Herb planter

Thyme, parsley and chive herb pot

Save space by planting up a three-tier herb container. We show you how.

A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
At its best
At its best

Plant is not at its best in January

Plant is not at its best in February

Plant is not at its best in March

Plant is not at its best in April

Plant is not at its best in May

Plant is at its best in June

Plant is not at its best in July

Plant is not at its best in August

Plant is not at its best in September

Plant is not at its best in October

Plant is not at its best in November

Plant is not at its best in December

To do
To do

Do To do in January

Do To do in February

Do To do in March

Do To do in April

Do To do in May

Do To do in June

Do To do in July

Do To do in August

Do To do in September

Do To do in October

Do To do in November

Do To do in December

If you’re short on gardening space, why not grow your herbs vertically? Build you own tiered herbal tower cheaply and easily by ‘planting’ smaller pots inside larger ones.

As well as looking attractive, a tiered herb garden packs a lot of plants into a small space, and creates separate planting pockets for herbs with slightly different needs.

The largest pot at the base of the tower will have moister compost and a little more shade that the one at the top, which has the best drainage and gets the most sun.

Use potting compost, planting the more moisture-loving annual or traditional herbs in the lower two tiers, and adding grit to the upper tier for Mediterranean herbs.

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You Will Need

  • Three pots of different sizes
  • Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
  • Home-grown herbs
  • Crocks

Total time:

Step 1

Adding compost to the largest pot
Adding compost to the largest pot

Place some drainage material in the base of the widest pot and half fill it with potting compost. Then sit a second, slightly smaller pot on top, in the centre.

Step 2

Planting up the sides of the largest pot with parsley
Planting up the sides of the largest pot with parsley

Plant parsley all the way around the edge of the larger pot. You may need to squash the rootballs slightly to get them in. Fill any spaces with compost.

Step 3

Adding the smallest pot to the display
Adding the smallest pot to the display

Half fill the second pot with compost and sit the third one in the centre. Plant chives all round the edge of the second pot, splitting the rootballs so they fit the space.

Step 4

Planting up the third pot
Planting up the third pot

Plant thyme into the third pot, using compost with mixed with a little added grit. Water the display and place in a sheltered spot that enjoys the sun for at least half the day.

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Kevin Smith says…

Create this display in-situ as it may be heavy and awkward to move once it’s complete. Disguise any bare compost with a gravel mulch – it’ll add the finishing touch and create a professional look.

Kevin Smith