9 Easy Herbs to Grow in a Herb Garden

With their delicate onion flavor and pretty purple blossoms, chives are our favorite early sign of spring. Luckily, they’ll grow almost anywhere. When you want to harvest, cut from the base and don’t take more than a third of the bunch at a time.

Mint might be the easiest herb out there to grow—in fact, it’s so easy that you’ll probably want to plant it in a container to avoid total takeover. (Psst: You can even take that pot of mint indoors if you have a sunny window.)

Nothing beats the smell of fresh basil—really. Studies say its scent is therapeutic, so all the more reason to pick your favorite variety (Genovese? Thai?) and nurse it to abundance in a sunny patch of soil. Pro tip: The more you cut it, the lusher your plant will grow (and the better the leaves will taste).

No, she’s not just a garnish: Parsley is a workhorse herb that’s incredibly easy to grow, provided you give her lots of sun and water. The flat leaf variety (also called Italian) is sweet, strong and best for cooking.

Hardy and fragrant, this shrub-like herb takes well to hot, dry and sunny spots. Train it to grow up like a tree, down a wall or use it as ground cover, and suddenly you’re not in your yard, you’re in the rolling hillsides of France.

This woody-stemmed herb can pretty much grow itself if you don’t fuss with it too much. Give it full sun and well-draining soil, and you’ll be rewarded with a cooking essential that pairs with meat and veggies alike. There are about 350 varieties out there; take your pick.

This Mediterranean herb is common in cooking, but it also happens to look lovely as edging or ground cover in your garden. For the most potent flavor, give it light, well-drained soil and try not to overwater.

If you’re prone to forgetfulness, sage might be your new best friend. Its soft, fuzzy leaves can withstand less water than others (and it’s prone to root rot if overwatered), making it ideal for, well, lax gardeners.

With those vibrant periwinkle blossoms, you’ll wonder how you hadn’t heard of this easy-growing annual until now. The flowers are actually edible and have a subtle, cucumber-like flavor. The pretty herb flourishes from late spring through summer in partial shade.