Undoubtedly, the most asked question about herbs is "Do I pronounce the H or not?" Well, if you live here in the United States, it is customary to leave out the H, and say "erb". But if you are English (or aspire to be Martha Stewart), you can say "herb". Now that that is settled, just what makes a plant an herb? Almost every book on the subject has a slightly different definition. The unifying theme throughout is that herbs are plants that are prized for something more than their beauty, with uses ranging from culinary to medicinal to aromatic to cosmetic to dyeing. However you choose to define an herb, they have had a long, rich past which weaves through all history.

Why do I see so many herbs listed by their botanical names?
As delightful and descriptive as common names might be, sometimes they just don't get you exactly what you are looking for. By using botanical names, or both botanical and common, you can be sure you get the herb you need. Often plants with similar flavor will be called the same name, even though the plants might differ greatly. For instance, if you just ask for chamomile you will either end up with Matricaria recutita (German), an annual that grows 2-3 feet tall or Chamaemelum nobile (Roman), a perennial that tops out at 6 inches. Double checking their botanical names is to your advantage!

Wait a minute! My book says Roman Chamomile is Anthemis nobilis?
As if it wasn't confusing enough, just when we figure out what we want, the botanists of the world get together and change some of the names. When this happens, usually both the old or new botanical name will work.

Are there any special tricks to successfully growing herbs?
Most herbs are as easy to grow as any other annual or perennial. In general, herbs prefer lots of sun and rich, well-drained soil. There are a few that tolerate shade or poor soil and you will find them listed in any good herb book.

How should I use my herbs in the garden?
Herbs will easily work into the landscape, into the garden, in containers and in their own beds. There are even a few (for instance, Sweet Woodruff) that make good groundcovers. Many of them are as pretty as any ornamental plant you might have, but they have the added advantage of additional uses.

Do some herbs live longer than others?
There are herbs that are annual, biennial and perennial. Among the annuals, dill and cilantro will complete their life cycle in as short as 6 weeks, so successive sowing will be needed to keep a constant supply all season. Other annuals, like basil, will bear from spring until they are killed by frost in fall. A few herbs (such as parsley) are biennial, producing leaves the first season and quickly going to seed the second. And there are herbs that are perennial, most of which will live on for years.

If dill is an annual, why does mine keep coming back?
Some annuals will readily self-sow by dropping some of their seed as it ripens, which then germinates the following spring, starting the cycle again.

Friends have told me not to plant mint. Why?
Mint, along with bee balm, tansy and a few others, are what you might call "garden thugs". These are plants that not only do well were you initially plant them, but the do their best to overtake all the neighboring space too. Some of them are very desirable plants, except for this bad habit. If you want to plant a garden thug and are concerned about where they might spread, plant them inside a contained area.

Are culinary herbs easy to grow?
The key to success with culinary herbs seems to be plenty of sun, occasionally feeding and plenty of pinching. For the most part, the more you use them, the more they will produce. Basil and parsley are great examples of this principle. When you don't pinch your herbs often enough, they tend to go to seed or become bitter.

What should I use to fertilize my herbs?
Water soluble fertilizers such as Miracle Gro are easy to apply and readily used by the plants. If you prefer to use something organic on edibles, try one of the dry natural fertilizers formulated for flowers and vegetables.

Are some herbs grown just as ornamentals?
Many herbs are absolutely beautiful plants. There is nothing wrong with growing them for just that reason. Some of the herbs now classified as ornamental were originally used medicinally.

What about using herbs medicinally?
There are hundreds of recipes for using herbs as medicine, and they have been used for that purpose for centuries. But we advise caution. Recent research has found that many herbs have side effects that we were not aware of before, some of them dangerous. Get a good, up-to-date book on the subject before venturing in this direction.

What are some of the other uses of herbs?
Lots of herbs are wonderful aromatics. Is there a more heavenly scent than lavender? And herbs are often used for cosmetic purposes. Do you remember your grandmother splashing on rose water? And what would the world be without Indigo blue?

When the season is over in the fall, can I bring some of my herbs indoors?
In our dark winters, your herbs may struggle unless you can provide supplemental light. Good candidates for growing indoors in winter are basil, bay, chives, fern leaf dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley and sage. Rosemary struggles in the winter under the best of circumstances, but it's incredible aroma and flavor make it well worth the trouble.