D.I.Y. Herb garden kits

I'll never forget the first time my then boyfriend now husband, Doug, casually reached down and picked several leafs off some plants in his mother's front yard garden. Wondering what he was doing, I was quickly informed that's where his mom planted the herbs she regularly used in the evening meal. I had seen backyard gardens but never an herb garden and certainly not one mixed in with the flowers. But when you think about it, planting herbs amongst the flowers makes a lot of sense. Relatively easy to start and maintain, herbs do not require much more than good soil, occasional watering and indirect sunlight. They're also one of the best resources for antioxidants (toxin fighters!).

But what if you have limited space or time to grow a garden? Maybe a "kit" that keeps the space requirements to a minimum is the answer for you. Never mind your "brown thumb", most herb gardens can be purchased as a kit with easy to follow instructions that will help you get a jump start on your gardening. They're also great for folks who might be house bound and prefer something "inside" versus "outside" or would like a hobby that isn't too time consuming. Below are just a few of the one's I found to be great gift ideas, are very affordable, space-saving and easy to use:

*Dune Craft Dome Terrariums Culinary Herb Garden DOMETER-0007 – Available at K-Mart or online (priced from $15/up) this compact dome allows you to try your hand at raising herbs. It's also a great activity to enjoy with your kids/grandkids, teaching them the value of growing herbs while also watching the progress together. Very simple to assemble and maintain.

*Stack herb kit – Available at http://www.herbkits.com/stackandgrow.htm, this charming stackable herb kit allows you to use limited space wisely while also creating a beautiful display. This site also has some great ideas on stackable gardening, as well. They also makes wonderful gifts; $29.95 for the kit or $34.95 kit and wrapping.

*Indoor culinary herb garden starter kit – If you're a culinary type, you might want something that will take you from the basic start up to a full scale herb garden. This kit gets you on the right track and allows you to plant a larger variety of plants. Starting at $27.00, they can be found online at www.amazon.com.

Enjoy and get started today!