Every year, I welcome the advent of spring by planting an herb garden. Okay, fine, so every year I realize the May long-weekend is approaching and I really have to get some plants in my garden, so I send my husband to the nursery with a list of herbs I want. When he gets home, he also plants them for me when I pout about how bad I am at gardening, because he's the best husband ever. This year, I decided to go heavy on the basil, because it's the herb I use most: I planted regular basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, and purple basil. Also featured in my backyard herb garden: oregano, summer sage, thyme, parsley, French tarragon, and lavender.

My herbs all seem to thrive with very little care, which is a good thing since I'm no green thumb. But I am an avid at-home chef, and my recipes never taste better than when they're made with fresh herbs from my summer garden.

Most nights, I'll grab some fresh tomatoes from the garden once they've ripened, and slice them on a plate with leaves of fresh basil on top. A twist of pepper, a grind of sea salt, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and I've got summer on a plate in less than a minute. For the most simple summer dinner ever, pair a tomato salad (add shaved parmesan or sliced bocconcini if you'd like) with Thai Basil Butter and Baguette. For something a little more complicated, but totally worth it, try these Seafood Brochettes with Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce (I made them for a dinner party I hosted last week, and truly, everyone thought I was a culinary genius!).

At the end of the summer, when my basil is about to go to seed, I harvest it all and make loads of pesto, which I freeze in single portions for a taste of summer all year round.

Sage is the perfect addition to butter for baguette, vegetables, and especially corn on the cob. I also slide it under the skin of chickens I roast, or wrap it around pieces of meat which I then thread onto skewers and barbecue. For an Italian-style appetizer that's beyond compare, try Fried Sage with Anchovies.

Thyme is delicious with pork, chicken, or fish (especially trout), and also vinaigrettes and marinades, but I also recently tried it in this Thyme Crème Brule recipe and was pleasantly surprised by the sophisticated flavour (again, I was mistaken for a culinary genius by my dinner guests, which is always a welcome result).

Tarragon is a favourite of mine, mostly because I have a weakness for béarnaise sauce and love whipping up a homemade batch and serving it with Grilled Porterhouse Steak and Grilled Asparagus with Parsley Pesto. I especially like the asparagus recipe because it helps me use up some of my fast-growing parsley.

Parsley and oregano are my standbys for pasta sauce, of course, and sometimes I add them to my tomato salads for a change. But I also find they're my favourite herbs for making a crust with. This Oregano-Crusted Lamb is one of my favourites, and I add parsley to both the lamb and the potatoes, even though it doesn't call for it. Just trust me! If you're not a fan of lamb, try it with pork.

Although I don't generally cook with my lavender, but instead dry it in bunches and use it in sachets to freshen up drawers and closets, I did mix it with homemade vanilla ice cream last year, and also, tried it with Sable Cookies. I was thrilled with the subtle and delicate taste result.

Ultimately, when it comes to summer cooking, having an herb garden is a secret weapon I'd highly recommend adding to your gourmet arsenal. Once the season ends, harvest your surplus herbs and make batches of flavoured oils, vinegars and herbed pestos so you can get creative in the kitchen the entire year.

Next Week

Plum Lovin'-How to make great summer desserts with plums (and preserve the rest for fall)

About Marissa

Marissa Stapley Ponikowski is a freelance writer, editor and author who lives in Toronto with her husband and two children. She writes about food, beauty, wellness and green living for a variety of magazines and web sites. Her first novel, Saving the World (in Sensible Shoes), will be published this spring. For updates, visit www.marissastapley.com.