Building a structured herb garden is a total game-changer. Not only does it keep your favorite flavors in one convenient spot, but it also adds a professional, polished look to your backyard. If you’re looking for the easiest and most flexible way to get started, hollow concrete planters (often called “garden rings” or “stackable wall blocks”) are the way to go. They act as both the border of your garden and individual planting pockets at the same time!
The “Lego” Approach to Herb Gardening
You can find these pre-cast concrete planters at just about any local hardware store or garden center. They come in square or rounded shapes, various sizes, and a few different colors—usually classic gray, charcoal, or terra cotta red. Think of them like building blocks for adults; you can stack and arrange them to fit whatever space or shape you have in mind. Plus, they are a much more budget-friendly alternative to building a stone herb spiral from scratch.
Total Flexibility for Your Garden Layout
One of the best things about using these blocks is how fast they go together. But the real perk? They aren’t permanent. If you decide you want a bigger garden next year, or if you want to move the whole thing to a sunnier spot, you can just pick them up and rearrange them.
Pro Tip:
Use small, rounded planters to build a decorative, south-facing herb spiral. This design creates different microclimates within the same structure, making it easy to keep all your different herbs happy.
Why These Planters are a Dream for Herbs
Because these blocks divide your garden into separate little “rooms,” they are perfect for organizing your plantings. This is especially helpful for keeping aggressive growers (looking at you, mint!) from taking over the entire bed. Here are a few more reasons why they work so well:
- The concrete absorbs sun during the day and releases that warmth at night.
- Sun-loving Mediterranean herbs (like rosemary and thyme) absolutely love that extra heat.
- You can stack them to create different levels, which looks great and saves your back while harvesting.
- You can fill each block with a specific soil mix tailored to that exact plant.
Another thing to keep in mind: perennial herbs (the ones that come back every year) don’t usually like being roommates with annuals. Annuals require a lot of digging, sowing, and pulling, which can stress out the roots of your perennial herb shrubs. Using individual planters solves this problem instantly—everyone gets their own space!
Herb Gardening on the Balcony
Want an herb garden on your balcony? You can totally do that with this method! Just grab a few smaller blocks to create a mini-version of a garden bed. It might be smaller than a backyard setup, but it’s the perfect size for keeping your favorite fresh garnishes right outside your kitchen door.
