Purchasing a small bunch of arguably fresh herbs from the market can be expensive. Planting your own in pots or in a raised bed will produce endless amounts of truly fresh herbs each time your heart desires a few.   I promise, using fresh herbs will make your food taste better!   When purchasing herbs from a garden center look for organic herbs. Often organic herbs are the same price as others and will allow you to feed your family and friends nutrients without the risk of side effects from those that are chemically.  When growing your herbs at home, take special care to not spray pesticides or fertilizers by or on your herbs to keep them organic. If you feel they need a little help flourishing, there are organic/natural fertilizers for a small price at local garden stores. My favorite organic fertilizer is Jobe’s Organic Vegetable and Tomato fertilizer.  These are the 4 herbs everyone should have on hand!

1. Parsley
In my opinion, Parsley is the most flexible herb. It is flavorful, but will not dominate the dish. Parsley will elevate basic chicken and pasta dishes to gourmet status. Think chicken piccata, soups, pastas, omelets!  When in doubt of which herb to use to create a fresh flavor to a savory dish -choose Parsley!  Click Here for a delicious, easy Italian Sausage Pasta recipe with fresh Parsley.

2. Basil
I have a love affair with fresh basil! It soft, smooth leaves are easy to roll and chop. A sprinkle of basil over spaghetti and meatballs will enhance the flavor of the dish 100 fold.  If you cook anything Italian, you should have basil on hand.  Fresh basil is perfect for lasagna, pastas, caprese salads, pasta salads and more!

3. Mint

Nothing is more refreshing than a cold beverage infused with mint leaves.  Mint is fabulous in cucumber mint tea sandwiches, infused water with citrus fruits, chocolate deserts, and in sauces over lamb and other proteins. A word to the wise about the heartiness of growing fresh mint. It should be contained in a pot! This herb will grow and spread and dominant your garden if you’re not careful. Planting it in a pot will ensure a vivacious mint plant and protect the more timid herbs flourishing nearby in the raised bed.

4. Rosemary
The most fragrant herb. I would argue that planting this herb alone in your garden would be worth it if it were only for the amazing fragrance it emits in the air around it. Put a pot of rosemary on either side of your back door to welcome your visitors as they enter your backyard. Rosemary can be pruned to grow in a beautiful Christmas tree shape and would be beautiful in pots on either side of a main entrance as well. If left alone it is a beautifully wild bush of fragrant bliss.  This herb is very flexible as it looks beautiful, smells amazing, and adds such flavor to dishes.

I have a small, raised garden around our kids playhouse in the backyard. We have mint, thyme, basil, rosemary, cilantro, and parsley. It is such a treat to send the kids to the garden to grab some fresh herbs as we make dinner.  This is a great way to spend time with your kids and teach them valuable lessons found in gardening and cooking.  There are many affordable ways to create a backyard garden.  These pots would be an easy, beautiful start! Happy Gardening!