, it is important to note each
specific plant requires its own special recipe of care.

Basil - This herb is one of the most commonly grown and is
highly regarded by herb garden enthusiasts all over the
world. The Basil plant is best suited for growth in dry air
and rich warm soil. Spring is the perfect season to start
growing the Basil plant, but only after all threats of
frost have been alleviated as this plant is highly
sensitive to cold temperatures and may become damaged if
exposed.

When planting Basil, it is important to remember to place
each plant about twelve inches apart. This process, will
allow each plant a sufficient amount of irrigation to
thrive and mature into a beautiful plant. After planting
the Basil plants, it will take about six weeks to produce
mature leaves that are ready for harvesting. When the
harvesting is done, a proper drying method will result in a
flavorful dried herb that can be used in a wide variety of
recipes to tantalize your taste buds. By the time it is
mid-summer, this hardy plant should produce deep green or
purple leaves in combination with a beautiful white flower
displayed on stalks about one to two feet high.

Dill - Nothing could be simpler than growing the tasty herb
Dill. A handful of seeds tossed into your garden will
produce stalks that reach anywhere from two to four feet in
height. This particular herb is an excellent addition to
many recipes and adds a beautiful display to your garden.
Dill plant stalks produce a cluster of lavish yellow
flowers combined with unique feather like, blue-green
leaves.

The Dill plant is a sun loving plant, so areas with full
access to sunlight will ensure a thriving plant. A distance
of eight to ten inches between plants is the best way to
ensure a hardy crop. After planting, it is important to go
back in a couple of weeks when the plants have grown about
an inch in height and thin out the area around each plant.
This process will ensure that each plant receives its
required amount of nutrients from the soil as well as
ensuring each plant is exposed to sufficient sunlight.

The Dill plant is useful in many ways. The beautiful bright
yellow flowers make an excellent tool for decorating while
the seeds and leaves are the perfect addition to dips and
salads. When the flowers are in full bloom, you can collect
them for adding fresh flowers to your home or dry them to
make a lavish dried flower arrangement. After the yellow
blooms have blossomed for approximately two weeks, you can
then harvest the Dill seeds. The best way to do this is to
cut the flowers and hang them upside down over a piece of
paper or plate. This process will allow the seeds to fall
and be collected for use. Finally, crumbling the dried
leaves is another way to add the distinct taste of Dill to
any cherished recipe.

Lavender - One of the most beautiful and fragrant herbs is
Lavender. This aromatic plant makes for a wonderful ground
cover for any herb or flower garden as it produces delicate
pink and purple flowers nestled on very tall stalks.
Lavender is a perennial plant and is at its peak in the
mid-summer months. Commonly, Lavender is used in aroma
therapy, sachets, soaps and potpourri.

This hardy herb is easy to grow, however if choosing to
start from seed form, may require a little extra work and
TLC. The best way to introduce this plant into your garden
is through fresh plants or root cuttings from your local
gardening center. These plants enjoy plenty of sunlight and
dry, well drained and alkaline rich soil. As the winter
months approach, the beauty of these plants will fade,
however, during the next spring and summer seasons these
plants will return more hardy and lush then the last.

Each of these herbs are a delectable treat offered by
nature. With simple care and many uses for their beauty and
taste, adding these herbs to any garden is sure to be an
aromatic and pleasurable experience.

About the Author:

Moses Wright loves to work in his garden. He started this
site to help fellow garden enthusiast with gardening tips
whenever possible. You can find more free resources on
landscaping and gardening on his site:
http://www.homelyfamily.com/