Many of us are flipping through seed catalogs at this time of year. Consider planning and planting a garden full of herbs appropriate to use in your bath! A bonus is that you can pick the herbs you would like to use for a cleansing, fragrant soak after gardening chores!

CONTAINER GARDEN
The container bath garden uses various-sized containers arranged in a way that is pleasing to the eye and accommodates the space you have available. The staggered container plantings of different widths and heights lend interest. The two largest containers must be 18 inches in diameter or larger.

Container Garden Plants
* 2 or 3 lavender (whichever amount your container can hold)
* 1 prostrate rosemary
* 3 sweet marjoram
* 1 peppermint or mint or your choice
* 5 German chamomile
* 1 lemon balm
* 3 calendula
* 1 thyme

PLOT GARDEN
A birdbath makes an interesting visual centerpiece for this garden that enhances its theme. A fountain or classical statuary could also be placed in the center. Divide each planting with a layer of plastic or newspaper, then cover that layer with mulch, decorative stone, or brick. Other ideas include an old bathtub planted with herbs, or herbs planted along a path leading to a small pool and/or fountain.

Don’t be cavalier about planting the mint in this garden. If not kept in check, it will take over and choke out the other plants. To slow this invasive tendency, plant the mint in a large container sunk into the ground. It will still want to grow over the edge of the sunken container, but it can be controlled more easily.

Plot Garden Plants
* 7 lavender
* 2 peppermint or other mint
* 12 Geranium chamomile
* 2 lemon balm
* 3 thyme
* 12 calendula
* 1 or 2 rosemary
* 7 sweet marjoram

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