A memorial herb garden can be a beautiful and sensory way to remember a loved one. Here's how to choose plants that combine symbolism with practicality:
Herbs with Symbolic Meanings
Rosemary: This is the quintessential herb of remembrance. Its fragrant leaves are associated with memory and fidelity.
Lavender: Known for its calming properties, lavender can symbolize peace, tranquility, and devotion.
Thyme: Represents courage and strength.
Sage: Symbolizes wisdom and immortality.
Other Herbs to Consider
Mint: For remembrance of hospitality. Be sure to contain mint in a pot, as it can be invasive.
Chives: These represent endurance.
Parsley: Symbolizes festivity.
Bay Laurel: Signifies eternal glory.
Practical Considerations
Climate: Choose herbs that will thrive in your local climate.
Sunlight: Most herbs need full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day).
Soil: Ensure the soil is well-draining.
Maintenance: Consider how much time you want to spend maintaining the garden. Some herbs, like rosemary and thyme, are relatively low-maintenance, while others, like basil, need more attention.
Personal Connection: The most important consideration is choosing herbs that have a personal connection to the person you are memorializing. Perhaps they had a favorite herb, or a particular scent that reminds you of them.
Example Combinations
Here are a few ideas for combining herbs in a memorial garden:
The Remembrance Garden: Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme
The Peaceful Garden: Lavender, Chamomile, Lemon Balm
The Chef's Garden: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Bay Laurel
By carefully selecting herbs with both symbolic meaning and practical considerations, you can create a beautiful and meaningful memorial garden that will honor your loved one for years to come.
Here's a list of vegetables that tend to do well in front gardens, considering both their visual appeal and how easy they are to grow:
Leafy Vegetables
Lettuce: Many varieties of lettuce offer beautiful colors and textures, from deep reds to vibrant greens. Loose-leaf varieties are especially good for a continuous harvest.
Kale: With its varying colors (green, purple) and ruffled or smooth leaves, kale can add a dramatic touch to your front garden.
Swiss Chard: The colorful stems of Swiss chard (red, yellow, white) and its large, textured leaves make it a standout.
Spinach: This leafy green is relatively easy to grow and can even tolerate some shade.
Root Vegetables
Radishes: These grow quickly and their bright red or pink roots are quite attractive.
Carrots: While the leafy tops are the most visible part, they add a delicate, fern-like texture to the garden.
Beets: Like Swiss chard, beets offer colorful stems and leaves, and you can harvest both the roots and the greens.
Fruiting Vegetables
Tomatoes: Choose bush varieties or smaller determinate types to keep them tidy. The bright red fruits are always appealing.
Peppers: Bell peppers and chili peppers come in a range of colors (red, yellow, orange, purple) and shapes, adding vibrancy to your garden.
Eggplants: With their glossy, deep purple fruits and attractive foliage, eggplants can be quite ornamental.
Other Vegetables
Beans: Pole beans can be trained to grow up trellises or supports, adding vertical interest and pretty flowers.
Peas: Like beans, peas can be grown on supports and offer delicate flowers.
Herbs: While technically not vegetables, many herbs are beautiful and can be incorporated into a front garden. Consider rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano.
Tips for Success
Consider your garden's conditions: Ensure the vegetables you choose are suitable for the amount of sunlight, soil type, and drainage in your front garden.
Use good design principles: Arrange your vegetables in a way that is visually appealing. You can mix them with flowers and other ornamental plants.
Choose compact varieties: Look for bush or dwarf varieties of vegetables to save space and keep your garden tidy.
Provide support: If you're growing climbing vegetables like beans or peas, use attractive trellises or supports.
Maintain your garden: Regularly weeding, watering, and harvesting will keep your front garden looking its best.
It's tricky to put an exact number on how much money you'll save with a vegetable plot, as it depends on a lot of factors:
Factors Affecting Savings:
What you grow: High-value items like salad leaves, herbs, tomatoes, peppers, and berries will save you more than cheaper staples like potatoes and carrots.
How much you grow: A small plot will only supplement your shopping, while a large, productive garden could replace a significant portion of your fresh produce needs.
Your gardening skills: A successful gardener will yield more produce and therefore save more money.
Your local prices: If you live in an area with high food costs, the savings will be greater.
Your initial investment: Setting up a plot (raised beds, tools, etc.) has upfront costs that will affect your short-term savings.
Time investment: Your time has value, so consider the time spent gardening as a cost.
Estimated Savings:
Some studies suggest that a well-maintained vegetable garden can save hundreds of pounds per year.
One source estimates potential savings of up to £690 a year by growing certain vegetables.
A very rough estimate is that for every £1 you spend, you could potentially grow £10-£20 worth of food.
High-Value Crops:
To maximise your savings, focus on growing these:
Tomatoes: Homegrown tomatoes taste far superior to store-bought ones, and a few plants can yield a large quantity of fruit.
Peppers: Like tomatoes, peppers can be expensive to buy, especially specialty varieties.
Salad leaves: Cut-and-come-again varieties provide a continuous supply of fresh, often expensive, salad greens.
Herbs: Fresh herbs can be very pricey in supermarkets, but are easy to grow and provide a lot of value to your cooking.
Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries can provide a lot of fruit from a relatively small space.