The easiest herbs to grow in Australia

Herbs are the highest-value corner of any garden: a few dollars of plants replaces a weekly supermarket habit. The easiest ones are mostly Mediterranean perennials that actively prefer poor soil and irregular watering. Plant once, pick for years.

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   1. Mint

   Impossible to kill and eager to prove it. Keep it contained in a pot.

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   2. Chives

   A perennial clump that regrows after every cut and shrugs off frost.

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   3. Rosemary

   Thrives on neglect, drought and coastal wind. Overwatering is the only real way to lose it.

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   4. Oregano

   Spreads into a low, hardy mat and gets more flavourful the less you pamper it.

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   5. Thyme

   Happy in the hottest, driest corner of the garden where nothing else will go.

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   6. Basil

   The easy annual: fast from seed in warm weather, endlessly pickable if you pinch the flowers.

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   7. Parsley

   Slow to germinate but then bulletproof for a year or more, in sun or part shade.

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   8. Lemon Balm

   Mint’s better-behaved cousin: the same vigour, slightly less empire-building.