There’s nothing like fresh herbs to lift a home-cooked meal. With a few simple tips, a thriving herb garden is well within reach, right on your kitchen bench. Home and lifestyle creator, Kailani Tomkins (@kailanitomkins) is proving that a kitchen herb garden is an easy and rewarding project you can start this spring, no nursery or backyard gardening required. Everything you need can be picked up in one trip to Altona Gate.

Herbs

Rather than starting from seed, Kailani recommends re-potting herbs from Coles or Sacca’s Fine Foods. Once re-potted, they’ll keep growing for months, making your herb garden worthwhile with every use. Go for classics like basil, parsley and coriander. They’re beginner-friendly and they add flavour to any dish. Other beginner-friendly herbs include mint, rosemary and thyme, which are fast-growing and easy to care for.

Pots

The right pot makes all the difference. Kailani suggests giving each herb its own space rather than crowding them together. This helps them grow stronger and last longer. Look for pots with good drainage as herbs don’t like sitting in water.

Choose a size that suits your space, whether that’s a narrow windowsill or a wider bench top. Kmart offers a range of stylish pots so you can find a setup that fits both your kitchen and your style preference.

Once you’ve got your herbs and pots sorted, it’s time to get planting. Kailani’s top tip is to place your pots on a tray. It keeps everything contained and makes it easy to move them around. This simple step also makes your finished garden easier to style, and shift around the kitchen as needed.

Getting sunlight

Sunlight is one of the most important elements for a healthy herb garden. Kailani recommends finding a spot that gets around six hours of sunlight a day. Unsure if your kitchen gets enough light? Thanks to Kailani’s tray trick, you can quickly and easily move your pots to test different spots.

Everyday care

Keeping herbs alive comes down to a few simple maintenance tips as each has its own preferences worth knowing. Basil loves warmth and sunlight, so keep it away from somewhere cold and draughty. Parsley is a slower grower and prefers consistently moist soil, so check it slightly more often than the others to make sure it doesn’t dry out completely. Coriander prefers well-drained soil and can flower quickly in warmer conditions. Make sure its pot has good drainage and avoid watering too often, letting the soil dry out slightly between waterings. Trimming the leaves every few days also helps prevent it from flowering too soon.

As a general rule, water your herbs when the soil starts to feel dry, rather than on a strict daily schedule, and always check the leaves before watering, droopy leaves can mean too much or too little water. Turning your pots every so often also helps them grow evenly, rather than leaning toward the light. Labelling your pots is a small styling touch that doubles as a practical one, so you know what herb you’re picking.

Fresh cooking

The best part of having a herb garden is how rewarding it is. Once you’ve re-potted your own plants, you won’t have to buy them again. Plus, the better you take care of them, the more they thrive!

For Kailani, the real joy of a re-potting these herbs is having fresh ingredients on hand whenever she’s cooking. Whether it’s a touch of basil to garnish your spaghetti bolognese or fresh coriander in your guacamole, your own herb set-up can add a little freshness and flavour to your cooking.

Starting your own fresh herb garden doesn’t need to be complicated, and it’s one of those small projects that pays off every time you cook. Head to Altona Gate today to pick up your pots, herbs and all the extras you need, and give it a go this spring.