Hi all, I'm going to plant an herb garden in the next few weeks, and I need some advice. I live in CT, I have a 4ft by 4ft area, and it gets about 70% sun. Here are my questions: How many plants do I need to cover such an area? I'd like sage, lavender and rosemary, plus some others you might recommend. Are they compatible? Also, while researching online, I saw a recommendation to lime the soil before planting lavender. Is that ok for the other herbs?

Thanks in advance everyone. I'm a new homeowner and first time gardner.
-Sarah

Welcome, Sarah.

Sage, lavender and rosemary do co-exist well and won't overwhelm your space providing the lavender is well behaved - don't plant it in the center just in case it wants to expand too much.

I've found herbs enjoy a neutral soil so I'd skip the lime unless you have reason to believe otherwise. A soil tester can be purchased at many hardware stores or big box stores.

The rosemary will probably need one square foot, the sage will use up more space and the lavender will be the largest.

Don't forget some basil for those summer tomatoes unless you don't like it! Many varieties of thyme are available so give one a try. Its footprint isn't large.

Never plant mint or oregano directly into your garden or it will spread so much that you'll regret you did it.

Overwatering is a sure way to kill them.

Have fun.

French tarragon mixed with lilies:


Sage:


Two kinds of soil testers in a vat of coffee grounds to show they are neutral, not acidic as so many are led to believe:

Thanks for the advice! I was considering mint, but now I know it spreads I will plant it elsewhere.