Herbs are useful for cooking, crafting, and decorating -- boldly coming out of the garden and into your home. A separate annual herb garden is wonderful, but herbs can also be blended with flowers and vegetables in a kitchen or a cottage garden.

Plant a collection of commonly used culinary herbs in a clay planter by a sunny kitchen window. They will be right at hand when you need them.

The basil plant is an annual plant grown for culinary purposes and its good looks.
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
The basil plant is an annual plant grown not only as an
herb for culinary purposes, but also for its good looks.
See more pictures of herbs.

Provide sandy soil for herbs that need well-drained soil of moderate fertility. If kept in soil that's lean and light and drenched in hot sun, these herbs develop excellent flavor. If your soil is naturally sandy and well drained, you're in luck. If, instead, it's damp clay, raise the herb garden and add a 3-inch layer of coarse sand and 2 inches of compost to improve drainage. Avoid excessive use of fertilizers, especially those high in nitrogen.

Pinch back annual herbs to keep them from blooming. If allowed to channel energy into seed production, the foliage will grow skimpy and so will your harvest. Pinching off the shoot tips from time to time provides sprigs for herbal vinegars and pestos and inspires the plant to grow back bushier than ever.

The following links will give you more information about annual herbs. Before planting, check with your garden center to make sure that the herbs you've selected will flourish in your locale.

Full Sun Annual Herbs:
 Didn't find what you were looking for? Try Annual Plants, Perennial Herbs, or Annuals for more information.