Nothing brightens up a kitchen quite like a few pots of fresh herbs. The smell of basil when you brush past it, the way rosemary leans toward the window light—it adds life, color, and flavor to your day. And honestly, there’s something quietly satisfying about snipping a few sprigs straight into your dinner.
Lately, I’ve been on a mission to grow herbs indoors, even when it’s cold outside or the garden’s taking a break. Turns out, you don’t need much to get started—a sunny spot, a few containers, and a little imagination go a long way.
Here are indoor herb garden ideas that bring freshness inside all year long—and how to start an indoor herb garden that works in any space.
And these indoor gardening tips will help you set up a thriving herb zone. Tiny apartment or roomy kitchen, there’s something here that’ll work for your space—and your style.
1. Mason Jar Windowsill Garden
Lining up a row of mason jars on a sunny windowsill does more than grow herbs—it makes the whole space feel alive. Basil, chives, parsley—they all thrive with a bit of daylight and some decent potting soil.
The clear glass lets you keep an eye on moisture levels (and root growth if you’re into that sort of thing). Add a little gravel at the bottom for drainage, and you’ve got yourself a charming setup that feels part apothecary, part farmhouse kitchen.
2. Wall-Mounted Planter Pockets
These fabric or felt pockets hang like a vertical garden right on your kitchen or hallway wall. They’re especially great for small spaces, and the cascading green looks lush without taking up counter space.
Each pocket cradles a plant, so you can mix and match—sage in one, oregano in another. With the right light, it turns your wall into something that feels almost like a living tapestry.
3. Hanging Macramé Planters
There’s something effortlessly relaxed about macramé. Hang a few small pots in hand-knotted holders near a bright window, and suddenly your kitchen feels like a cozy greenhouse.
Mint and trailing thyme do especially well in this kind of setup. Let them spill over the edges and do their thing. The movement adds softness, like a breeze just passed through, even when the windows are shut.
4. Wooden Crate Shelf Garden
Stack a couple of wooden crates into a vertical shelf and fill each level with herb pots. It gives off that collected-over-time vibe, like an old market stand tucked into a corner of your home.
You can leave the wood as-is for a rustic look or paint them in soft pastels for a pop of color. Either way, it turns a blank wall or empty nook into something green and welcoming.
5. Magnetic Spice Rack Planters
This one’s surprisingly fun. Use small magnetic tins or mini pots and stick them right to your fridge. Add a bit of soil, pop in a sprig of thyme or dill, and voilà—herbs, literally within arm’s reach.
It’s compact, quirky, and turns your kitchen into a bit of a science-meets-nature moment. Plus, you’ll never forget where the rosemary is again.
6. Tea Tin Pots
There’s a nostalgic kind of charm in using old tea tins for planters. They’re the perfect size for herbs, and they add a cozy, collected feel when arranged in a group.
You can leave the labels on for a vintage look or peel them off and go minimalist. Either way, they make even a small windowsill feel like a curated garden shelf—just don’t forget to poke a hole in the bottom for drainage.
7. Hanging Rod with S-Hooks
Mount a simple metal rod beneath your kitchen cabinets or along a sunny wall, then hang little herb pots from S-hooks. It’s clean, efficient, and gives your space that “lived-in but styled” feel you see in dreamy cookbooks.
Terracotta pots or enamel mugs work beautifully here. As the herbs grow and spill over, they soften the whole setup—and they’re always right where you need them while you cook.
8. Glass Cloche Herb Display
A glass cloche turns a humble herb pot into something a little magical. It creates a mini greenhouse effect, keeping things warm and humid—ideal for more delicate herbs like parsley or cilantro.
Set it on a windowsill or kitchen shelf and let the condensation do its thing. It’s functional, sure—but it also looks like something out of a garden conservatory, shrunk down to tabletop size.
9. Tiered Tray Planter
Grab a multi-tiered dessert stand or bathroom caddy and repurpose it for herbs. Each level holds a few pots, and it looks especially pretty when the greenery starts to trail a bit over the edges.
It’s compact, it rotates if you want it to, and it brings a soft garden vibe to your countertop. Add a pair of scissors nearby, and you’ve got yourself a little herb bar ready for action.
10. Repurposed Wine Box Garden
A wooden wine crate makes a perfect container for a mini indoor herb bed. Just line it with a bit of plastic to protect the wood, fill it with soil, and nestle in a variety of herbs side by side.
The compartments work like little garden plots—rosemary in one corner, thyme in another. It’s rustic, practical, and looks like it came straight from a farmer’s market.
11. Over-the-Sink Shelf Garden
That strip of space above your sink? Perfect spot for herbs. Install a narrow shelf across the window or just above the basin and set a few sun-loving pots there.
You’ll get natural light most of the day, and the steam from washing dishes actually gives the herbs a gentle humidity boost. Plus, it turns your sink into a spot you might actually enjoy standing at for a few minutes.
12. Vintage Cup Planters
Herbs in old teacups or coffee mugs bring instant charm. The smaller size works best for things like chives, oregano, or microgreens—and each one feels a bit like its own little world.
Line them up along a windowsill or nestle them into a tray for a collected look. Bonus points if you use cups with tiny chips or faded gold rims—the imperfections only make them better.
13. LED Grow Light Setup
Not every kitchen gets the kind of sunlight herbs crave. That’s where a simple grow light setup comes in handy. You can clip a small LED light to a shelf or tuck a full-spectrum bulb under a cabinet—and suddenly even a dim corner becomes a green zone.
The glow is gentle and warm, not harsh like you’d think. It turns your little herb area into a low-key spotlight moment. Plus, watching your basil stretch toward the light never gets old.
14. Window Box Indoors
Who says window boxes have to live outside? Mount one inside, right along your kitchen window or balcony door, and let your herbs spill over like they’re sunbathing in Tuscany.
Use lightweight containers if you’re worried about weight. A mix of trailing thyme, compact basil, and maybe a little nasturtium for color makes it feel more like a garden and less like a row of houseplants.
15. Apothecary Jar Planters
Clear apothecary jars aren’t just for bath salts—they make oddly beautiful planters. Fill one with soil, nestle in a herb plant, and let the roots show. It adds a botanical-lab-meets-vintage-vibe feel to your shelf or windowsill.
These are best for herbs you keep a close eye on—think cuttings you’re nurturing or mint that you like to check daily. It’s part garden, part science experiment, and somehow still decorative.
16. Bookshelf Garden Nook
If you’ve got an open shelf in your kitchen or living space, try turning one section into a mini herb zone. Tuck in small pots, a little watering can, and maybe a cookbook or two for balance.
Let the herbs spill over the edge a bit—don’t worry about keeping things perfectly neat. It’s that slight messiness that makes it feel like it belongs there, not like something staged for a catalog.
17. Pegboard Planter Wall
A pegboard isn’t just for tools or art supplies—it makes a seriously cool herb display. Hang small pots with hooks or shelves, and rearrange them whenever you like. It gives you freedom to experiment and grow your collection over time.
It’s one of those setups that turns functional into fun. And when you throw in some trailing greenery or flowering herbs, it becomes a living wall that’s more than just useful—it’s kind of stunning.
18. Terracotta Pots on a Rail
Install a simple metal or wooden rail along your backsplash or window, then hang classic terracotta pots from hooks. The clay keeps the roots cool, and the look is straight-up Mediterranean.
As the herbs grow in, the whole thing feels like a garden in midair. It’s a gentle way to bring some warmth and texture into the kitchen—like a summer trip abroad, minus the passport.
19. Stackable Planters
These planters are like little garden towers—you plant in tiers, and the whole thing grows up instead of out. Perfect for small spaces, especially if your counter real estate is already spoken for.
Each layer can hold a different herb, and the stacked look makes it feel like you’re growing something substantial, even if it’s all tucked into a single corner. Plus, watering from the top trickles down, so it’s practical too.
20. Upcycled Drawer Garden
Got an old dresser drawer lying around? Give it new life by turning it into a tabletop herb bed. Line it with plastic, fill it with soil, and stagger in your favorite green sprigs.
It adds instant personality—a little rustic, a little quirky. Stick a label on the front or let the faded wood speak for itself. It’s the kind of piece guests will ask about before they even notice the herbs.
21. Mini Greenhouse Shelf
Create a tiny greenhouse on a shelf using a clear plastic or glass cover. It traps heat and moisture, which makes herbs like cilantro or basil extra happy—especially in winter or dry climates.
Tuck it on a windowsill or sideboard, and it becomes its own little ecosystem. A small watering can nearby and maybe a spritz bottle, and it starts to feel like a real ritual.
22. Herb Ladder Shelf
Leaning ladder shelves aren’t just for books and baskets—fill each rung with herb pots and you’ve got yourself a vertical garden with charm built in.
It draws the eye up, which makes your space feel taller, and it gives each plant its own little spotlight. Especially pretty with trailing herbs like oregano or thyme softening the edges.
23. Hanging Test Tube Planters
This one’s more delicate but so lovely. Suspend a few glass test tubes from a piece of driftwood or mount them in a minimalist frame, then root herb cuttings inside.
It’s less about growing full plants and more about the beauty of propagation. Watching those first white roots curl down into the water? It never gets old.
24. Painted Can Planters
Save your soup or tomato cans, give them a coat of soft matte paint, and turn them into adorable herb planters. Add a label if you like—or just let the herbs speak for themselves.
They’re great for lining up along a shelf or clustering together in a tray. It’s low-cost, high-impact, and there’s something satisfying about giving something used a whole new (green) purpose.
25. Under-Cabinet Strip Garden
That little strip under your cabinets? Turns out, it’s prime gardening territory. Mount a narrow shelf and a soft LED light underneath, then fill it with low-profile herb pots.
It’s out of the way but still front and center when you’re chopping or sautéing. Herbs like thyme, oregano, or microgreens do especially well in these snug little spaces—and the light makes the whole kitchen feel warm and intentional.
26. Herb Frame Wall Garden
This one turns your greenery into a statement piece. Take an empty picture frame, add a backing of chicken wire or slats, and attach mini pots with clips or hooks.
It hangs like artwork, but changes week to week depending on what’s growing. And there’s something satisfying about literally framing your herbs—it gives them the attention they deserve.
27. Coffee Mug Garden
You know that collection of old mugs you don’t really use but can’t bear to toss? Time to repurpose them. Fill each one with soil and a small herb—parsley, chives, even dill if you’ve got a deeper mug.
Cluster them near a window or on a breakfast nook. It feels personal, almost nostalgic, like each plant has its own story to tell. And if you’re sipping coffee next to a mug of mint? Even better.
28. Windowsill Rail Planters
Mount a sleek rail across your kitchen window and hang a few lightweight planters from it. You’re using vertical space, getting full light, and creating a clean, floating effect that makes your herbs feel like they’re hovering in sunbeams.
It’s especially striking in a modern or minimalist space—though it works just as well in a cottage kitchen with enamel pots and trailing greenery.
29. Reclaimed Wood Box Planter
Find a chunk of weathered wood, drill a few evenly spaced holes, and drop in little herb pots or tiny glass vases. The contrast between old wood and fresh green is striking, and it adds a bit of texture wherever you place it.
Perfect for a center island or windowsill ledge—it brings that rustic, cabin-meets-cozy-kitchen energy that’s hard to fake.
30. Wall Shelf Jungle
Stack a couple of floating shelves on a sunny wall and go all in—herbs, trailing plants, a few cookbooks, maybe even a ceramic pitcher or two. It doesn’t have to be styled to perfection.
Let the plants do what they do: lean toward the light, spill a little, maybe bloom now and then. It becomes a living wall—not curated, but lived-in, which honestly feels better.
31. DIY Gutter Planter
A leftover section of rain gutter can turn into a surprisingly sleek herb garden. Mount it horizontally along a sunny wall or windowsill, fill it with soil, and tuck in rows of herbs like a tidy little green stripe.
It’s narrow enough to fit just about anywhere, and the industrial-meets-organic look works especially well in more modern spaces. Plus, there’s something fun about giving hardware-store leftovers a second life.
32. Rolling Cart Herb Bar
Give an old bar cart a garden job. Load it up with herb pots, small tools, maybe even a misting bottle and a stack of napkins. It’s easy to move toward the sun—or wheel out for dinner prep when you want to impress.
Everything’s in one place, and it turns your herbs into something more than functional—it’s a vibe. Kind of like a mobile greenhouse crossed with a kitchen sidekick.
33. Candle Holder Planters
Those old multi-tiered candle holders? They’re basically mini plant stands waiting to happen. Swap out the candles for small herb pots and let the layers add dimension to your table or countertop.
They look especially pretty at dusk, when the herbs cast soft little shadows across the surface. It’s unexpected, simple, and adds just the right touch of romance to your indoor greenery.
34. Vertical Herb Tower
Tucked neatly into the corner of a sunny windowsill, this vertical herb tower is proof that you don’t need much floor space to grow something beautiful—and useful.
It’s compact, tidy, and makes the most of natural light without cluttering the countertop. The layered setup feels a bit like a living sculpture, and the rustic texture of the planters adds just enough charm to make it feel intentional.
35. Hanging Window Herb Shelves
This hanging window shelf setup turns your herbs into a floating garden—with sunlight pouring through the leaves like they’re basking in a forest clearing. Simple wooden planks are suspended by sturdy ropes, holding rows of matching white pots that hover right in front of the glass.
It’s airy, elegant, and makes full use of vertical space without blocking your view. Each herb gets its share of light, and the staggered levels create a sense of calm, like little rows of green resting midair.
Fresh Flavor, All Year Long
There’s a certain joy in growing your own herbs indoors. A dash of green on the counter, the scent of thyme on your fingers—it makes home feel a little more alive.
With these ideas, your kitchen (or hallway, or window ledge) can become a lush little herb haven, season after season.
Still not sure where to begin? Basil, mint, and thyme are some of the best herbs to grow indoors year-round.
