I'll be totally upfront and say herbs are great in cooking. I'll also be totally upfront and say that I always forget about adding them until I am washing the dishes. For something so easy to grow and with practically no pests, they should be in everyone's garden. But, they aren't.

Herbs have a bad reputation for not over wintering, and for either spreading all over creation, or for being out of sight and thus, out of mind.

The plants spread. And spread. And spread. And invade. This can be to your advantage if you want to harvest and dry them. Most herbs are perennials and you only have to plant them once. This also means you have to site the herb garden as carefully as you would a tree or shrub. No. More carefully. The rule of thumb is to plant herbs close to the back door. That's so you can just step out and snip some of the aromatic leaves for your favorite dish.

Herbs adapt easily to just about any type of soil as long as it's not heavy clay or in the shade. The soil should be loose, highly organic and well drained, which is a basic description of the best soil for all plants. Sun is their friend, just like electricity is ours.

My forays into herbs haven't always been successful. And there's a lesson or two to be learned from my experiences.

First, I have a fondness for citrus. Lemon is one of my top fragrances, right behind peach, chocolate, raspberry and more chocolate. Orange and lime are also right up there. So, my first garden was loaded with everything that had a citrus aroma: lemon verbena, lemon thyme and, of course, lemon balm. That was 10 years ago and I'm still pulling out lemon balm every year from places that don't even see that much sunlight. It even grows directly on top of the compost. It smells great, but it's slowly creeping off my favorite fragrance list. Of course, it grows everywhere like most mints and it smells nice in the garden when you crush a handful of the leaves. It's just that growing everywhere really does mean growing everywhere.

Then there was the experiment with various sages. Sages are great in the garden. Their silvery-green foliage stands out at night. Their leaves provide an interesting texture for exploring hands. Unfortunately, there is only so much you can use sage for. Examples would be dressings or poultry seasoning. The trouble is that sage is like zucchini. It produces more than enough for the entire community.

Some of the other things I have learned: Thyme can be on your side, but it's better underfoot. This plant, which comes in about 20 different varieties, makes an excellent groundcover, even if you don't use it in beef dishes or as potpourri. The small leaves fill in between brick and stone pavers. Thyme can tolerate hot dry areas, but avoid wet soils.

Good French tarragon is a tall, gangly plant that can numb the taste buds. So, if you have to eat something awful like cooked beets and okra, chow down on some fresh tarragon first. Also, French tarragon has a strong taste. If you munch on some leaves and it tastes like day old grass, it's probably Russian tarragon, which is a weed sometimes called Sweet Annie, though I'd use a different descriptive term. French tarragon is always propagated by cuttings, and never by seed.

Dill is one of the herbs you can eat the stems, leaves, flowers and seeds. Give it plenty of sun and room to grow. It will self-seed, which means you'll find little plants everywhere next year.

Along with dill, basil is one of the few annual herbs. You have to plant them every year. Keep the plant pinched so it doesn't flower and pick leaves weekly. Make several plantings throughout the year. Basil breaks down quickly in heat and should be added right before serving.

Mint. Don't plant it. It spreads and spreads. If you feel you have to plant it, consider getting a field tile, sinking it and then planting the mint inside it. Hopefully, it won't spread out beyond the tile.

Rosemary is NOT hardy in Illinois. It thrives in summers heat and dryness. Some people will try to bring pots of it indoors during the winter. It doesn't like that and may let you know by promptly dying.

Garlic does well in Illinois. The best garlic is planted in the fall and harvested the following summer. The French types are my favorite.

Chives are one of the few herbs that are colorful in the landscape as well as practical. You can constantly snip them back and even eat the flowers in salads and soups.

David Robson is an Extension Educator, Horticulture, at the Springfield Extension Center, University of Illinois Extension. Telephone: (217) 782-6515. E-Mail: robsond@mail.aces.uiuc.edu

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