Hi Friends!  I hope this week will be special for you all!! When I was little and lived in Georgia, my Dad moved us out to the country to live in an old farmhouse built in the early 1800’s. With land, and a barn, he wanted to complete our experience by having us plant a garden.  Thinking big, he plowed an acre and we planted lettuce, tomatoes, squash, turnip greens, carrots green beans and more. Although it was fun seeing how things grow, the amount of work it took to weed, harvest and can all the things we couldn’t eat has made me shy away from ever planting again!  Herbs though are something even I can master.

So when we re-landscaped our home, I asked Michael Hutchins with Greentouch Landscaping to incorporate herbs into his plan. Here he constructed a design out of boxwoods and filled the interiors with lavender and rosemary! The rosemary has done really well even three years later and it has been amazing to step out the door and harvest for cooking!! Now I am ready to plant more!

Outside Gardens

There are several things to consider before starting your garden.

1: First pick a spot for your garden.  It should be close to your kitchen for easy access and in a place that gets at least 6 hours of sun per day!!

2: Decide which herbs you want.  The types you cook with the most are great choices to begin with, but……… be sure that they grow well in your area!!   Down here in Texas we have lots of sun and heat in the summer!   Rosemary, Texas Tarragon, Aloe Vera, sweet basil and cilantro seem to do well! Planting in large pots is an option so they can be moved to shade or sun depending the time of the year. 

3: Draw out your garden’s layout, grouping your plants according to how high they grow and the amount of water they need. For example, rosemary likes to remain dryer where basil requires more water. Herbs that hover the ground, should be placed on the south side of the garden, so they aren’t overshadowed by taller plants (planted on north side) during the sunniest times of the day.

4: Now you are ready to head to the nursery! The easiest way to start off is to buy full grown plants that you can put in the ground.  Be sure to bring an assistant as two heads are better than one!!

5: Read directions but most herbs to best planted 12-18 inches apart.  Make sure you dig deep enough to cover the roots, and cover. Water in the morning and near the base of the stems, so you won’t damage the leaves or grow mold.  Keep the soil evenly moist. Little helper Charlotte likes mixing flower in with her herbs. Here is a wonderful article on how to plant your garden!

This is my good friend Lisa’s herb garden at her home here in Houston.   She is a fantastic cook so she uses fresh herbs a lot (and so do her neighbors!!)  She re-purposed the tops of her new fence she had made to hide the trash cans and made them into a fence for her garden! I love the scooped out design of the fence!

Inside Gardens

If you want to start with something smaller and inside garden not only is easy but I think adds to any kitchens décor!!

So cute, I think I will order these from  Wayside Gardens.  It comes with everything you need and only retails for $30 per herb!  What a great hostess or girlfriend gift!

I also could see this in my kitchen!  More cleaned lined, this Segaform Stoneware Triple Herb Pot is from  The Greenhead.

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How darling is this for a kid activity—start seeds in an ice cream cones and plant in the ground—cones are biodegradable!

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I love the idea of planting small delicate herbs such as genovese, basil, thyme and cilantro in these pretty cups! These would be great items to pick up in a garage sale or resale shop and make special heartfelt gifts.

These are pictures from a  blog from Maison Decor.  Love these flowers but herbs would be just as pretty!  She used purple transferware berry bowls as little drain catches for the plants.

These are some pictures of my friend,  builder David Levy’s garden. He has definitely gone all in and says that all the veggies and herbs they  eat they grow! Way to go David!

Please send me all of your tips and photos of your garden either inside or out!!! Looking to the experts sure gives us a place to start, but I feel we learn the most from each other and am grateful for your inspirations! Visit a past blog on home gardens here or my Pinterest page for more tips and ideas! Happy fall planting!

FYI to all my friends, Segreto is closing down their Boutique and Art Gallery to make way for a new showroom. All is 40% off including some furniture!  Come get your Holiday shopping done early.  There are still a few good things left!! Till next week!

If you are interested in hosting an event or carrying the book  please don’t hesitate to reach out! Email Karly@segretofinishes.com for all inquiries! We love to visit new cities!!!