Scented and herb area

[pumpingRSI]

I've got an area of garden that is between the back of my house and garage. It has wide path at the back of house and then the rest us stones. On the opposite side is a border about 3ft wide. I'd like to create a green screen / shrub area and lots of pots that are related to scent and herbs as it's closest to kitchen. What can people suggest would be good in containers and what needs to be in the ground. Would prefer some evergreen to keep screening in place over winter and then add to it with things in pots.

Does the area get much sun? It sounds like it might be quite shaded.

It gets Sun first thing from the east, much more in summer from overhead, then lots of sun mid afternoon onwards as it gets sun from west.

Obviously more from mid spring onwards as sun higher in sky.

So partial shade but lots of sun in summer.

I am no good with pots - they always dry out - but I think you can keep most plants in pots, even quite big ones if the pot is big enough. Mint is recommended to go in a pot as it can take over otherwise. For screening, star jasmine is evergreen and has strongly scented flowers. What about fruit as well as herbs? Like strawberries in pots or an evergreen blackberry bush?

I have oregano and marjoram in pots, doing OK, although they will go in the ground once the area is ready.

Chives are lovely, and would probably be ok in a pot : as PP said, the bigger the pots the better.

Rosemary is evergreen and makes a lovely Bush.

Are you thinking of a trellis for your green screen, or free standing shrubs?

Probably not trellis but bigger shrubs with smaller pots in front and some benches in the area.

Fennel, & rosemary should grow ok. Maybe curry plant & even give a few sweet peas a whirl

Wormwood Artemisia is a lovely scented herb shrub, not often grown. It is said to keep moths away, so might be worth a go!

There is a Rosemary called Miss Jessop's Upright which is recommended as a hedging plant but I have no direct experience of it; rosemary would be very good for that situation.

You can grow pretty much any herb in a pot. I have basil, chives, garlic chives, sage, thyme, lemon thyme, rosemary, bay, tarragon, dill, parsley, oregano, lemon balm and numerous types of mint all growing in pots on my roof terrace (south west facing sun trap) and in window boxes (shady and east facing). I use self-watering pots to make life easier - otherwise growing anything in pots can need watering twice a day in the height of summer.

I also grow spring bulbs under the herbs that are annual or die back in winter so the pots aren't bare.

I'd really recommend jasmine officianale too. It makes my house smell divine when it's in bloom. I grow that in pots too. I've noticed a bit of a trend here (central London) for growing it as a trailing plant in window boxes as well. Other scented plants that I successfully grow in pots are jasmine trachelospermum (star jasmine), honeysuckle, clematis, passion flower, lavender, roses, nicotiana sylvestris, datura and lilies. Geraniums also grow well in pots and the scent from the leaves is lovely.