The top 10 herbs you need in your garden

Source: au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/better-homes-gardens

It makes sense to plant what your family uses most in terms of herbs. That is the basis for my top 10 herbs.

1. Basil 

This can be thrown into just about anything from salads to the cooking pot. It provides a beautiful smell to the kitchen and adds amazing flavour to so many dishes. I just wish it grew all year round. It will start to die off around autumn after it flowers so cut the flowers off as they appear to get the most out of its growing season, this will also help the pant keep its flavour. There is nothing better than a big bunch of fresh pesto made with the basil from your garden.

2. Thyme 

Is easy to grow and goes well with tomato dishes as well as some seafood dishes. It has a beautiful scent so take some cuttings and tie them into a bunch and hang them somewhere in the kitchen to provide a fresh smell to that space.

3. Rosemary 

Is a fantastic plant to have in the garden because you can take from it all year round and it goes with so many foods. In winter when the selection of fresh herbs in the garden is reduced, it is great to be able to put some fresh Rosemary in your Sunday roast to enhance the flavour provide some freshness to your dish. In a way it keeps you warm through winter…metaphorically speaking.

4. Parsley

Is great because it is one of the few herbs that doesn’t mind a bit of shade and grows well in a pot so it can be moved around and kept in that corner where nothing else does that well. This in theory should be at the top of my list because it can be used in so many ways and in so many dishes. You could just about sprinkle some parsley on everything that you present.

5. Mint

Not only is fantastic to have on hand for summer cocktails but it also goes well in some stir fry and fish dishes mixed with other herbs. It likes to grow in part shade with a fair bit of water. I have seen in thrive in shaded areas under dripping taps. Keep it confined in a pot as it will want to spread throughout the garden.

6. Oregano

Think of an Italian dish with tomatoes and oregano will most likely be a good accompaniment. It grows well in soil with good drainage. Harvest it regularly to keep it dense and prevent it from going woody, this will also promote new growth.

7. Chives 

Chives are relatively easy to grow in a sunny aspect. They will die off over Winter but should come back the next growing season. They add flavour to many dishes including eggs and if you are out of onions, chives can make a good substitute.

8. Coriander

I get mixed reports with this one. Some people can’t kill it and some can’t grow it. It grows well kept moist and in part shade. It grow well from seed also. Coriander is a fantastic flavour enhancer so having it on hand through the summer months is really handy, especially considering it is about $2.50 per bunch in the supermarkets.

9. Lemon Myrtle 

Is a wonderful Australian plant that can be used in cooking or in teas. Its leaf has the most amazing scent. I give it to my kids to keep in their pockets and smell throughout the day. They love it.

10. Curry Plant 
I am cheating a little bit with this one because the curry plant is rarely if ever used in cooking. It does smell like curry so it has a beautiful scent but in terms of flavour it is pretty mild. I use it purely for its aesthetic appeal. Its silver grey foliage adds a different colour to enhance the look of my herb garden and it can be trimmed and mounded and contained in whichever way you wish to create a contrast in textures.

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How to Grow Herbs in Containers for Flavour & Fragrance

Herbs grown in containers are ideal for windowsills, patios and balconies where the enthusiastic cook can have them close to hand. Not only are herbs useful for flavouring food but they can also look beautiful too when they come into flower.  Chives produce flowers like pom-poms on long straight stems in pale lilac or white, rosemary produces small flowers which present in shades of white, pinkish-purple and blue whilst the flowers of thyme are also small and pinkish-purple.

It's best to do some research before selecting a planter for your herbs. For instance, how tall is the herb likely to grow? If it's tall-growing like fennel or some varieties of rosemary you'll want a big pot so that your herb won't topple over in strong winds. Also, it helps if you can find out about the type of roots the herb has. Do they stay fairly close to the surface of the soil of do they like to go deep?

Additionally, when planting herbs, it's important to use containers that drain well since herbs don't like to sit in wet soil. This is where putting a few stones in the bottom of the pots before adding the compost will be a great help along with ensuring the containers have their own drainage holes; that is unless you are putting a smaller potted plant into a larger container rather than putting the plant directly into a large container.

Beginners to herb gardening might find it easier to start with plug plants rather than trying to grow herbs from seed.  When planting plug plants use a quality compost to get your herbs off to a good start. An alternative is to buy pots of fresh herbs from your local supermarket if you don't live near a garden centre.  Great success can be had with this kind of herb growing by planting supermarket-bought pots of basil, coriander and parsley straight into larger pots in the garden or even into a small garden bed near the back door. Parsley in particular, seems to grow best in a slightly damp, almost shaded area. With only just a little sun, these herbs have been seen to flourish right through the summer until early November provided there have been no early frosts.

Since container plants dry out quickly especially in hot weather you'll need to ensure they are watered regularly depending on what each herb prefers. If you are going to group herbs together in one pot, it's best to put together those that need the same kinds of growing conditions.  You will lose plants if plants requiring little water are planted with those requiring regular watering.

One of the many benefits of growing herbs in containers is that they can be moved around to suit the weather conditions and the position of the sun. The small to medium size containers can be kept on wheeled plant holders, which can make moving them easier especially for the not-so-young.  In sub-zero temperatures container grown herbs can even be brought off the patio or balcony indoors if there is no heated greenhouse or conservatory available.

Even if you are someone who cooks infrequently, you can still enjoy the beauty, fragrance and colour of your own herbs and some herbs like mint, can be used for making refreshing summer drinks. Most herbs are really easy to grow and maintain, and being a herb grower is one of the simplest and most satisfying ways of gardening.