With the planting season upon us, now is the perfect time to start your outdoor herb garden. Herbs come in different colors, flora, scents, textures and heights making them pleasing to all five of our senses. Before starting your outdoor herb garden, there are some things that you need to consider and keep in mind.

First of all, you have to consider how much space you have to plant. If you have just a small 3 ft x 3 ft plot, then you are going to have to narrow your herb choices considerably in comparison to someone who has a much larger plot. If you have a small plot or just want to add visual interest to a larger plot, consider planting some herbs in the ground and others in pots.

With hundreds of varieties of herbs available, it is best to think about how you want to use your herb garden. If your garden is more for show and to be pleasing to your sense of smell, then you can choose plants just by their scents. Some people like to combine different scents such as rosemary, basil and thyme whereas others choose to have a garden full of lavender. If you are going to use your plants for cooking, then you need to think about which plants would be most useful for you. For instance, Italian herb gardens typically contain basil, oregano and parsley.

Depending on the plant, you may be able to plant a lot of one herb close together or you might need to leave 6" to 12" between plants. The size of your plot greatly dictates how many plants you can have in your plot. There are some herbs that spread like crazy as they grow. Mint is an example of an herb with a mind of its own when it comes to growing. It is best to plant these kinds of herbs in their own pot to avoid having them take over your garden.

Make sure that your herb garden gets plenty of sun. Most herbs require sun for at least 6 hours a day. Your herbs will do best in soil that drains well as many herbs do best if they are not sitting in soaked soil all the time. In between days that it rains, it is best to just to sprinkle them lightly with the hose. If you go 4-5 days with no rain then it is a good idea to give them a good watering.

Many herbs are easy to grow and require little care other than weeding and a little water. Before starting your herb garden it is always best to do research to learn about different herbs and to make sure that their soil, watering and sun requirements will be met. You can find other good herb growing tips online. Although you can start herbs from seeds, it is much easier and less time consuming to go to a nursery and buy an herb plant. Whichever way you choose to start your herb garden, have fun and let your senses enjoy all of the colors, smells, textures and scents that come with them.