The History of Synergistic Gardening

Synergistic gardening is one of many different growing systems associated with organic gardening. The system was developed by Emilia Hazelip (Who amazingly was one of the Merry Pranksters that Tom Wolfe immortalized in his book!). However the real originator goes back even further than that: back to 1970’s Japan and the famous writer Masanobu Fukuoka and his book One-Straw Revolution which stressed the benefits of natural gardening (Something that is still known as the Fukuoka method).

The idea is that a garden is best left in as natural state as possible. While this means the usual organic practices such as not using chemicals are important, it also means saying no to manure and fertilizers! This is the first important principle: the garden does not need external inputs to grow.

Mulching

Because of this ‘natural as possible’ approach, mulching is used instead of other techniques. In synergistic gardening the mulch is made with organic materials such as:

• grass. Usually these are  mixed with leaves to give the plants some aeration. Be careful not to use freshly cut grass as its decomposition may cause too much heating up of your delicate crops. Instead dried grass or slightly dried grass is better.
• composts
• leaves. Synergistic gardeners are recommended to avoid larger leaves as this can form a suffocating mat over the plants, however smaller leaves allowed to decay are great for synergistic gardens.
• parts of plants (bark, wood chips). These are usually applied a couple of inches deep and allowed to decay naturally.
• dried products (Hay and straw). Both are excellent. Most gardeners have started using salt hay which has a neutral pH, excellent water retention and has protection against weed seeds (Which can often grow in other hays).
• animal hair (Wool is commonly used). This can be tough and expensive to get in large enough amounts to cover a big garden.
• Peat moss/ Sphragnum moss. This is every gardeners secret weapon for growing acid-loving plants such as Camellia sinensis, however you will want to be careful if your plant does not survive well in acidic conditions (Ask your garden center).
• In cooler areas, small rocks and gravel may be used to conserve heat

Once the plants have been planted then there is little that you need to do, so you can sit back and relax: there is no need for tilling, digging or transplanting under this model. Therefore it is best to give your plants as big a ‘head-start’ as possible. This means selecting plants that grow well with each other (Italian herb garden plants are a great example of this).

Otherwise you have little to do. Because synergistic gardening is mostly about creating a mini-ecosystem and letting it run its course you are not even encouraged to get rid of pests as long as their abundance is not too large. The only big problem remains with slugs and gardeners will unfortunately discover that synergistic gardens are beloved by them!

For the true organic grower a synergistic garden is as natural and organic as it gets. Therefore it is something to consider for gardening health benefits. If nothing else, it will give you a great feeling of getting back to nature that is an important part of the gardening experience.

The other day I was walking through a tiny herb garden out in the countryside and I smelt the fantastic smells of the plants. It gave me an awesome feeling of well-being almost like the troubles from my often stressful job had melted away. When I left I felt unusually peaceful and happy.

It turns out that I am not the only one. Herb gardens have long been known for their health benefits. English poets have been writing for centuries about the feelings of happiness they got from being in the English formal gardens. Japanese lore likewise required some sects of Zen monk to complete a garden as part of their enlightenment training and their achievement of oneness with nature.

We now know that just being in a herb garden has been linked with lowered stress, lower levels of perceived exhaustion and raised happiness. This offers proof that it has a lot of benefits, the question is why? It seems that people have a need to see natural things. A kind of aesthetic feeling rebels against too much concrete- which is unfortunately the reality that many of us face. A simple herb garden in the corner of a room has huge benefits on your feelings of happiness. This is one of the reasons that these wonderful plants have recently been growing in popularity especially growing herbs in pots.

Another is that even the smallest garden gives you a chance to use your mind. You may not think it, but even the smallest garden requires a lot of thought and knowledge. Every herb grower is like a gardener, scientist and artist, carefully combining aesthetic beauty with the optimum growth for culinary garden purposes. I even had to learn things about insects (A science known as entomology for those interested!).

The health benefits from moderate exercise have long been known too. Heart disease, proper functioning of the immune system and control of obesity are some of the many benefits. What many gardeners did not know is that herb gardening is also a form of exercise. In fact gardening in a large garden consumes as many calories as vigorous walking!

The other key thing is that eating healthy, fresh herbs is part of a healthy natural diet. The key word here is ‘natural’ as it is easy to end up introducing too much processed, artificial food into our own (And our kid’s) diet. Just the simple act of adding fresh herbs to the food we eat gives you the numerous benefits of eating healthy, alive food that is rich in minerals.

The garden health benefits are numerous. Therefore it is something worth considering if you ever get frustrated with a lack of progress or a particularly weak harvest. In fact the main benefit may not have been the destination, but rather the journey. The best part is that gardens can give you many different kinds of health benefits all of which add up to a significant improvement in the quality of our lives.

The more you read about herbs, the more fascinating they become. The medicinal properties of various herbs have been known for a long time. In fact one of the major uses for herbs is as part of a medicinal garden. The medicinal properties of ginger, the green tea herb Camellia sinensis and the valerian herb (To name just a few) are well known. Likewise tisanes and teas made from herbs have countless benefits. Well recently gardeners have some great news. They can add an extra herb to their long list: Brazilian Mint Tea also known as Hortela.

Traditional medicine in Brazil has known for years about the benefits of drinking Brazilian Mint Tea, however it has taken those outside Brazil a while to catch on. Healers in the areas where it grows have prescribed the drink for everything pain related for centuries and it is a common drink given to people with influenza.

The pain killing properties were recently reported in the journal Acta Horticulturae. According to a test performed by Newcastle University the pain relief was not significantly different from painkillers. This is amazing news for herbal medicine specialists who now have proof of its effectiveness.

The taste of Brazilian Mint Tea is the only thing that potentially stands in its way, as despite being related to mint lacks its delicate flavor and instead has a slightly unpleasant taste somewhat similar to rosemary (Which belongs to the same family).

Growing Brazilian Mint Tea

Growing Brazilian Mint Tea is similar to growing any of the garden mints. It also has a similar tendency to try and take over the entire garden! This is also a good thing, because as a result the plant has evolved to grow in the kind of poor quality soils that would kill another species.  To protect the rest of the garden from rampaging mint, many gardeners grow these herbs in pots or inside. It is great for gardeners in smaller places as it requires little sunshine. The only drawback being that it requires relatively hot temperatures, so make sure it is not too cold.

Once some growth has established itself, it is time to prevent the herb from directing its resources into flowering. This can most effectively be done by snipping off the buds whenever you see them. A large amount of buds is a sign that your plant is ready to be harvested. As a plant that likes the dark,  the best time to harvest it is in the early morning as a lot of its flavorful oils cannot survive in the suns rays.  It can be harvested and dried out by hanging it upside down in a cool, dry place. Once dried, it can then be crumbled and water added to make Brazilian Mint Tea. To really get the full extent of the effects, it is recommended that the Brazilian Mint Tea is left for 30 minutes before it is consumed! That may sound excessive, but it is the surest way to get the maximum medicinal benefits from it.

For those that are wondering what the difference between peat moss and Sphragum moss is, the answer is that Sphragum is the genus. The different species of Sphragum moss are called peat mosses. Currently there are numerous species of these plants and each country has their own individual uses. For gardeners on a budget they can be gathered wild, however this is not recommended as they may harbor Sporotrichosis fungi which can cause skin upsets or even lung problems! For this reason a trip to the garden center seems more appealing!

These plants are fantastic aids to most gardens, but are particularly useful in gardens that have sandy soil. As the green tea herb Camellia sinensis grows best in sandy soils, most gardeners know it best as an aid to growing this herb. The other use is for plants that need a lot of moisture to grow such as the carnivorous plants.

Sphragnum moss has the huge advantage of storing vast amounts of water. Some species are known to be made up of one part organic material and 20 parts water! Therefore soils that get very little water benefit a lot from the use of this plant.

In addition peat moss can be especially useful as it increases the Cation Exchange Capacity of the soil (The capacity of the soil to exchange ions such as magnesium). This is useful as it increases the ability for the soil to conserve certain nutrients. This allows your plant to grow more efficiently. On top of that it releases a lot of hydrogen which makes the soil more acidic. This can be useful as there are many plants that grow well in acidic soils. It is also one of the reasons why peat moss is not recommended for all gardens as it can make the soil too acidic for some species causing them to have poor growth.

When dried it also has the ability to act as insulation during cold spells, most gardeners are unlikely to use it for this purpose unless they live in a very cold part of the world.

The species Sphragum cristatum and S. subnitens are often used for hanging baskets and for small gardens such as potted herb gardens and windowsill herb gardens. These kinds of peat moss are especially useful at enhancing the ability of the plants to retain water.

The number of different species of peat moss is vast. Usually individual countries have different species and most of them have distinct colors. They all have similar uses, however the temperatures in which they grow best can vary considerably. Some Sphragnum moss grow in warm and tropical environments such as New Caledonia (S. novo-calodoniae), Latin America and Asia (S. girgensohnii). On the other side numerous species have been recorded in places such as Arctic areas as far north as Norway!

One of the most common for gardeners to encounter is Sphragnum affine, which grows in many different places and has a wide range of uses. This is often one of the most commercial kinds of peat moss and is often farmed specifically for use in gardens.

‘Green tea’ is the popular name for the oxidized product of the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Amazingly it is one of many drinks that come from this plant. Amazingly white tea, oolong and black tea all come from this plant too. Therefore it is commonly known as the ‘tea plant!’

Whenever people tell you that they are skeptical about the benefits of growing medicinal garden herbs, I always use green tea as an example of what herbs can do for health. The list of diseases that it has been proven to help fight is massive. So massive in fact there are still trials under way to see if there may be any more benefits.

So far there is scientific evidence for the green tea herb helping fight cardiovascular disease, cancer (Breast and prostrate), kidney stones, bad cognition, heart disease, cholesterol and high blood pressure. On top of that preliminary tests are showing that it looks good for helping the fight against Parkinson’s disease and possibly even Multiple Sclerosis! This is mostly thanks for the healthy polyphenols found in tea. With a list like that, it is hardly surprising that it remains one of the most popular kinds of tea out there.

In addition to these numerous health benefits it has a great color and smell. Therefore it makes a great addition to an ornamental or aromatic herb garden.

Growing the Green tea Herb

Camellia sinensis comes from the heart of hot Asia, so it is no surprise that it loves the heat (For those who understand zones, it is a zone 8 plant). What is more surprising is that it loves high elevations and most commercial crops are grown in these areas. If you are looking to sell this herb, that may cause problems, however if you only want to make some for personal use, this is not such a big worry.  In fact it has been grown in places as mild as Cornwall in the United Kingdom! So for those that have a good greenhouse this plant can be grown as part of a tea herb garden. Make sure that it is kept inside over cold winters, as its growth can be badly damaged if it gets too cold.

On top of the heat requirements, it requires your soil to be acidic and a little sandy. Most people use soil specifically for growing Camellia sinensis, as it can be a nuisance to grow the green tea herb in other soils. Many gardeners use peat moss to help their plant grow as this moss helps sandy soils to retain water and nutrients.

Harvesting the Green Tea Herb

After about 3 years of growth (No, that is not a misprint), you will want to start harvesting your crop. If your goal is to get the best parts for green tea, you will want to target the young buds and leaves (Careful to trim off the stems), which are usually at the top of the plant. Once you have harvested them, transfer the leaves to an oven and use a low temperature (200-250 degrees F/ 80 degrees C) to dry the green tea herb leaves. Once completely dry, they can then be crushed and stored.

By allowing them to dry out slowly in the sun or more quickly, you will get different flavors (Or sometimes different drinks as the main difference between oolong, black and green teas is their respective drying times).  Also these flavors go fantastically well with most flower or soft flavorings, so have fun combining them and coming up with unique tastes.

Medicinal garlic has been used for thousands of years now. We now know that the ancient Egyptians were using it for their medicine. The role of this herb in those days seems to have been as something of a cure-all. As time went on the number of uses for the cloves has generally gotten smaller, however recently there is a return to interest in using medicinal garlic.

Additionally over time the number of varieties has increased. What started out as a one plant from central Asia has mutated into many different varieties. Rocambole for example, retains similar properties to its Asian ancestor, growing best in countries that have long wet and warm springs and hot, dry summers. The artichoke on the other hand has become the ultimate cosmopolitan, growing well anywhere it is farmed.

Growing Medicinal Garlic

The cultivation of this wonderful herb is actually surprisingly easy, the only requirement is that the temperature is mild or warm (Although it is possible to grow it in colder climates). The plants grow fine even when planted close together, so a patch can be a great way to efficiently use the space in your garden. For those who like growing herbs in pots, medicinal garlic grows fantastically well inside as part of a home herb garden.

Unlike most herbs for growing which do best planted in early spring,  your bulbs should be planted in the fall (Autumn) as it needs a little time to grow its roots before the chilling winter. You will want to also give it a little protection over the winter by removing the clove’s ’skin’ (Which has a risk of having parasites in it). Many gardeners then use alcohol or baking soda to wash the cloves to protect them from fungi. Of course, this  should be done quickly as over-exposure to alcohol is dangerous to the plant. I recommend no more than 3 minutes in the wash.

Over the winter the medicinal garlic seems to enter a kind of dormancy, so there is little that the gardener needs to do. When the weather starts to heat up, the herb grows. This is a time to be careful if you have a really hot spring as this is one plant that is amazingly prone to bolting. This is also a good time to fertilize your plant to ensure the best growth. You will want to water occasionally, then stop watering a week or two before you harvest it, so it is easier to store.

Many gardeners transport the bulb to a cool, dry place during the summer months. This is done to reduce the chance of garlic bolting and to ensure that the cloves grow as big as possible to be replanted the following season. When the fall arrives, the plant can be carefully divided into cloves and each of these cloves can grow into a fully fledged medicinal garlic plant.

Medicinal Garlic Benefits

Medicinal garlic has a whole range of great benefits and now that interest is back in this herb, more are discovered all the time. Basically it can be used to help in treating most things as it has well established anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. The problem is that how many of these benefits can be passed to humans when they eat it is something of a mystery. Herbal medicine has long been using medicinal garlic for treating the thrush fungi, parasitic worms and the cryptosporidium bacteria.

Medicinal garlic looks very promising for people with blood pressure problems. This is great news for heart disease sufferers, as numerous studies have shown that garlic is a huge help to people with this condition. There is some warning against people on warfarin taking garlic, so they should be careful.

Its use as a treatment for the common cold has been known for centuries and recently research has been pointing towards it being useful in this regard. Definitely one to try with young children. If nothing else it gets them eating more of this wonderful herb.

When I ask most people about herb uses, I usually receive one simple answer: you eat them! Whilst it is definitely true that one of the major roles of herbs will always be as culinary herbs, there are many more uses than that.

In fact some gardeners grow herbs with no intention of ever eating them. These herbs are often called ‘ornamental herbs’ and are often important part of  herb garden designs. A great tactic is to grow herbs that are both ornamental and culinary. That way you maximize the number of uses for the herb. Ornamental herbs are usually divided by color and size (Make sure that bigger herbs don’t obscure the prettier, smaller herbs). A great tip is to design your garden using photos (These can be easily found on the internet). Simply move the photos around to get an idea of how the garden will look.

If you are really interested in having an aesthetically-pleasing garden, you may also consider selecting your herbs as aromatic herbs. Obviously some species have stronger smells than others, so gardeners often divide them by type (Italian garden herbs for example all compliment each other) or select a couple of weaker smelling herbs and a stronger one. A great tip is to look for combinations that are popular combinations for making scents and perfumes: that should give you a good idea of what scents work best together.

Another one of the many herb uses is tea herb gardening. These herbs are often renamed ’tisanes’ to distinguish them from the plants that make up the caffeine-rich brew most of us wake up to. A quick trip to the health food store nearest you will soon tell you which herbs make up the best cups of tea. Despite what many people believe, not all herbs are suitable for making tea/ tisanes. Try to make a drink out of a herb such as the valerian herb and you will quickly see what I mean!

Whilst herbs such as valerian are not so popular as tisanes (Or even culinary herbs for that matter!), they are great for growing in a medicinal garden. The uses for herbs such as these is huge. Whilst it can be difficult to determine what herb treats what ailment, there is likely a herb that can help no matter what your condition is. Just remember that herbs alone are only one part of a big picture and to truly maximize the benefits you need to make sure to live as healthily as possible.

Of course one the key herb uses will always be for eating. There is plenty of advice on this site and my e-books about growing flavorful herbs. Gardeners will also have to decide where to grow their herbs as the windowsill herb garden is getting more and more popular and gardeners are finding many herbs that grow well as indoor herbs. The key thing is to look at the herbs that you use the most regularly and grow those. Likewise many of these herbs also have medicinal and tisane uses, so even if you grow a lot there will always be a use for the extras.

The number of herb uses are vast. Therefore all gardeners can easily find a herb for them, even if their space and conditions are limited. When you start to plan your garden, a bit of thought to your herb uses can really help you maximize the potential of your garden.

The Valerian herb goes under a variety of names. Its most common name is ‘garden valerian’ (This name is used to distinguish it from another species called ‘red valerian’, that has very different properties). It is also known as ‘garden heliotrope’ and appropriately as ‘all-heal.’

Most people grow the valerian herb as part of a medicinal garden. It is one of the most well-known plants and its use has been documented over 2000 years ago. These ancient Greeks used it for pretty much the same reasons we use it now, as a relaxant and to treat insomnia.

The big turn-off for gardeners is that the mature plant has a bit of a strange smell. It is probably for this reason that it doesn’t enjoy popularity with gardeners. If you have an aromatic garden, you may want to pass on this herb or grow it next to a stronger-smelling herb such as mint. Oddly both cats and rats love the smell of this herb, so strategic placement or it can help keep these animals closer or further away from home depending on your preference! The flowers are the only good smelling part, so they can be harvested and used as a perfume.

The big problem with it is that it is pretty useless as a culinary herb. This is due to the unusual smell and its strange flavor. Therefore its major use is as part of a medicinal garden.

Growing Valerian

The valerian herb is great for most gardens. It is a pretty hardy perennial that can grow in many different soils. It has a habit of getting killed by weeds, so correct weeding is essential.  It also tends to take up a lot of room, so make sure that you give it lots of space (At least a foot apart) so that it doesn’t get overcrowded.

Propagating is usually done by the runner. As it is so resilient, it can usually be planted in early spring and it will survive a frost or two. Once some growth has been established, you can start trimming off some sections for medicinal use. At the end of the season it will self-sow itself. However it is prone to harm its own growth by overcrowding itself, so be sure to remove any excessive growth.

The intended use of your plant will dictate how you maintain it. If you intend to use your valerian herb as a medicinal herb, then you will want to trim off any flowers as soon as they grow. This is because the root of the plant has most of the medicinal benefits and trimming the flowers prevent the plant wasting valuable resources growing flowers. On the other hand, if you are growing it for ornamental reasons, you will obviously want to let the attractive flowers grow.

Valerian Effects

The Valerian herb is a great supplement for treating sleep disorders. Its use as a treatment for insomnia and similar sleep disruptions has been known since the days of Hippocrates 2500 years ago! Because of its sedative effects it is often recommended for people who are suffering from depression, as it relaxes them. It has also been used as a muscle relaxant for a long time. By far its best use is as a relaxant for people to try who are coming off stronger medication.

There are a couple of ways to take this herb. The most common is by valerian tincture, this can be bought at most pharmacies. Recently many people have been using it as a tisane. To get the best benefit, valerian tisane should be prepared with lukewarm water instead of boiling hot water, as many of the oils that give the herb its medicinal benefits are lost when it is exposed to too hot temperatures.

Ginger (The edible part of the Zingiber officinale plant) is one of the best plants that any garden can grow. Most people know that the plant itself isn’t the delicious part, rather its rhizome (A stem that exists underground from which the visible plant grows) has all the flavor. This rhizome is technically a spice, however as its plant is a herb we have featured it here.

The list of benefits that it has is huge. The rhizome can be used to treat many different kinds of medical conditions and tastes great as a culinary garden plant or as a tea herb. The overground body of the plant grows beautiful yellow flowers that feature in a lot of garden designs.

Ginger History

Ginger has a long history that goes back over 3000 years. At this time, mentions of ginger started appearing in records in Asia. The original name literally translated as  ‘horn root,’ anyone with a passing taste for ginger will understand this name! Even this long ago it was known as a culinary and medicinal plant. Asia was also the first region to begin cultivating the herb. It was also via the trade routes that went through India that the herb spread across the world.

Despite this, it wasn’t until Marco Polo brought some back that ginger’s popularity boomed. As early as the 11th century, gingerbread was becoming a beloved sweet.  Soon it received the ultimate honor, when the Queen of England Elizabeth I created the first gingerbread man, ensuring its popularity for years to come.

Growing Ginger

While it can be easier to simply buy the fully grown plant, it is so easy to grow that I recommend gardeners simply buy a rhizome and grow it from scratch. When choosing a rhizome for this purpose, make sure that it has as many ‘fingers’ as possible as each of these can potentially grow into a new plant and give you ginger to eat.

To get the most out of the growing season, most gardeners grow the plant inside in late winter, then transfer it outside in spring. For its first stage, get a pot that is 2-3 times the size of your rhizome. Fill the pot about 70% full of soil, however make sure that a few centimeters have been left at the top. Instead of burying your rhizome, you simply want to lay it on top of the soil. This may seem strange, but as long as it is kept watered and out of direct sunlight, it will grow fine.  Then transfer it once spring arrives and some growth has been established.

After 3-4 months, you can start harvesting. The reason why you needed as many fingers as possible, is because the main body of the rhizome will probably not be particularly delicious, so you will want to harvest the newer shoots. In fact I tend to only eat the young protrusions and throw the main part away at the end of the season!

Let’s Look At Ginger Properties

Ginger has many properties that make it an excellent plant. Ever wondered why ginger tastes so good? Well scientists have actually investigated this and isolated a compound they (Somewhat unimaginatively) labeled a ‘gingerol.’ This chemical is actually related to a similar compound called ‘capsaicin’ that gives chili peppers their spiciness.

However it is most the medicinal benefits of ginger that appeal to most people. The list of benefits is vast. Some of the major ones are listed below:

• Arthritis. Although it is far from conclusively proven, it does appear that ginger can reduce the pain usually associated with this condition.
• Heart Disease. Diets rich in ginger lead to thinner blood and lower cholesterol, this is a define plus for people with heart disease. However as it leads to problems if a person is on a drug such as warfarin, it can cause problems for people who have had a heart operation.
• Sickness. Ginger has been tested on all kinds of nauseous people from pregnant mothers-to-be all the way to seasick travellers. The results were unambiguous: ginger could reduce the feeling of sickness and the probability of being sick.
• Diabetes. Although the trials are still in their early stages it looks good for ginger helping diabetics control their condition.
• Cold and Flu. Most people know that ginger tisane can be used to treat the symptoms of these sicknesses.

It is said that one of the strongest forms of memory is scent. Many of my childhood memories are linked with the smells of the herb gardens that I visited on my holidays in southern England and many of my adult memories are linked with the exotic scents of the Japanese herb gardens I’ve visited in my holidays.

The best thing is that many aromas combine together to give an awesome smell. Aromatic herbs from a Italian herb garden such as garlic and oregano combine their scents beautifully. Even a combination that rarely occurs in nature such as mint and thyme creates a complimentary smell.

The best thing is that many of the best aromatic herbs are also culinary garden herbs. Many gardeners grow these as indoor herbs, so that they can enjoy the smell and keep them close at hand for any delicious recipes they are cooking.

Top Aromatic Herbs

While almost any herb can be a great aromatic herb, the best are:

• Coriander Seeds. While the leaves of this herb have a subtle smell, the seeds are the best smelling. Most people crush them to release the smell. In addition they are great culinary herbs, as they go with vegetables, curries and cooked meats.
• Thyme. If you want a great herb that can be used in almost any recipe, a thyme herb garden is one of the the best ones. It has a minty-lemony smell, so goes well with strong smelling herbs.
• Oregano. This has one of the most potent smells of all the aromatic herbs. The hotter your garden, the more potent the smell is, so people who live in a hot climate (Or use an artificial way of heating the plant) really get the best benefit from this herb. To really get the best out of its smell, it should be grown alongside other Italian herb garden plants. It also has the great plus of being a versatile culinary herb.
• Lavender. There can be little doubt that lavender is one of the best flowers to use. A great use is to use it in massage oils for some aroma-therapy benefits. In addition its oils make an excellent perfume .
• Mint. The uses for mint are numerous. The oils can be used to flavor things or to add their scent to shampoos or body washes. Some people prefer to simply leave in unharvested and enjoy the strong scent of the uncut plant.
• Lemon grass. If you ever need a natural smell on your body, the oils from this plant are great. In fact it has been used as a deodorant in the past.
• Ginger. This is a personal favorite of mine, simply because it combines with almost any smell. On top of that it is delicious for making tisane in your tea herb garden.

Combining The Scents of Aromatic Herbs

The best way to really make your house smell good is to grow a potted herb garden and practice moving your pots around to get the best combination of smells. While it can seem like a good idea to put all the strongest smelling herbs together, this can easily become overpowering. Often it is best to chose one strong smelling herb and a couple of weaker ones to add a subtle ‘character’ to the smell. Experiment with as many combinations in different areas as you can and soon you will have a great smelling house and garden that you will love to go to.