Container gardening is an easy and rewarding way to grow fresh herbs. Whether indoors on a kitchen table or windowsill, or outdoors on a patio, grow a potted herb garden to have a convenient fresh herb garden wherever you want one. A well-designed potted garden can make the herbs an ornamental feature, not just a practical way to get fresh basil. Like all container gardens, a potted herb garden can grow in a variety of container types.

Grow a Potted Herb Garden in a Collection of Small Containers

Using several smaller containers is one of the most convenient ways to grow an indoor herb garden where there might not be sufficient space for a large container garden in a location that gets enough sun for the herbs to thrive. Individual containers should be at least 6 inches in diameter for a single plant.

Grow a Potted Herb Garden in Stacking Pots

A close cousin to the collection of small containers, stacking pots are containers meant to stack on top of one another to create a multi-level container garden. Special Y-shaped pots are available to create stacking gardens, or you can stack regular terra cotta pots, gluing them together for stability. Since the pots are separate, you can grow a potted herb garden that mixes plants with different fertilizer and water needs. One tier of the garden may have herbs that thrive with moist, fertile soil, while the tier above includes herbs that prefer drier soil or less fertilizer.

Grow a Potted Herb Garden in Hanging Baskets

Hanging baskets are not just for petunias anymore. Hanging baskets can be an attractive way to grow a potted herb garden. Trailing herbs like thyme look particularly stunning when grown in a hanging basket, either alone or in a container garden arrangement with a taller herb plant. Larger hanging baskets can accommodate several herb plants.

Grow a Potted Herb Garden in Strawberry pots

Strawberry pots are terra cotta or plastic pots that have openings up the sides. These were originally intended for rooting the runners of container-grown strawberry plants, but also are popular way to grow a potted herb garden. Rosemary or sage can be planted in the top, with smaller plants like chives, thyme, summer savory or marjoram filling in the lower openings.

Grow a Potted Herb Garden in a Barrel

A split barrel makes a perfect container to grow a potted herb garden combining several different herbs. The barrel is particularly suited to herbal theme gardens for culinary herbs from wine-producing regions. A French culinary garden barrel might include tarragon, fennel, savory, thyme and marjoram. An Italian culinary garden can include oregano, basil, rosemary and parsley.