As far back as biblical times, herbs have played an important role. Monasteries had herb gardens, which the monks tended with care using herbs for both medicinal and culinary purposes; gardens developed and as time went on we all found a sunny spot in our gardens for herbs.

Herbs are such attractive and useful plants; plant them near the house for easy picking; containers, hanging baskets and window boxes all look good filled with a variety of culinary herbs such as parsley, sage, thyme, marjoram and chives. Basil an excellent herb, (good sprinkled over tomatoes with a little olive oil) is best placed on a sunny window ledge, as it doesn’t like the cold.

Rosemary with its deep blue flowers good with lamb makes a large shrub so plant in a sunny border. Mint loves to wander so keep it under control but planting it in a pot or an old bucket plunged into the ground keeps it under control. Dill, chervil and coriander are annuals, best sown from seed in a succession so you always have fresh supplies.

Summer is not far away and we can look forward to sitting in our gardens (weather permitting, can we ever forget 2007) taking in the fragrances; roses, lavender and scented geraniums are lovely additions to our herb gardens, as I sit enjoying my garden I can’t help thinking

“God’s in his heaven all is right with the world”.