Top 10 Culinary Herb Garden Plants

With this list in hand on your first trip to the nursery, you’re bound to have success in finding the herb garden plants that work best in your herb garden and will please your taste buds.

1  Basil

Basil is the best herb for pesto, hands down.  Its leaves have a warm and spicy flavor.  You need to only add a small amount of this delightful herb in such dishes as soups, salads and sauces.  Basil is also particular suited, by the way, to season anything dish with tomato flavoring. Don’t hesitate to use basil to enhance the flavor of your meat, poultry or fish.  You can even add it to your morning breakfast omelet.

You’ll want to start your basil plants early in the spring, preferably in a greenhouse or a sun-drenched windowsill.  Early in the summer transplant this herb to your garden.  Or, if you have the courage, sow basil seeds directly into her garden early in the spring.  Or you may want to try your hand at both methods, just in case those seeds don’t catch.

2.  Chives

Who doesn’t love some fresh chives on a hot, newly baked potato?  If you’re as mad about this herb as me, then you’ve already noticed that chives have a mildly onion taste.  This makes them an excellent addition to salads, any egg and cheese dish, cream cheese, sandwich spreads and sauces.  And, oh, by the way, don’t restrict chives to just the baked potato. Taste how in adds a little zing to your mashed potatoes as well.

If you plan on growing chives from starter plants, then you’ll want to get these into your garden in the early spring.  And you’ll want to give these plants plenty of room.  My recommendation is to plant them a good 9 to 12 inches from each other.

If you plan to plant the chives seeds, then plant them in the fall or the spring, digging down a good half inch and setting the seeds in rows that are spaced about 12 inches apart.

3. Coriander

Now here’s a versatile herb.  Its versatility is so great that different parts of this plant are known as different herbs.  Grinding the dried seeds to use them in your meats, like veal, ham or pork?  You’re using coriander.  Using the leaves to add to some Indian or Asian dishes?  You’re actually using cilantro.

And of course you can use the roots of coriander as well.  If you can’t use them right away, don’t worry you can freeze these.  They can be used to flavor soups.  Or chop the roots and serve with avocados.  You’ll find this deliciously delightful!

Even a novice herbalist should have no problem growing coriander from seeds (I know I did it my first time around and there was no novice who was more naïve and at a loss than I!)

Sow these seeds in the early spring.  Dig a hole about ¼ inch in depth.  Plant them in rows that are just about a foot apart.  Once the seedlings appear, you’ll want to thin them down some, making sure they’re at least 6 inches from the other.

4.  Dill

Here’s another herb that you can use both the seeds and the leaves.  Both of these parts have a sharp, slightly bitter taste.  (But then who among us doesn’t know the taste of dill?)

Whether you use it fresh or dried, you’ll find it a most tasty addition to fish, meat and poultry dishes.  But don’t be afraid to add it to salads and soups as well.  And many people use the leaves in potatoes and even in omelets.  Another way to enjoy the unique taste of this herb is to sprinkle a little dill on sliced cucumbers for sue as a sandwich filling.

Dill is another easy plant to grow from seed.  Plant  your seeds in the early spring, about ¼ inch deep.  You’ll want to make sure you leave at least 9 inches between these seeds.  Once the seedlings appear, be sure to thin them, keeping them that 9 inches apart.

5. Fennel

Like fish?  Then you’ll have to try fennel the next time you create that delectable sauce for your fish.  You can also use it for with pork and veal.  Many individuals love to use fennel in soups and salads as well.

The leaves themselves have a sweet flavor.  The seeds, though, have a sharper flavor to them.

Want to try your hand at growing fennel from seeds?  These are easy enough to do so. Plant your seeds in groups of three or four about mid-spring.  You’ll dig a small hole about a ¼ inch deep.  Place the seeds about a foot and a half.  Once these grow into seedlings, you’ll want to thin them.

6.  Mint

Ah, what would a herb garden be without mint.  Mint is an essential herb whether you plant a culinary herb or medicinal herb garden (or a little of both!).

Use the leaves to brew into a nice, satisfying hot tea.  Or use them to add a dash of sunshine to cold drinks as well.  Mint is also a great garnish.  Spearmint, specifically, is used to make a mint sauce or jelly.

Mint has historically been the spice of choice for anyone who’s preparing lamb.  Sprinkle the dried or fresh leaves over the meat prior to cooking it.

You’ll want to start planting your mint in the autumn or spring.  You’ll also have the best results if you begin with the actual roots of the plants.  Plant four- to six-inch pieces of the root.  Make sure they’re about two inches deep and a good 12 inches about.

Then make water these guys well.  Check the roots occasionally.  They are quite aggressive.  By this, I mean they seem to easily overtake the roots of neighboring plants.  You can easily prevent this by sinking boards or brinks about one-foot deep around the beds.

You may also take an extra precaution when you first plant them.  Plant them in the garden bed itself, but enclose a plastic bucket with no bottom around it.  That keeps them contained for a specific depth.

7. Parsley

For me, parsley brings back memories of my grandmother. She had parsley planted everywhere.  And she used in everything, but especially in soup.  As a youngster we lived next door to my grandmother.  When my mother had planned to make soup herself, she would send me over to my grandmother to retrieve a supply of parsley.

In addition to soups, parsley makes a great addition to salads, casseroles and omelets.  And of course, it’s an attractive garnish for meat and fish, as well as any dish that features onions.

If you’re planning on growing the plant from seed, start planting them in mid-spring if you want to use the herb in the summer.  Plant the seeds in mid-summer if you want fresh autumn and winter parsley.

Before you plant the seeds, you’ll need to soak them overnight.  When this plant reaches seedling stage thin the bed out and make sure the plants are between nine to 10 inches apart.

8. Sage

If you’ve ever eaten sweet sausage with sage, then you know how awesome this herb can prove in culinary enhancement.  The dried leaves of the sage plant are also a traditional addition to the stuffings of chicken and turkey.  Many chefs additionally use sage with lamb and pork as well as a variety of cheese and omelet dishes.

Sage is another plant that can easily be grown from its seeds.  You’ll want to start planting in the early spring if you plan on doing this.  If you prefer, though, you can be starter plants from your local nursery.  If you’re going this route, you can wait until mid-spring to set these out.  Just be sure to plant them about one-foot apart.

9. Tarragon

If you think anything like I do, you hear the word tarragon and immediately think vinegar.  And  it is a great flavoring for vinegar.  Up until now you may have run to the store to buy your tarragon vinegar.  But consider waking up one morning, picking some tarragon from your garden, placing it in vinegar, steeping it for two to three weeks and then enjoying your own homemade tarragon vinegar!

But vinegar is just the start of how this plant can dramatically change your eating habits, given a little time and experimentation.  The leaves of this herb have a taste that is something akin to anise, which makes it ideal for a variety of dishes.  Try placing the leaves in soups and stews.  From there you can experiment with salads.

But don’t let your use of this versatile herb stop there.  Think egg dishes as well as any type of soft cheese.  Let your imagination soar when it comes to your use of tarragon.

This is another herb that seems to have been made especially to season lamb. If lamb isn’t your meat of choice you can still enjoy the flavorful benefits of tarragon with fish, steak and even vegetables.

When you grow this herb though, steer clear of trying to it from seeds.  You just won’t have any luck.  Instead, visit your local nursery and buy some small plants.  You’ll dig and plant these in early spring, making sure they have lots of room to grow.  In this case, give them at least 18 inches from another.  Yeah, these guys get pretty big.

10. Thyme

Yes, thyme.  And no, I have no idea why we have to spell it this way.  But despite its awkward spelling, and its fame as a starring role in an old Simon and Garfunkel song, thyme is a must grow for any self-respecting herbalist.

Thyme is a great seasoning for just about any meat.  Rub the chopped fresh leaves (you can use dried as well) onto lamb, pork veal or even beef before you even put them in the oven.

This herb also goes to work for you in various other capacities too  Consider adding it to eggs, or cheese dishes as well as vegetables.  And don’t be afraid to experiment with it on your fish or poultry either.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Once you’ve tried all that though, use thyme as a great seasoning for soups, stews, stuffings and even rice.

I even know one person who brews her thyme to make tea. She just adds a bit of rosemary and a sprig of mint to go with it!

Go ahead, you can start this herb from seeds.  Sometime in mid-spring make shallow rows for the seeds about one foot apart.  When the thyme seedlings are established, then you’ll thin them out placing them about six inches from each other.

If you don’t feel up to starting thyme from seeds, you’ll want to plant your nursery-bought seedlings about mid-spring — again keeping them at least six inches apart, preferably nine inches if you have the room.