I started this herb garden back in 2016 so I could have easier access to the herbs and forbs I dried for the layer chickens to have in winter. It measures 37’ x 50’ or 1850 square feet. In 2025 there were around 60 different herbs and around 10 different flowers.
The herbs and flowers range from culinary to medicinal. When I was growing for the chickens, I mostly stuck to things safe for them, some medicinal, some nutritional, some anti-parasitic, and some attractant plants.
But it’s been 5 years since I’ve had chickens and I’ve added a lot of new plants that are interesting to me.
Back in 1992 my sister planted an herb garden around the then new addition. She put in 125 different herbs, then left for New Mexico and didn’t come back. I tried to keep the garden weeded, but knew very little about herbs. Over the decades most of the plants died. Some I tried to replace but mostly I just kept it weeded. There are about 30 left now.
I used some of the plants in my cedar closet to keep pests out: wormwood, tansy, southernwood, and Roman wormwood. And some of the culinary ones I used: chives, sage.
These are this year’s herbs and flowers in my New Herb garden:
But about 5 years ago the Roman wormwood died in that old garden. I spent a lot of time trying to find it online and finally 3 years ago, I did. I ordered plants and planted it in Row 1 of the New Herb garden.
It really liked it there and spends most of its time trying to take over the adjoining beds. I think because it was so hard to find and did so well when planted, it’s become one of my favorite plants. It’s a medicinal herb, an anti-parasitic and repels pests in the cedar closet.
One attribute I like about it is you can stick your hand into the foliage in the heat of summer and it’s always cool to the touch.
I’ve added lots of structures to the garden over the years: shepherd’s hooks to hold multiple wind chimes, a bird bath, a sundial, and the fairy my husband gave me in 2011.
She had a rough time this year when the cat knocked her to the floor during the winter and shattered her legs. But we carefully repaired her and she’s back in the garden.
I’ve not quite finished working in the New Herb garden this year due to missing 3 weeks in July. I have 2 days work left and it will finally be done for the year. But in November I will be back in it cutting down the dead stuff and weeding again.