Earthly Garden

1. ‘Siam Queen’ Thai basil: Purple bloom spikes on 14-inch plants.

2. ‘Spicy Globe’ basil: Bushy 10-inch plants have tiny, fragrant leaves.

3. Bay laurel: Slow-growing shrub is superb in large container; move it inside for the winter.

4. Calendula: Annual, 1-to 2-foot plants bear colorful, daisy-like blooms.

5. Chives: Spiky leaves, 6 to 10-inches tall, topped with pink blooms.

6. Dill: Dwarf ‘Fern leaf’ grows 18-inches tall; needs good drainage and a pot at least 10-inches deep.

7. Germander: Slow growing, 14-inch plants with aromatic foliage and rosy flowers.

8. Heliotrope: 12-to-24-inch plants bear fragrant violet-blue to deep purple blooms.

9. Horseradish: Vigorous plant with large, big leaves needs a big pot and rich, moist soil; harvest pungent roots in fall.

10. Hyssop: Dark green glossy leaves and showy, 14-inch spikes of deep blue flowers.

11. Lavender: All types excellent for pots; 8 to 30-inch plants bear fragrant blue or white blooms in midsummer.

12. Lemon verbena: Tender shrub prized for its lemon-flavored leaves; move inside for winter.

13. Lemon balm: Bright green, lemon-flavored leaves; ‘Aurea’ has gold markings.

14. Licorice plant: (Helichrysum petiolare)-Trailing, tender perennial with gray woolly leaves makes a beautiful edger.

15. Mint: All thrive in containers; standouts include ‘Banana’; ‘Chocolate’, ginger and orange mints.

16. Oregano: Recommended culinary varieties include Greek and Italian; decorative types are ‘Herrenhausen’, ‘Hopley’s Purple’ and dittany of Crete.

17. Parsley: Both Italian flat-leaf and curly parsley thrive in pots.

18. Rosemary: All kinds suitable for pots; drought-tolerant plants have fragrant, needlelike leaves and blue, pink or white blooms.

19. Sage: Both culinary and ornamental varieties are attractive alone or in mixed plantings.

20. Scented geraniums: (Pelargonium spp.)-Fragrant or ornamental; try ‘Almond’, ‘Ginger’, ‘Maple Grey’ and ‘Prince of Orange’; trailers include ‘Coconut’, ‘Green Apple’, ‘Nutmeg’ and ‘Round-Leaf Rose’

21. Thyme: Low-growing and drought tolerant; for culinary use, try English thyme, ‘Narrow-Leaf French’ and ‘Wedgwood English’, cascades include woolly and nutmeg thymes.