When starting a home herb garden, you may find it difficult to decide which herbs to grow considering the array of herbs from which to select. A first approach would be to consult your supermarket for the herbs you usually buy for your cooking needs.

Another good source is a cooking book that contains a chart of various herbs and their appropriate use for flavoring food.

Here is a list of the herbs that are commonly used and can be considered as a good starting point for a beginner.

Herbs with a strong taste - rosemary, sage, winter savory Herbs strong enough to accent food - tarragon, thyme, sweet basil, dill, mint, sweet marjoram Blending herbs - chives, parsley, summer savory
As time goes by, you might wish to start adding new plants to your selection. When selecting your choice of additional herbs, take note that herbs can be annuals, biennials, or perennials. Annuals (herbs that bloom one season then die) - anise, basil, dill, summer savory, chervil, coriander Biennials (herbs that lives two seasons, bloom on the second season only) - caraway, parsley Perennials (herbs that ''sleep" during the winter season and bloom each season) - chives, fennel, mint, tarragon, thyme, lovage, marjoram, winter savory.

Most herbs can be grown indoors and can be enjoyed all year round. These plants are as easy to grow inside as they would outside and have the same basic needs that you need to provide them with - a lot of sunlight, well-drained soil and,of course, water.
When preparing the planting soil, use 2 parts sterilized potting soil for 1 part coarse sand. Put 1 inch of gravel of each pot to insure proper drainage of excess water. Add 1 teaspoon of lime for a 5 inch pot.

Make yourself a list of every plant you will be growing and their individual water need. Growing plant tends to need more water, however, it is important to keep the soil moist. Avoid drenching the plant at all time for too much water can easily rot the roots. Misting the plants is a good way to keep them humid between watering.

South or west facing windows are always the best choice for growing herbs indoors. Though there are different requirements to each variety of herbs, most need a sunny location to grow well. If you lack light during the winter months, you can supplement that need with ''grow lights" or fluorescent lamps.

Annual herbs will be happy spending their full life cycle inside the home while perennial herbs will give you better results if they are placed outdoors during the warm season. Fill the pot with soil all the way to the rim and place them in a protected area on the porch or patio.

Always bring the plants inside before frost to avoid plant damage or loss of foliage. However a light frost is beneficial on mint, chives, and tarragon.This will result in a rest period making the new growth fresher and firmer.

Home herb gardens can be kept productive all year long and for a good number of years by doing the following: maintain a periodic light feeding, renewing the annuals, moving the perennials in and out of the home and pruning the plants occasionally.