by K. R. Richardson

Created on: January 20, 2012   Last Updated: January 23, 2012

Windowsill boxes can be excellent for growing herbs, so long as you select the right plants to suit your conditions. While there are some herbs that will not flourish in the confined space, there is a wide variety that will, particularly with the good drainage and protection from weather extremes windowsill boxes provide.

To determine which herbs will do well in your window, you must first assess your needs and the location the plants will be in.

If you have very limited space:

Avoid larger plants which will take over the box. In particular, avoid regular rosemary, mint and chamomile. Be sure to select naturally compact varieties, such as thyme, tarragon, sweet marjoram, chervil, chives, sweet woodruff, and oregano. There are also miniature cultivars of many popular herbs such as Minette basil, Dwarf Moss-Curled parsley and Blue Boy rosemary. There are dwarf varieties of oregano, dill, chives basil and sage. Dwarf oregano has a milder taste but this can be accounted for by simply adding more to the recipe. Blue Boy rosemary has a delightful taste, arguably better than regular rosemary. Dwarf sage has slender silver leaves and, in spring and summer, produces lovely purple flowers.

If you want to keep bugs and insects out of your home:

A windowsill herb garden can serve more than just culinary purposes. Planter boxes can be set up outside bedroom windows with chilli, mint, lavender, marigolds or Blue Boy rosemary, all of which repel mosquitos and other insects. This is fantastic in the warmer months, allowing you to keep windows open for natural air-conditioning. The added bonus is a whole stock of extra herbs to use in your kitchen.

If the window gets very little sunlight:

Most herbs need plenty of direct sunlight; however, there are a few shade-tolerant varieties. If you have dappled light, try strawberries, cilantro, chervil, sweet woodruff, sorrel, mint, parsley or lemon balm. If the window is in full shade, your options are slimmer; mint, sweet woodruff and chervil should still do well and you could plant some violets as well for a splash of color.

If your window gets a lot of sun and heat:

Your best bet is to go with Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, oregano, sage or sweet marjoram. Include golden, purple, and tricolor sages to fill out the box and add some contrast.

If you’d like the box to be decorative as well as functional:

Try adding a splash of color with annual flowers. Violas, pansies, marigolds, lavender and nasturtiums are all actually edible as well as colorful. Daisies, daffodils, hyacinth and crocus, while not generally considered edible, will do just as well to brighten up the display.

To ensure success, try pairing plants with similar sunlight, water and soil requirements together. For example, herbs like mint, cilantro, basil, and Italian parsley can grow out of control if not contained. Planting them together will help keep them under control. Thyme, rosemary and sage do not like to be overwatered, so it works to grow them together. Cilantro, chilli and many other herbs will take a lot more water, though they do still need well drained soil.

As you can see, you have a lot of choices in filling your windowsill herb garden. While you won’t get the same level of growth you would in a garden-bed, this is really not all that necessary as a little goes a long way with most herbs. Experiment with some of the ideas set out above, be sure to include your favorite herbs and see where that takes you. I guarantee you will be in for a pleasant surprise.

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