Photograph by Holly Becker

Easy to grow herbs for culinary delight:

• Basil
• Bay, sweet
• Borage
• Caraway
• Chervil
• Chives
• Coriander
• Curry plant
• Dill
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Garlic chives
• Lemon balm
• Lemon grass
• Lemon verbena
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Winter Savoury
• Tarragon, French
• Thyme,
• Vietnamese Mint

Uncooked sauces made with fresh herbs lose none of their flavour and will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

They are handy for stirring into pasta or rice, or cooked vegetable salads, or as an accompaniment to hard-boiled eggs, cold fish or meat.

One well worth making for as long as you can access fresh basil leaves is the classic pesto sauce.

Pound a big handful of basil leaves, with 2 garlic cloves and a touch of salt, into a pulp.

Stir in 75g of grated Parmesan cheese and add 4 tablespoons of olive oil drop by drop as you stir.

For added sharpness and flavour, pound pine nuts in with the basil.

• Basil
• Bergamot
• Borage
• Briar rose
• Chives, garlic
• Chives, onion
• Coriander
• Dill
• Elder
• Fennel
• Rocket
• Heartsease
• Lavender, english
• Lemon balm
• Lemon verbena
• Lovage
• Marjorams
• Mints
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Rose petals
• Sages
• Shungiko
• Sunflower petals
• Thymes