Kitchen and ecology

Herbs

Herbs are small plants with an outsized effect: cooking, fragrance, beneficial insects, and better daily use of the garden.

Many herbs also teach timing. Basil wants warmth. Cilantro wants cool weather. Rosemary wants drainage. Mint wants boundaries.

Fresh basil leaves on a green herb plant.
Photo details & credits
Fresh basil leaves on a green herb plant. Photo: Photo by David J. Stang. Source image · CC BY-SA 4.0. Converted to WebP. All image credits.

Herb guide index

Let some herbs flower

Herbs are not only kitchen plants. Flowering dill, cilantro, parsley, thyme, mint, basil, and sage can support pollinators, hoverflies, tiny wasps, and other beneficial insects.

Harvest what you need, but consider letting some plants complete their cycle.

Field notes

Record which herbs you actually use. A small planting of a useful herb is more valuable than a large planting that only looks good in June.

Choose herbs for your garden

Start with herbs you use in the kitchen. Use the comparison below to read their recorded season and care needs, then open a guide for more detail. Check the light, moisture and space in the place you want to plant.

Find herb varieties · Plan a bed in Studio · Record an herb observation