Growing Guides

Thai basil is the spicier, sturdier cousin of sweet basil, and growing it from seed opens the door to real Southeast Asian cooking at home. This heat-loving annual (Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora) sprouts quickly, loves full sun, and produces anise-scented...

Purple basil earns its place twice over, as a striking garden ornamental and a genuine kitchen herb, and it grows from seed much like the sweet kind. This warm-season annual (Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal') brings deep-purple leaves to salads, garnishes,...

Lemon basil gives you all the fragrance of basil with a bright citrus lift, and it grows from seed just as quickly as the sweet kind. This warm-season annual (Ocimum x citriodorum) germinates fast, wants full sun, and produces slender,...

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a hardy perennial with soft, lemon-scented leaves and a long, gentle place in the tea garden. It is easy to grow and quick to become a favorite, though the seeds ask for a little patience...

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is one of the easiest herbs to grow from seed and one of the most forgiving once it is established. This hardy Mediterranean perennial wants sun and lean soil, comes back year after year in most of...

Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) is a hardy perennial with soft grey-green leaves and a warm, savory flavor that is classic in stuffing, sausage, and browned-butter sauces. Of the woody Mediterranean herbs, it is one of the easiest to start from...

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is one of the quickest herbs to grow, and a single plant gives you two things: the fresh leaves you snip for salsa and tacos, and the dried seed we call coriander. The catch is timing. Cilantro...

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is a delicate, anise-scented herb, one of the four classic French fines herbes, and the quiet lift behind good eggs, fish, and spring dishes. Unlike most herbs, it actually prefers a little shade, so growing chervil is...

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are about the easiest herb a beginner can grow, and one of the most forgiving. Sow the seed once and this clump-forming perennial hands you slender, oniony leaves and edible purple flowers, then dies back and returns...

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a kitchen essential that earns its space, even if it makes you wait at the start. This flat-leaf Italian variety has a clean, peppery flavor and a heavy yield, and once it settles in it gives...