If you're like many homeowners, you might love the idea of having a culinary herb garden in your outdoor living space. Not only does an herb garden provide fresh and tasty fare for the family table, but they also bring a great deal of aesthetic value to the picture. A thriving herb garden is a beautiful sight to behold, and they also perfume the air with wonderful scents after rainstorm activity causes the individual plants to release their fragrant oils. To get the most from your herb garden, consider adding hardscaping elements. Hardscaping simply refers to components of your garden that aren't vegetative. Following are four hardscaping features that every culinary herb garden should have.
Classic or Whimsical Statuary
Statuary adds texture and dimension to any garden, but it's particular suited for use in herb gardens because the majority of herb plants don't grow more than two or three feet tall. Although classic statuary is customary in culinary herb gardens, whimsical statuary will bring a smile to your face when you go to gather herbs to use in your kitchen.
A Winding Path
Whether it's made from cobblestones, gravel, or sawdust, a winding path through your herb garden allows you to easily access the herbs you want to harvest without having to trample on the others. It also makes it easier to water, weeds, and check on the health of your plants.
A Comfortable Seating Area
Most people love the idea of relaxing with a good book or simply sitting in quiet contemplation in a private spot, and culinary herb gardens provide an ideal environment for this activity. The details of your seating area should be determined by your individual needs and preferences. If you want to use the spot primarily for getting some solitary time away from the family, a small, simple bench will probably do. However, if you want to share meals with family and friends or otherwise host group gatherings in your herb garden, you should consider a large picnic table or even a gazebo.
Landscape Lighting
The right type of landscape lighting adds a whole new dimension to any outdoor living space. You can use it near your small seating area so that you can enjoy sitting there even after the sun goes down or to highlight certain herb plantings or statuary for aesthetic effect. You can also add ground-level lighting to your winding path to make it easy to navigate after dark. As an added bonus, outdoor lighting makes your property less attractive to vandals and potential home intruders.
For more information about landscape lighting installation for your herb garden, talk to a local landscape professional.