As spring is in full bloom, now is the ‘thyme’ to gather your pots and get your herb on. But with so many herbs to choose from, where do you start? Here is my ‘Top 10 Herbs’ list that you could plant in your garden this spring.
Chives – This is a handy little herb. Not only is it easy to grow and care for, but chives also provides a refreshing flavour to your morning scrambled eggs or a light onion taste to your salads – without the onion breath. It is also an attractive landscaping plant with beautiful blue flowers held aloft on tall stalks.
Oregano – No kitchen garden is complete without oregano. Just the mention of oregano brings to life thoughts of delicious pastas and of course, pizza! Oregano can handle a bit of neglect now and then, making it perfect for terracotta pots or hanging baskets. Just give it plenty of sun, a good regular feed to promote healthy and aromatic leaves.
Parsley – All gardens need a hero plant and out of all the herbs, parsley stands tall above the rest (literally and figuratively!). This herb is used around the world in salads, pastas, and soups – actually, any dish that really takes your fancy! It’s super easy to grow. Position in full sun to part shade, with a well-drained soil filled with rich organic matter.
Coriander – This herb that genetically divides the nation! With coriander both the leaves and the seeds can be used in cooking, making this herb so incredibly versatile. If you love the leaves, sow new seeds every couple of weeks to provide a constant supply. A slow bolting variety works better in summer, as it allows you more time to enjoy a constant supply of those fresh leaves during the growing period.
Dill – immediately recalls dill pickles, scrambled eggs and potato salad. It has such a unique taste, and a small amount of dill can go a long way, which is makes it so good to use as a garnish. The feathery texture of dill leaves looks beautiful, and a small sprig of dill can add a noticeable aroma to a dish. Like Coriander, Dill will bolt in the hot weather.
Sage – Sage is a great herb to have in the garden. Flowers – tick! Flavour – tick! Easy care – tick! Bee friendly – tick, tick! The red flowers and it’s easy to care for nature make it perfect for kids to grow and care for. You can’t go past using sage in the kitchen, think burnt butter and sage gnocchi – yum!
Mint – Spearmint is great for adding a tangy taste to a chocolate tart, salads or even a cheeky mojito. Peppermint is the ideal mint to pair with desserts such as ice cream. It also is good for your tea garden. To make peppermint tea, just break of the leaves and let it brew for a while. Great to soothe you on those late sleepless nights. Mints are best grown in pots as they can get a bit wild if left unattended in the garden.
Thyme – For those who are ‘thyme’ poor, this herb is a great one to grow, even just for the puny jokes! Thyme loves full sun and can be planted pretty much anywhere you desire, from a pot, hanging basket or even between pavers.
Basil – Another must have in the herb garden. Basil is used so widely in pastas, pizza, Asian cuisine and many more delicious meals! For the most widely used basil, you cannot go past the Genovese Sweet Basil. Fantastic for placing on top of your pastas or bruschetta with diced tomatoes and garlic. Basil is easy to grow from seeds and is a companion plant for tomatoes.
Fennel – Smokey Bronze fennel has fine clouds of feathery, bronze-purple leaves that are followed by flat-topped, yellow flower heads in mid to late summer and then by aromatic seeds. This beautiful plant looks fantastic as a centerpiece for a sunny herb garden, or among tall perennials and grasses. Fennel has a sweet aroma and an aniseed flavour. Use leaves in fish stock, sauces and in mayonnaise, flavoured butters and salad dressings. The dried stalks can be placed under grilled or barbecued fish.