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Another great article from garden.com

In your face gardening – sounds dangerous doesn't it? But that's the way you'll want it when you plant herbs in pots. Herbs are so delicious and scent-sational that they should be close up – where you can snip and sniff at a moment's notice.

why herbs love container life
Herbs, especially those that thrive in the dry soils of the Mediterranean, do especially well in pots or raised beds. create your own herb garden

Because herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, and oregano , do best in soils that are well-drained, pots are the perfect place to grow herbs. In fact, many herbs will do better in a pot than in your garden.

potted herb care
Location – Herbs require a sunny location – and the hotter the better. In fact, patios and deck planters are great for herbs.
Sun – Your potted herb garden should receive at least 6 hours of sun a day, and should be in a well-protected area so that drying winds don't wilt newly planted seedlings.
Soil – Herbs thrive best in well-drained soil. Use potting soil, then add in ¼ sand to insure the soil drains well. How do you tell if your soil is well-drained? Spray the garden area with a hose. If the water pools, then you need to improve the drainage of your soil, by adding in more sand.
Watering – As a general rule, herbs like their soil on the dry side. If the surface of the soil is dry to the touch, then it's time to water. Err on the side of dryness if there's any question.
Pinching – Some herbs, such as basil and mint, have the tendency to get a little tall and leggy. To encourage bushier growth, pinch off the growing tip just above the first set of leaves. This makes new shoots sprout from the stem, giving the plant more leaves to harvest.
Clipping for use – Growing these wonderful plants in pots allows you to have fresh herbs, even as a centerpiece, ready to clip into salads, into pizzas or focaccia breads, or into soups. You can set a mixed herb pot in the center of a table along with other seasonings such as balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil. By using fresh herbs right from the pot, you capture their best flavor. Keep in mind that herbs generally taste their best if you harvest them just before the plant begins to flower.
Overwintering – The best thing about herbs in containers is that they can be moved indoors when cold weather arrives. Just imagine fresh herbs in January! Some herbs adapt very well to a move indoors. Tender perennials such as rosemary and bay will flourish in your house as long as they receive direct sunlight for about 6 hours a day. Some herbs, however, will survive the winter in a pot by spending time in a garage or shed. Thyme are especially hardy and require little more than a layer of straw mulch to keep them warm enough to come back again the following spring.

Say goodbye to annuals – Annual herbs such as basil and parsley are one-season plants. Keep harvesting leaves all summer, then say goodbye to basil at the first frost. Parsley can take a little cold weather before succumbing.
Controlling vigorous plants like mint is a lot easier when you grow them in pots. If you plant some of these aggressive spreaders in the garden you may find them infiltrating your entire border.

herb garden in a pot
Growing a complete herb garden in a pot is really easy. Follow our simple steps to create a pot, that by summer, will be filled to the brim with herbs.
1. Find a large, deep pot and cover the drainage hole with shards (pieces of rock or broken terra cotta).
2. Fill the pot with a good quality, commercial potting soil that drains well.
3. Place creeping plants like thyme along the outer rim of the pot and taller plants like rosemary in the center. Medium height plants like oregano can be squeezed in between.
4. Plant, water, and place the pot in a sunny location.

herbs in a pot