• Students can easily find success in growing a herb garden as most herbs prove to be low maintenance as long as they are given a suitable soil to grow in and some shelter from prevailing winds. The proposed area for the herb garden at East State School has both of these requirements.
• Several ideas for the herb garden layout were planned (Click here to see various ideas). The final garden plan was chosen due to its practicality and its aesthetically pleasing design. The garden would be composed of three main beds. Each bed would be tended to by either grade one, two or three students (Click here to see the final garden plan). A roster system would decide which class within each grade level would be responsible for the garden at a given time (eg. weekly intervals).
• The produce from the gardens could be used in the tuckshop or in cooking classes for the students. The herb garden could also be incorporated into Art & Craft classes through the production of pot pourri and lavender satchels, utilising the scented herbs.
• We had initially planned to add a 'drip' watering system for the garden for weekends. However the herbs that have been chosen require watering perhaps only once per week. Holiday periods would be the only times when the garden would be in danger of becoming too dry, so perhaps a drip system could be explored for these times.
• Particular herbs have been chosen as natural deterrents of various insects and wildlife. A number of recipes for natural herbal pesticides are also available.
• The following herbs would be included in the garden. See proposed plan for the location of each plant. Companion gardening has been considered in the planning so that plants which are beneficial to each other are planted near each other, and those which are antagonistic to each other are separated.

1. Dill - Anethum graveolens - An aromatic, feathery herb with a smooth, ribbed stem and a bluish tinge. Useful as a culinary herb and also known to improve digestion, appetite and breath. Beneficial companion of Coriander.

2. Coriander - Coriandrum sativum - Flowering herb widely used in cooking and in medicines to improve their taste. Beneficial companion of Anise and Dill.

3. Anise - Pimpinella anisum - An annual that grows to about 20cm and produces small white flowers. Used as a flavouring in salads and in baking. Has a liquorice flavour. Beneficial companion of Coriander.

4. Lemon Thyme - Thymus citriodorus - Has a distinct lemon flavour and random silver markings.

5. Broad-leaved Thyme - Thymus pulegioides - An improved version of wild thyme. It is herbally more potent, with strongly aromatic leaves.

6. Marigold - Calendula officinalis - Provides bright yellow blooms. The petals of which are often used to add colour and flavour to salads.

7. Rosemary - Rosmarinus officinalis - Evergreen shrub with a pleasant scent and good flavour. Beneficial companion of sage.

8. Sage - Salvia officinalis - A hardy plant which keeps its leaves in winter. Used in food preparation as a flavour and also as a mouthwash and gargle. It is a beneficial companion of rosemary.

9. Fennel - Foeniculum vulgare - A tall plant which foliage can be used as a seasoning.

10. Basil - Ocymum basilicum - Holds juicy, aromatic leaves which can be used to give an exotic flavour. A beneficial companion of fennel.

11. Lovage - Levisticum officinale - Bears yellow flowers adding colour to the herb garden. Is tolerant of shade. Gives flavour to cooking. Beneficial companion of chives.

12. Chives - Allium schoenoprasum - Resembles trim tufts of grass. They have a flavour similar to garlic which is easily extinguished, so they are rarely used in cooking. They are a beneficial companion of lovage.

13. German Chamomile - Matricaria recutita - Grows easily from a seed, germinating quickly. Has scented, conical, yellow flowers of medicinal value.

14. Lavender - Lavandula - Famous for its wonderful perfume, lavender is one of the most popular herbs, It is superb as an ingredient for pot pourri. It is a beneficial companion of Lemon balm and camomile.

15. Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis - A cottage garden plant grown for its lemon-scented leaves. It can also be used for flavouring. Likes dry soils. Beneficial companion of Lavender.

16. English Lavender - Lavandula augustifolia - The most potent lavender for medicinal purposes. The scent lifts one's spirits and creates a sense of well-being.

17. Roman Chamomile - Chamaemelum nobile - A herb with strongly aromatic leaves which when crushed, smell of fresh apples. Grows well with lavender.

18. French Lavender - Lavandula dentata - May require excessive moisture in comparison to other lavender, but it is best to see how it goes in same conditions as other lavender species.

Click here to see the budget for the creation of the herb garden

Herb Garden Activities

Teachers can incorporate the herb garden into a number of different curriculum areas:

ART: Students can use the scented products of the garden to create pot pourri and lavender satchels etc.

SCIENCE: Students can care for their garden, watching it grow and develop. They can also mix their own natural pesticides for the garden, and can study any animal life which may be present.

MATHS: Simple calculations of any money made through sale of the produce to parents, staff and community can be a rewarding task for students.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Students can learn new vocabulary related to their herb garden, and can apply this in creative writing tasks.

HEALTH: There are many herbs which can be used for medicinal purposes. Students can explore the way in which these herbs can be made into medicines.

References

Eatts, T. (ed.) (1997). 'Heavenly Herbs', in Better Homes and Gardens, Vol 20, no. 4, pp 50-58.

Eatts, T. (ed.) (1995). 'Herbs for good cooks, great looks', in Better Homes and Gardens, Vol 18, no. 8, pp 36-39.

Evans, H. (1996). Marjoram, Mint, and Marigold. JG Press: USA.

Romain, E. & Hawkey, S. (1996). Herbal Remedies in Pots. Dorling Kindersley: Sydney.

Thank -you

To the staff at 'Home of Herbs', Toowoomba for your help and advice on companion planting of herbs.

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