The 8 Easiest Herbs to Start an Herb Garden

Also known as Mexican parsley, cilantro grows fast in the cool weather of spring and fall. When the weather gets warm, the plant sends up a long, lanky flower stalk which later produces coriander seeds. Plant cilantro in a bed devoted to herbs where it can reseed, or in a corner of the vegetable garden. Avoid full sun or excessive heat, or the leaves will turn bitter. This herb does not retain its flavor when dried and wilts quickly once cut, so keep several pots on hand for homemade salsas and fresh salad garnishes.

You can choose from (and mix them in flower beds) a plethora of basil varieties–sweet basil, purple basil, Thai basil…the list goes on. This herb grows rapidly in 80- to 90-degree weather, and two or three plants will yield plenty of fresh leaves for a family of four. If you plan on putting up some pesto, plant at least a dozen or more plants.

A shrub plant, rosemary is woody-stemmed with needle-like leaves that can commonly reach 3 feet in height, sometimes stretching to 5 feet in warmer climates unless clipped. Rosemary is ideal for home gardens because it also thrives in large containers or small pots on the windowsill. An aromatic herb, rosemary plants grow well with basil, oregano, and sage.

Both onion and garlic chives are used in the garden as perennial edging or border plants, or as herbs in the kitchen – both the leaves and the fuzzy, colorful globe flowers are flavorful. Chives also grow well in containers (even the pockets of a strawberry jar), either alone or in combination with other long-lived herbs such as rosemary.

Oregano grows best in dry, warm climates, needs less water than most plants, and grows faster when trimmed, like basil and sage. Oregano also loves to grow in pots, spilling over the edge, and it also makes a good seasonal ground cover or edging along a path. A universal companion plant, oregano helps nurture the other plants it grows with.