5 Herbs Everyone Should Grow at Home, According to a Master Gardener

In March, we celebrated31 makersin the food and beverage industry who have mastered their craft, includingRita Sodi and Jody Williams,James Beard Award-winningteam behind beloved New York restaurant Via Carota, andSpike Gjerde, who champions local food economies. Among the honorees is John Coykendall, resident Master Gardener atBlackberry Farm, a luxurious hotel tucked in the mountains of Tennessee. For 20 years, he’s been working the gardens—which power Blackberry’s legendary culinary program—and tracking down heirloom seeds, documenting their history and how they can be used to cook. After a trip to Blackberry earlier this month, we connected with Coykendall again—this time, to talk growing herbs.

Herbsare best kept in pots, containers, or raised beds, he says—the most common mistake people make is overwatering them, and growing them in areas with poor drainage. However, if you plant them correctly and make sure they’re not over-saturated, you’re well on your way to cultivating an herb garden. We asked Coykendall for five herbs he thinks everyone should grow at home—and among staples likebasil, some of his answers might surprise you. Check out all of his recommendations below:

As Coykendall rightly points out, basil’s fresh taste is wonderful with tomatoes, served with slices in a summer salad or added to a sauce for depth of flavor. If you’re looking to mix it up a little, basil also works well incocktails, punches upMeyer lemon risotto, and complements fiery red chiles in thisThai chickendish.

Sageis fragrant and woodsy, especially well-suited for comforting fall dishes. Butternut squash and sage are a staple pairing, which is why we combined them in thisbutternut squash and sage pierogi; it’s heavenly paired withgrilled fontina and mushroom sandwiches.

Thymeis a more subtle herb, which, like basil, can work just as well in a cocktail as it does in a soup or mashed potatoes. Make lemon-thyme butter to slather onroast chicken, or combine it with tea vodka, fresh lemon juice, honey, and ice for a refreshingdrink.

Bright and fresh cilantro is always great to have on hand—for a more unconventional pairing, we love it withmussels, crème fraîche, and jalapeños, which is a step up from your traditional mussels-in-white-wine recipe. You can also add the herb topestofor a kick, or go all out withmeat-stuffed poblanos with cilantro-lime sauce.

莳萝is a seriously underrated herb, if you ask us—the pickle-esque flavor is a tried-and-true pairing with salmon, whether you like itsmokedon potato pancakes with caviar and cream, orgrilled with orzo salad. It brightens upsalads, too.

If you're new to gardening, these are a great place to start. We've rounded up three indoor herb kits, which are especially helpful if you don't have a backyard:

1.Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit
This set includes basil, cilantro, parsley, and chives, $25 atamazon.com.

2. Windowsill Herb Garden Kit
It doesn't get much more low-maintenance than a windowsill garden, and this one includes10herbs, $30 atamazon.com.

3. Thoughtfully Gifts Mason Jar Garden
Grow basil, sage, and rosemary in these color-coded, labeled mason jars, $30 atamazon.com.

Bonus: Grab a pair of these scissors, which have five blades designed to cut herbs, $14 atamazon.com.