Having an herb garden can be so rewarding. As you spend time with the plants you start to feel like you are participating in a sacred relationship with the land.
Even if you grow just one herb you unlock a world of knowledge. So, I invite you to explore the possibility of starting an herb garden this season. If you don’t know where to start, no worries, I'm going to give you all the information you need to get started!

Having an herb garden no matter what size takes a little bit of planning. Once you are ready to start growing you will need two important pieces of information: what growing zone you are located in and when is your last frost date for your area? Click the links to find out this info! Knowing this information will let you know what plants thrive best in your area and when is the best time to grow your plants outside. 

You can grow an herb garden anywhere, no matter if you only have a small space or a huge yard. If you live in an apartment or don’t have outside space to grow, then container or vertical gardening might be perfect for you. You can grow herbs in your windowsill, your balcony, or even your front steps. As long as you have good light your herbs will grow. You will be surprised at how much you can grow in small spaces. You can also grow herbs indoors in pots or hydroponic growers. Those are a little different but I've had really good luck with them. In the early spring I use them to start my seeds then move my seedlings out to the garden later but in the winter I will actually grow some things inside. 
If your situation does not allow you to dig or plant in the ground, maybe you live in an apartment but have an outdoor patio, then a raised bed might be a better option. Here in Las Vegas space is hard to come by and most yards are very small in newer neighborhoods. There are tons of options out there for raised beds. Raised beds allow you to designate a small space to garden and still be able to harvest lots of herbs for your needs. I actually use them in my larger garden just so I can better enrich the soil. Desert sand is not always the best medium for growing vegetables so I use the raised bed to hold my organic potting soil instead of putting my plants directly into the sandy soil. And they are really pretty!

Once you've decided on a garden plan then it's time to get started. If you are starting from seed, begin your seeds 4-6 weeks before your last harvest date so that your plants are nice and strong for the growing season. Once you’ve planted your seeds, cover them with something clear to mimic the conditions of a greenhouse and keep your seeds nice and warm. To-go food containers or a seed starting tray are great options to keep your seeds warm while they germinate. I have taken egg crates and cut them to fit into plastic to go containers and used that for a germinating tray. Use what you have that will work. Keep your seedlings away from drafty windows and place them in a warm sunny spot to help them germinate. 
Again, I prefer a hydroponic grower because it's simple with little maintenance but dirt and an empty paper egg carton works great too! And, most but not all seeds will germinate in hydroponics so do a little research if you choose that route. 

Once your seeds peek out of the soil, remove the clear top and water them if they look dry. It’s really important at this stage to make sure your seedlings are getting enough sunlight. If you don’t have adequate sunlight in your growing space you may want to think about adding a grow light. Once they sprout you can remove the cover. 
I generally wait until my seedlings are 3-4 inches tall before transplanting them to the outside garden. Then you just check on then daily and harvest as needed!

How that you know HOW to grow an herb garden you need to decide WHAT you want to grow. You need to first decide what the purpose of your garden is. Do you want to grow culinary herbs to cook with? A medicinal herb garden? A fancy herbal tea garden? Decide on whatever you think you need then you can plant your herbs accordingly.
I have all 3! My herbal medicine garden consists of echinacea, tulsi, wild lettuce, dandelion, bee balm, catnip, rosemary, lavender, calendula, chamomile, yarrow, white sage, lemon balm and peppermint, to name a few. I even have a lemon tree!
My tea herbs are actually all of the above as they tend to overlap. You could also choose hibiscus, elderberry, ginger and stevia just because they're yummy in tea. 
My culinary garden contains basil, dill, parsley and oregano. 
So once you decide what to grow, you are ready to get started!

Just remember, start small. Chose a couple of herbs and learn about them as you watch them grow!  Growing a garden is much more then just growing plants. It's truly a way to connect you to the earth and to nature. Once you actually grow a living plant from a seed and nurture it until it is able to provide you with food or medicine then you will understand the connection that we have with nature. 

Happy growing!!