Kitchen and ecology
Herbs
Herbs are small plants with an outsized effect: cooking, fragrance, beneficial insects, and better daily use of the garden.
Many herbs also teach timing. Basil wants warmth. Cilantro wants cool weather. Rosemary wants drainage. Mint wants boundaries.
Herb guide index
Let some herbs flower
Herbs are not only kitchen plants. Flowering dill, cilantro, parsley, thyme, mint, basil, and sage can support pollinators, hoverflies, tiny wasps, and other beneficial insects.
Harvest what you need, but consider letting some plants complete their cycle.
Field notes
Record which herbs you actually use. A small planting of a useful herb is more valuable than a large planting that only looks good in June.