Growing Herbs

A pot of herbs by the back door is one of the best-value things you can grow. Snip what you need when you need it, and a handful of plants pays for itself against those sad supermarket packets within a week or two. Most culinary herbs are forgiving, happy in a container, and don't mind our climate once you know which ones like it damp and which want to bake.

This is where we cover growing herbs the British way: the easiest to start with, keeping a windowsill basil alive past August, stopping mint taking over the whole bed, and drying or freezing a glut so summer flavour lasts into winter. Metric, UK seasons, and honest about which herbs are worth the bother.