Best Herbs to Grow for Your Home Apothecary
(Easy & Beginner-Friendly!)
Whether you’re planning your first garden or expanding your apothecary, herbs are one of the most rewarding things you can grow. They’re beautiful, functional, and incredibly versatile—offering culinary, medicinal, and even bouquet-worthy benefits all from the same little patch of soil.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the best beginner-friendly herbs to grow, where to get quality seeds, and how you can use them to build a thriving home apothecary.
Why I Grow Herbs
My herb garden started small, but it quickly became one of my favorite parts of homesteading life. Over time, I realized how many ways herbs serve our family:
• They make wonderful teas and salves
• They’re a key part of our home remedies
• They repel pests naturally
• And they double as fillers in fresh flower bouquets!
Some are culinary staples, some are deeply calming, and others are just plain beautiful. Most importantly, they help me build a home apothecary that feels rooted, intentional, and nourishing.
Best Beginner-Friendly Herbs to Grow
Here are the herbs I always recommend for a home apothecary—especially if you’re just getting started:
Chamomile: Gentle, calming, and easy to grow. Chamomile is perfect for teas and skin-soothing remedies. It also attracts pollinators and looks beautiful in bloom.
Calendula: One of my absolute favorites for salves, infusions, and skin care. Calendula is bright, cheerful, and a workhorse in the garden and the apothecary.
Lemon Balm: Mild and uplifting, lemon balm is a dream for nervous system support and gentle digestive tea. It grows well and returns easily year after year.
Yarrow: A strong ally in first-aid remedies. Yarrow is both medicinal and ornamental, and works wonderfully as a bouquet filler or pollinator plant.
Basil, Cilantro & Parsley: These kitchen staples are also valuable medicinal herbs! Basil supports digestion and the nervous system, cilantro helps with detox, and parsley is rich in nutrients. All three are easy to grow and delicious.
Where I Buy My Seeds
Here are my favorite seed suppliers—they offer high-quality, heirloom, and organic seeds that have served me well year after year:
Want More Herbal Growing Tips?
Grab my free eBook, From Garden to Apothecary, and learn how to start your own herbal apothecary from the ground up—literally.
[Download the eBook here →] From Garden to Apothecary: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing and Using Herbs
Whether you’re building a simple tea garden or dreaming of an herbal pantry, these beginner-friendly herbs will serve you well. They’re beautiful, multipurpose, and one of the most empowering things you can grow.
Let me know what herbs you’re planting this year—I’d love to hear what’s going into your garden!