If you truly love to cook wonderful dishes at home, you should consider having fresh herbs in or near your kitchen. When you get spoiled to having fresh herbs on hand, the dried bottles will never do again. Herbs can sometimes be tricky to get started from seeds, but they are relatively easy to maintain once they are established plants.
If you have no gardening experience it would be best to buy your herbs already started. It will probably take some time to get a full collection, so start with some you already know you love to use regularly in your cooking. Parsley, chives and mint can readily be found in most garden centers. A kit with three or four varieties is great for getting started.
Herbs can be planted directly in the ground or kept in pots. Pots are easy to bring inside during the winter months, and some varieties of herbs do not thrive in very hot weather. Pay attention to the amount of sun each plant needs when you purchase them. This information is usually found on the pot or packaging.
Some herbs, such as mint, will take over any area they are planted. Be sure to keep it separate from other herbs and plants. Keep mint trimmed to keep it in place. Be sure your pots and plants are in a convenient location to your kitchen. If they are too hard to get to, you might not enjoy them like you should.
Some herbs need to be crushed when used in cooking. Invest in a mortar and pestle to get the most out of your fresh herbs. If you do not want to use pesticide and other chemicals on your home grown herbs, there are many techniques for growing herbs organically. Find a simple book on organic home gardening or check the Internet for great suggestions for your natural herbs.