Growing herb plants inside is not necessarily the easiest way to do it, but when the days get short and the frost covers the rest of your outside plants, you’ll be glad that you have a few indoor herbs. And your kitchen is the ideal spot to grow your herbs, simply because that is where you’re more likely to use them.

My kitchen table sits right under our window and that is where I keep my potted herbs throughout the long winter months–It’s best if your window faces southward so that your herbs will get that wonderful sunlight they want.. If you do not have a south-facing window, do not feel bad because any sunshine can be good sunshine.

It usually doesn’t do well to move your herb plants from outside to inside so for the best results, I suggest that you start with a plant from the market, home improvement store, nursery or greenhouse. I usually just allow my annuals to die at the end of the season and get new, special indoor annuals for the winter months.

That way I never have to do without my herbs and I do not have to go through all the hassle about taking in an herb plant and having it get leggy.

These are some of the herbs that I cannot seem to make it through the cold, harsh winter without, including:

• Garlic: You can simply cultivate garlic in your kitchen herb garden. Garlic flowers have pink or white blooms and grow on shoots that can be at least a foot tall. Let the flowers grow and thrive because they can ward off any gnats from your kitchen (what an added bonus!). You can cut off the stems and add them to your bouquets—they’re that gorgeous. You’ll know that they are ready to toss when they reek of garlic. You can add the flowers into a salad or use them as a garnish on your other dishes.

• Rosemary: When you use rosemary, you’re adding one the most uniquely flavored herbs around. You can pull off a few sprigs and sprinkle in with the rest of your ingredients. I remove the rosemary before I serve the entrée, easy because I cannot take the tough pine-like leaves and I’m too lazy to crush them. But do not let that prevent you from pulverizing it with a mortar and pestle or in the food processor.

• Basil: I can’t say enough about this amazing herb, which I use in nearly every Italian entrée I make. Basil will grow quickly and prosper in your kitchen garden. Before you know it, you can start cutting off the leaves to add to your next spaghetti. If you just have space for one basil herb plant, I suggest you buy the sweet basil variety because of its aroma and flavor.

• Parsley: Purchase your parsley established rather than by starting from seeds. You’ll be pleased with the results, because starting with parsley seeds can take a long time. Use your parsley to just about anything. Just do not limit this lovely herb plant to the supporting role of a garnish. Its ability to improve the taste of other dishes make pasrlsy a nice herb to have around all winter long.

There’s no need to stop with the kitchen either. Once you get your inside garden going in the kitchen, move on to the living room and bedroom. There’s nothing like a cute little pot of lavender in the bedroom to help you go to sleep faster.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Home Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.