The following list are some essential herbs for every Italian herb garden.
Basil is a well know Italian herb and useful in many Italian recipes. Basil will not only add flavor to many Italian cuisines, it is useful in the garden to other plants. Planting basil next to your peppers and tomatoes will actually improve their flavor. Plus, basil will also repel flies and mosquitoes.
Parsley is a more difficult hard herb plant to grow but it's useful for many Italian dishes as well as many other types of cuisines. Many generations ago before their were breath mints it was found that eating fresh, raw parsley after a meal eradicated the bad breath left over from enjoying a flavorful cuisine. The tradition arose to serve parsley on a small dish after the meal. The tradition lives today by using parsley as a garnish on a variety of meals.
Oregano is a beautiful herb in your garden as well as an essential herb for Italian cooking. As oregano matures it produces small, pretty purple flowers and the herb is actually the most flavorful when the flowers start to bloom. Oregano is great for many dishes including pasta sauces and meat dishes.
Fennel is used in cooking both with the plant and its seeds. Fennel seeds are popular in pizza and sausages, while the bulb is cooked as a vegetable and can make a wonderful side dish.
Rosemary is another herb, like basil, that is essential for every Italian herb garden. It can grow into a shrub and resembles and evergreen tree. Rosemary grows little blue flowers than attract bees. It's a tough perennail herb, but should be protected from frost. Rosemary has a strong flavor and fragrance, so you need very little for cooking. Try it in your roasted potatoes or meat dishes.
Probably the most used herb in Italian cuisines is garlic. No Italian herb garden would be complete without this useful herb. Garlic cloves can be planted and will thrive in just about any garden with very little attention. They can be stored to be used at a later time after they are harvested by freezing them or pickling them to store in the refrigerator.
Sage is the popular herb of Thanksgiving turkey, stufing and gravies. Sage has a strong flavor, and like rosemary, only a little is needed to add flavor to your cooking. This herb is a good choice for your Italian herb garden because it is easy to grow and propagate into new plants.
These are my recommended herbs you use to start your garden but there are many Italian herbs you can choose from and no need to limit yourself to just these. I like these herbs because they are also fragrant and beautiful growing in your Italian herb garden.
