Herb Garden

Herbs are widely cultivated for their medicinal properties, which seem to be seeing something of a revival. They are most commonly used as flavourings to enhance almost everything you cook. If you have enough space, and enough sunlight in the garden, you can devote a whole section of it to growing herbs; but if you are really short of space, herbs can be grown in pots, window boxes or in grow-bags.

It makes sense to grow your herbs quite close to the kitchen and in separate containers. If growing them in the garden, divide the bed into pockets as most herbs are very invasive and will try to get into each other's beds given the opprtunity.

Basil

Basil is a strongly flavoured herb, famously used in Italian cookery or added to salads and soups. Basil is a tender annual and should be sown under glass in March or April, ready to plant out in a sunny spot in June. As the plant grows, pinch out the growing tips to produce a nice bush.

Bay

Bay is an evergreen shrub, similar to laurel. Grow in a sheltered spot, water regularly and use the fresh young leaves as and when required.

Chives

Looks like grass, but is actually a member of the onion family. Chives are raised from seed in March or can be bought as a pot plant. They are a perennial which likes a sunny position but a moist soil. Chives are a very versatile herb which can be used in a long list of dishes.

Garlic

Garlic likes a well-drained sunny spot. To grow garlic, purchase a garlic head, then separate this into individual cloves and plant them at a depth of about your first knuckle and about six inches apart. They will be ready to lift in August. Nice and simple.

Marjoram

Marjoram is one of the easiest herbs of all to grow, just purchase a small, pot-grown plant in the spring and put it in a pre-prepared spot in your garden. The plant will form a small shrub which may lose the leaves in the winter, but they'll be back in the spring. Usually used with meat as the recipe requires.

Mint

Mint is the herb that goes with almost everything, but is pretty much synonymous with lamb, new potatoes and peas. It's a perennial which is very greedy with soil, and if left to its own sneaky devices, will rapidly take over your garden. Best to grow it in a container and quash any dreams it may harbour of herbal dictatorship.

Parsley

Parsley is available as both a curly and flat-leaved variety and both are grown from seeds planted in the spring. They like rich soil in semi-shade. Pick parsley regularly and it will keep producing fresh leaves. Parsley is most often used with fish.

Rosemary

Rosemary forms an attractive evergreen shrub, which loves a sunny, sheltered spot and well-drained soil. It's best grown from a pot-plant bought in the spring, and will grow into a decent-sized shrub which will need regular picking and pruning, to keep the bush at about two foot high. Rosemary is another traditional flavouring for lamb.

Sage

A small, grey-green shrub, again best to grow it from a pot-purchased plant. Ensure it is moved in the spring to a well-drained, sunny spot. The leaves of sage are used in stuffing.

Thyme

Thyme is a lovely aromatic evergreen shrub grown from a pot-purchased plant, which can be planted in the garden or grown in a container as you like. Thyme is mostly used in stuffings for poultry.