Bishop's Crown chilli.
Herbs & spices

Add spice with chillies

Jian Liu loves growing and eating chillies and capsicums, from the hot to the mild. Here’s how to get started in your own garden and choose what’s right for you.

Moonshine yarrow.
Herbs & spices

Drough-tolerant herbs

Penny Woodward loves drought-tolerant, grey-leafed herbs. Here are a two of her favourites that you can plant in early Autumn.

Basil is a warming, relaxing herb.
Herbs & spices

Make your own calming herbal tea

Herbs not only add colour to your garden and flavour to food, they can also be made into calming teas and soothing oils. Here Penny Woodward looks at basil and chamomile.

Hyssop is reasonably drought tolerant.
Herbs & spices

Herbs to grow and savour

Karen Sutherland suggests some perennial herbs that are strong on colour and flavour, including hyssop and French tarragon.

The tiny florets are edible and can be plucked off to use as a garnish.
Herbs & spices

Herbaceous perennials to plant in winter for spring

Plant herbaceous perennials now for flowers in spring and beyond. Try these suggestions from Karen Sutherland. 

Giant Purple Mustard is an easy and quick-growing annual.
Herbs & spices

Spicy plants to add to your vegie patch

Karen Sutherland chooses some spicy plants with multiple, interesting uses to add to your vegie garden.

'Majorca Pink' rosemary.
Herbs & spices

Growing rosemary

Rosemary attracts birds, flowers in winter, is a great addition to roasts and lifts the spirit if drunk as a tea, writes Penny Woodward.

Betony flowers
Herbs & spices

Betony

Betony flowers provide nectar for bees, butterflies and beneficial insects explains Penny Woodward

Winter savory in flower
Herbs & spices

Winter savory

Spicy, fragrant, warming. This little-known herb is perfect for cool weather meals, writes Penny Woodward.

Zaatar
Herbs & spices

Za’atar: herb or spice mix?

Penny Woodward says there is confusion about whether za'atar is a herb, a spice mix or both.

Sweet cicely has a mild sugary aniseed flavour.
Herbs & spices

Unusual herbs to grow now

Sweet cecily and summer savory are just two flavourful culinary herbs you can easily grow in your own garden.

Herbs for spring
Herbs & spices

Herbs for spring

Most herbs are perfect for spring planting says Penny Woodward but its a bit early for basil.

Salad burnet flower
Herbs & spices

Salad burnet

Cucumbery salad leaf and a cure for a drunkard's thirst, what more could you want? Penny Woodward asks.

Aloe vera
Herbs & spices

Aloe vera and other skin herbs

Penny Woodward explains how to use aloe vera and two other herbs for your skin.

Herb hedges you can grow yourself
What to plant

Herb hedges you can grow yourself

Lavender can be used to make a hedge, as well as providing a beautiful scent, writes Penny Woodward.