Your complete guide to homegrown herbs: S to W

Sage, thyme, terragon and watercress need special attention for the best results. Here's how to give them the love they need.

• Sage is a traditional ingredient for salads, meat and chicken dishes, and is one of the staples of a useful herb garden.
• There are more than 700 species, with a wide range of aromatic foliage.
• Sage is a hardy perennial, growing to 90 centimetres (36 inches) in height.
• It forms a clump with grey-green foliage and flowers that vary in colour according to the variety.
• Sage prefers a rich, slightly heavy soil with good drainage. It should be planted in a sunny, open situation.
• To harvest, simply pick as required and use the foliage fresh, or gather large bunches and dry for later use.

• Tarragon is a popular herb in French cuisine, used to flavour vinegars, dressings, sauces and a wide range of meat and vegetable dishes.
• A bushy perennial, it grows to 90 centimetres (36 inches) and has spicy-fragrant foliage and seedless flowers.
• The foliage and stems die back in winter.
• Plant tarragon in a sunny position, in a light soil enriched with plenty of well-rotted organic matter.
• When the foliage dies back in early winter, mulch the roots well.
• To harvest, pick the leaves and use fresh, or dry them for storage and later use.

• Thyme is one of the most popular of all herbs and is used as a basic ingredient for bouquet garni and mixed herbs.
• It's a low-growing perennial, reaching 30 centimetres (12 inches) in height.
• Thyme is noted for its spreading stems, pale grey-green foliage and tiny creamy-pink spring flowers.
• There are several readily available culinary varieties, including lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus) and wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum).
• Plant in an open, sunny position in light, well-drained soil. The more gritty the soil, the better the results.
• Avoid shady or damp conditions.
• Thyme can be grown as a decorative ground cover in ornamental garden beds, or even as a delightfully scented alternative to lawn in warm, sunny climates.
• To harvest the leaves, simply pick and use the foliage fresh. Or, dry the stems in bunches and store them in an airtight container away from direct light.
• Add fresh thyme leaves at the beginning of the cooking process, so that the other ingredients absorb the flavour.

• Watercress, with its biting, fresh flavour, is a valuable source of vitamins.
• It's used mainly in salads, sandwiches and soups.
• Watercress is a perennial, growing to 45 centimetres (18 inches) in height.
• The plants send out long stems that are covered in dark-green glossy leaves and tiny white flowers.
• Watercress must have moist conditions to grow successfully.
• If possible, provide an area of rich soil where water can run across the roots.
• To maintain foliage production, pinch back flowerheads.
• To harvest, pick the stems as required, and use fresh.

Getting the most from your herb garden starts with giving them the right kind of care. Plant in the right kind of soil and harvest as needed. If you do, you might not have to use the grocery store for herbs.