41 Herb Garden Ideas for Any Space in 2025

Everyone should have fresh herbs on hand and these herb garden ideas can make it so much easier. Whether you have a large, comprehensive herb garden or a small one with a few of your favorites, an herb garden can be a major benefit for anyone who likes to cook, bake or make drinks. 

Herbs add a depth of flavor that can improve taste thanks to the scented compounds and essential oils that are released from the leaves when cut or heated, according to Penn State. Adding fresh herbs is the perfect way to elevate a dish or create a unique flavor profile.

Can anyone grow herbs in their garden? Yes! Many herbs are relatively easy to grow. You can have an abundance of herbs even if you aren’t a wiz with plants. Herbs can be adaptable, which means you can grow them in a variety of containers. 

They can also be pretty drought-resistant, so you won’t have to tend to them or fuss over them daily. And harvesting herbs is also easy. With a quick snip and a rinse, your home-grown herbs will be ready to use.

With a variety of outdoor and indoor herb garden ideas, anyone can have an herb garden in their home. And luckily, they’re easy to create in just a few hours. You can fit it into your home décor or use it as a backyard garden idea too. Here are 41 herb garden ideas to inspire your own space.

Jump to Section

• Outdoor Herb Garden Ideas
• Indoor Herb Garden Ideas
• Herb Garden Ideas for Small Spaces
• Raised Herb Garden Ideas
• DIY Herb Garden Ideas
• Herb Garden Plants
• Herb Garden Ideas FAQs

Outdoor Herb Garden Ideas

1. Create Raised Garden Beds

Raised garden beds are a classic way to grow herbs. And there are plenty of raised herb garden ideas, so you will always be able to find one that fits your backyard style. They’re preferred because they provide better drainage, better soil control and easier access.

2. Plant a Companion Garden

Companion planting allows you to plant herbs and vegetables that support each other’s growth. Some herbs can also serve as a pest repellent, which makes them a natural option to protect vegetables, fruits and flowers growing in the garden.

3. Plant a Garden Station

If you have a small garden, this is one of the best outdoor herb garden ideas. A garden station is a bench that keeps all your necessary supplies in one handy place. This is an especially good container garden idea.

4. Use Hanging Baskets

You don’t always have to plant in the ground; instead, you can plant herbs in hanging baskets. Then you can suspend them from hooks on walls, ceilings and beams. 

5. Consider Using Mosquito-Repelling Herbs

Mosquitoes are often the worst part of enjoying the outdoors in the summer. However, some herbs, including basil, lemon balm and eucalyptus, have repelling properties. Plant these herbs around your deck to enjoy your future garden party without being bitten.

6. Line a Deck or Patio with Planter Boxes

Instead of a railing, you can opt for a planter box in some cases. Build planter boxes on the edge of a patio of deck and fill them with herbs. This outdoor herb garden idea will be great, especially if you enjoy eating outside.

7. Use a Trellis for a Vertical Garden

If you have a small backyard, you can still grow herbs easily with a vertical garden. Use a trellis to hold containers where herbs are planted. A vertical garden is a great way to save space.

Indoor Herb Garden Ideas

8. Have Bar Cart Herbs

If you like making cocktails with fresh herbs, keeping some on a bar cart is one of the best indoor herb garden ideas. Keep these herbs nearby to either muddle or garnish your drinks.

9. Grow in a Kitchen Window

If you have a sunny kitchen window, it’s the perfect place to grow herbs. Build simple shelves across the window and place potted herbs in the window box.

10. Add Some to the Bathroom

Herbs that love humidity, like basil, mint and lemongrass, can thrive in the bathroom. You can grow them in a sunny bathroom and let them get some extra humidity from the steam from your shower.

11. Wood Slice Herb Garden

Wood slices are one of the most stylish rustic herb garden design ideas. Attach small plant pots to the wood slices and hang them up for a living wall design. You can also label the herbs on the wood slices.

12. Use Magnetic Containers

Opt for magnetic containers for a space-saving herb garden idea. You can keep them on the refrigerator or on a magnetic board, so they’re always within reach.

13. Hang Some in the Dining Room

The dining room is a great place for an indoor herb garden. Use hanging baskets or a wall garden, so you can easily harvest fresh herbs for your meals.

14. Grow in a Terrarium

A terrarium is one of the best indoor herb garden ideas. Herbs that prefer humidity, in particular, are the best options. However, it’s best to have an open terrarium so there’s airflow. 

Herb Garden Ideas for Small Spaces

15. Combine with a Rock Garden

Plant herbs that like well-draining soil along with a rock garden. Doubling up allows you to save space in your backyard. Plus, you can use some rock painting ideas to add some color to the space.

16. Use a Coffee Table as a Planter

For small spaces, furniture can play double duty. Convert the center of an outdoor coffee table into a planter. This is one of the most stylish herb garden ideas for small spaces, adding some color to your patio space.

17. Utilize Window Boxes

If you have window boxes, they’re a great place to plant some herbs. Window boxes utilize vertical space, so you can save some floor or patio space for other furniture.

18. Create a Wall Garden

Utilize vertical space by creating a wall garden. Use hooks or wall planter holders to hold pots and containers. Wall herb garden ideas can work both indoors and outdoors.

19. Repurposed Ladder

If you have an old ladder, you can also use this as an option for a vertical garden. Lean an old ladder up against the wall to use as a shelf for planters.

20. Attach to a Fence

Using a fence for vertical growing is one of the best herb garden ideas for small spaces. Add hooks or shelves to a fence to hold your pots and containers.

You can also pair these with our vegetable garden ideas to build a full edible garden that includes fresh produce alongside your herbs.

Raised Herb Garden Ideas

21. Tiered Wood Beds

Tiered raised herb garden ideas are great if you’re looking to save space in your backyard. These can easily be purchased or DIYed to fit your garden space. 

22. Use a Steel Stock Tank

Steel stock tanks are large containers that make raised gardening easier. They’re easy to find and durable, so they make a good gardening investment.

23. Add Wood Dividers

If you want to keep your raised garden beds organized, use wood dividers and plant each herb within each of the sections. Adding labels is also one of the best herb garden ideas to keep everything organized.

24. Finish with a Cage Cover

Prevent animals from nibbling on your hard work and use a cage cover on your raised garden beds. You can use standard or custom sizes to fit over each raised bed.

25. Consider a Wine Barrel

If you can find an old wine barrel, it can be repurposed into a cool raised garden bed by turning it on its side and planting herbs inside. It’ll add a cool decorative detail. Plus, wine barrels can also be used as tables to host outdoor family games.

26. Use Reclaimed Materials

If you want to have a more sustainable garden, use reclaimed materials to build your garden bed. Reclaimed wood and metal are great options to make a raised garden bed.

27. Upcycled Tires

No need to throw out your old tires when you can upcycle them. Use tires for recycling-friendly herb garden ideas by covering the bottom with wood and filling the inside with soil.

DIY Herb Garden Ideas

28. Use a Shoe Organizer

If you have an old over-the-door shoe hanger, it can be a great place to keep your herbs. You can either place planters in the compartments or add the soil right into the shoe organizer. This is one of the easiest herb garden design ideas to add to your space.

29. Plant in Mason Jars

Mason jars are a great tool for DIY projects in the garden. Use mason jars for your herb garden. It’s also a relatively easy project for kids to try.

30. Decorate a Pergola with Cascading Herbs

Creeping thyme and oregano are good cascading options. You can decorate a pergola with herbs so they grow all over the structure. It’s one of the coolest herb garden ideas to incorporate the plants into the overall design.

31. Paint Terracotta Pots

Decorate terracotta pots to hold all your herbs. It’ll add a personalized touch to your garden. Plus, painting the pots can be one of the most fun outdoor birthday party ideas.

32. Stacked Planter Pot Garden

You can create a stacked planter with a few different-sized pots. Stack smaller pots on larger ones and fill them all with soil. It can also be a good DIY herb garden idea for broken pots.

33. Decorate Herb Markers

Create your own herb markers to help organize your garden. It’s a great DIY herb garden idea for kids and adults to add a personalized touch.

34. Build a Hanging Garden

If you have a covered patio or deck, you can hang planters from the ceiling to create a hanging garden. It’s one of the best space-saving herb garden ideas and a unique detail to a garden.

Herb Garden Plants

35. Oregano

If you’re looking for herb garden ideas, oregano is one of the best options. It’s great for flavoring sauces for pasta as well as soups.

36. Thyme

Thyme is an aromatic that works in a variety of dishes, like chicken and roasted vegetables. It’s one of the most versatile herb garden plants.

37. Basil

Basil works well in soups, sauces and cocktails. It’s an easy and versatile herb for a garden.

38. Chives

Chives are a great garnishing herb. Gifting chives to grow is one of the best cooking gifts to give a home chef.

39. Mint

Mint is a popular herb that’s often used in drinks and cocktails. If you’re looking for herb garden ideas for a barcart, this is a great option.

40. Cilantro

Fresh and citrusy cilantro is one of the most versatile herb garden plants. It can be used in salsas and soups in a variety of cuisines.

41. Lavender

Lavender can be used in foods, drinks, soaps and more. So, it’s a great aromatic herb if you like to DIY.

Herb Garden Ideas FAQs

What Is the Best Layout for an Herb Garden?

The best layout for an herb garden takes into consideration two important things: harvesting ease and care needs. You want your herb gardens to be easy to harvest. 

So you may want to consider planting tall-growing herbs like rosemary and fennel in the back of an herb garden and short herbs like chives and parsley towards the front. This can allow you to easily reach all the herbs in your garden with ease.

Another layout to consider is to group herbs by their sun, shade and water needs. For example, plant sage, thyme and rosemary together in the sun and herbs like basil, chives and parsley where they will get a little bit of shade. This will help all of your herbs thrive and make caring for the herbs easier.

What Herbs Should Not Be Planted Together?

Herbs tend to be easy-going plants, but there are some you shouldn’t plant together because of their care needs. For example, sage needs well-draining soil and likes to dry out, while chives prefer soil that stays a little damp. Herbs that have conflicting care needs should not be planted together.

There are also some plants that will hinder the growth of others. For example, fennel can produce a chemical that can negatively affect the growth of other herbs and vegetables. 

Or mint, which can easily spread and take over a garden and crowd out other herbs. Both of these herbs are better planted on their own. You could even consider splitting your garden as a front yard garden idea.

Dill is also an herb that should be planted on its own because it can attract bugs that harm other herbs. Particularly, you should plant dill away from sage, lavender, marjoram and parsley.

What Time of Year Do You Start an Herb Garden?

Though most herbs are easy to grow, the best time to start an herb garden is in the spring. Around late March is the best time to start an herb garden, as this is when soil temperatures begin to warm up and there is a lower risk of frost. 

You can also start some herbs indoors four to six weeks before the final frost. If you want to start your outdoor herb garden ideas early, this is the best option.

Aromatic herbs make everything taste better and thanks to these herb garden ideas, you’ll be able to grow your own with ease. From fresh basil for your Italian dishes to mint to garnish your drinks, you’ll be able to add a depth of flavor to everything you eat and drink. 

These herb garden ideas will add a little color to your kitchen, add some textural detail to your dining room or some natural beauty to your backyard garden.

For even more fun ideas for your garden, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!