If you are growing herbs this year like I am, you'll quickly discover that herbs have a wide range of growing needs. Herbs, such as oregano and thyme, can handle hot, dry temperatures while broad leaf herbs such as basil need better soil conditions and partial shade. Different growing conditions is why I have two herb beds in my yard this year; one for heat loving herbs and one for partial shade loving herbs such as these.
Italian Parsley
This flat leafed Italian parsley is one of my favorites since it's packed full of nutrition (Iron, Vitamins A, C, and K) and has a rich, deep flavor that holds up better in cooking than the curled varieties. While Italian parsley is both heat tolerant and handles mild frost just fine, I've discovered that it's happiest in beds that have filtered afternoon shade. The foliage of Italian parsley is also quite attractive and is a nice way to make a ho-hum flower bed look a little more interesting.
Basil
Basil is another family favorite which is why I always plant a large assortment of basil plants each year. We use it in pesto, as a substitute for lettuce in sandwiches, and of course to dry for winter meal planning. While basil does needs 6-8 hours of sun a day, it does best in beds with morning sun and afternoon shade.
Stevia
Stevia is making its first appearance in our herb beds this year. Stevia can be harvested in the fall as a natural sweetener. Like other broad leaf herbs, stevia needs rich soil , regular and at least 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.
Marjoram
Marjoram is a nice, mellow herb that adds flavor to veggies such as carrots, beans and peas and is attractive looking too, especially when used as edging in a flower bed. I have my marjoram in an over sized terracotta pot in a bed that sees about 6 hours a sunlight a day. Since marjoram has lower watering needs than some of my other broad leaf herbs, growing this in a container makes it possible to scale back the water without compromising the health of my other herbs.
