Aromatic delights are perfect for beautifying, garnishing and eating
If you only grow one edible this year, make it a herb. In the main, they are easy to look after, can grow in poor soil and tolerate periods of drought.
They also make sense to your pocket as fresh herbs are expensive to buy in the shops. In addition to their aromatic presence, many have flowers that are pollinator-friendly and of course their culinary qualities make them useful.
Like anything home-grown, there’s a particular joy in using garden produce, whether decorating the Easter lamb with sprigs of fresh rosemary, pairing tomato salad with generous bunches of basil or garnishing a Mojito cocktail with a bouquet of mint.
The first thing to know about herbs is that some are tender, some hardy. The hardy ones can be left outside all year – these include bay, mint, rosemary, chives, thyme and sage, though the latter two may sometimes wilt a bit in our endless rainy winters. Tender herbs such as basil and coriander will only grow outside after frost has gone.
The second consideration is that many herbs come from Mediteranean regions, so if planting outside, position in full sunshine and f
That said, some an basil, parsley and coriander prefer a richer soil. Another bit of essential knowledge is to keep