This box is made out of pressure treated lumber. It can be made any size with having as many squares as you want to. You can use two by eight, two by ten, or two by twelve pieces of lumber. I gave an example of 16 squares for this box, which would definitely be a complete contained garden area. The squares are usually constructed to around one foot a square. You have the option of making each square bigger if you want a larger plant. If you are planning on using any type of power equipment such as a circular or power saw, remember to wear safely goggles or glasses to protect your eyes. There are many different ideas for this plant container.

• Plant the entire box with just herbs.


• Put a couple of dwarf shrubs along with some perennial flowers.


• Plant all flowers in the box to create a mass of color.


• This is a great look for a vegetable garden.


• Use this container for doing a specific theme type of garden. Bonzi plants look good in this type of container.

The final small design is of a specific bed in a tiny landscape area. Awhile back I talked about doing a small herb garden design. Below is a drawing of a little garden that can produce wonderful colors and great flavored herbs. This particular design can meet anyones budget.

This Budget garden design is made up of seven variety of herbs. Included are three pots, along with four ground base plants. A good option for a standard pot or planter is a sommerset planters. This type of planter looks great in any type of small landscape area. Here is a brief description of each of the herbs.

1. Lemon Grass or Fever Grass - This is a native of tropical Southeast Asia. This herb will grow two to three feet high but can occasionally reach six feet. I like this plant as it will survive in cooler climates. Growing it in a pot and bringing the pot indoors in the winter is ideal for colder geographic locations. Warmer regions can keep the Lemon grass out year around. This herb is great for tea, as well as many Oriental dishes. It is a great substitute for lemons.
2. Lovage - is actually is considered big celery. This herb will grow six to seven feet high and eighteen inches wide. Lovage is native to the Mediterranean climate and a perennial. It does best in full sun. This is a great herb to put into salads, vegetables, meats and poultry. The seeds produce a nice flavoring over a pork of beef roast. Lovage can be grown indoors in colder climates and over seed in warmer climates as sometimes the seeds can be not consistent in coming up.
3. Rosemary - I had to include Rosemary in this small garden. It is an evergreen herb in warmer climates, but will do well in containers in colder regions. Rosemary is an older herb that has been around for centuries. There are different varieties and will grow anywhere from two to three feet high and up to five to eight feet wide. One of the most popular dishes is putting rosemary on top of a pork roast. Also try it on beef roast, or beef stew. This is a strong flavor culinary herb. Take cuttings of Rosemary and put them in vases in and around your home.
4. Pot of Thyme - is a perennial herb, but sensitive to heavy frost and cold temperatures. Protect in the winter time with mulch or pine straw. It was used many years ago by the Greek population and today thyme is a very popular herb. There are hundreds of different kinds of thyme. Two of the most popular are Mother of Thyme and Common Thyme. A good herb for a garden but needs watering in the heat of the summer. Great plant also for decorating your shelf. A small culinary herb, barely reaching a foot tall. Wonderful herb for many different dishes. Add a small amount of thyme leaves into your favorite meat loaf. Sprinkle a few sprigs on the top of peas or carrots. I put this in a pot as thyme will spread and will work in a container for a small area.

5. Chives - This herb is the smallest member of the onion family. In northern climates purple flowers appear in the summer months. Chives grow in clumps and will mature one to two feet tall. They are one of the first herbs to peep through the ground in warmer regions. Chives are perennial and great in gardens or containers. Garlic chives will produce tall stalks with white flowers in the warm summer months. This is also a great plant for a pot in a tiny area.
6. Purple Basil - is one colorful variety of the basil family. It is called "Dark Opal" and has the deep tones of reddish purple leaves. Basil had its origins in Asia and India. It is a perennial in tropical climates, but will die out in most regions. Using containers in the winter time will assure you of having basil year around. It grows about two to three feet high and about two to three feet wide. This herb has a wonderful aroma. The Purple Basil will turn vinegar to red.
7. Coriander, Cilantro, or Chinese Parsley - This is another plant native to the Mediterranean climate. It grows one to two and a half feet high. It will do well in full sun or some shade. The stalks may get tall so you might want to consider staking them. The leaves are used in many Mexican, and Chinese dishes. The seeds should be heated to a scalding temperature before using . Once the seeds have gone through this process, they can only be used for culinary purposes. The seeds are nice over meats, in pastries, and pickling spices.
8. Entrance Way - I made a little entrance way into the garden using pine straw as the walkway material. You can mulch this walkway or use decorative stone. An option is to border the small walkway with natural stone or rocks. You can also made a to to three inch edging.

This is just one example of using a small space, putting in a variety of different colored and texture herbs, and also keep to a realistic budget. Below is a picture of a small landscape garden area newly planted and how it looks today. This particular garden has marigolds, tomatoes, and a variety of flowers and other vegetables.

Newly Planted Budget Garden	The Budget Garden Today

The shelf, pressure treated lumber box, and small landscape gardens are simple solutions and little design ideas for your indoor and outdoor pleasure. More importantly, these are realistic features for a tight budget.