5 Herbs Everyone Should Grow at Home, According to an Expert Gardener

John Coykendall of Blackberry Farm gives us his top picks — and shares the most common herb-gardening mistake. 

We've long celebrated makers in the food and beverage industry who are true experts at their craft. Among them is John Coykendall, resident gardener at Blackberry Farm, a luxurious hotel tucked in the mountains of Tennessee. For 20 years, he's been working the gardens — which power Blackberry's legendary culinary program — and tracking down heirloom seeds, documenting their history and how they can be used to cook. After a trip to Blackberry, we connected with Coykendall to talk growing herbs.

Herbs are best kept in pots, containers, or raised beds, he says — the most common mistake people make is overwatering them, and growing them in areas with poor drainage. However, if you plant them correctly and make sure they're not over-saturated, you're well on your way to cultivating an herb garden. (And if you fall in love with the process, you can also create a smaller indoor garden and have herbs all year round). We asked Coykendall for five herbs he thinks everyone should grow at home — and among staples like basil, some of his answers might surprise you. Check out all of his recommendations below.

Basil

As Coykendall rightly points out, basil's fresh taste is wonderful with tomatoes, served with slices in a summer salad or added to a sauce for depth of flavor. If you're looking to mix it up a little, basil also works well in cocktails, punches up cornmeal waffles, and complements fiery red chiles in this Thai chicken dish.

Sage

Sage is fragrant and woodsy, especially well-suited for comforting fall dishes. Butternut squash and sage are a staple pairing, which is why we combined them in this ravioli with brown butter; it's heavenly paired with Fontina in a mashed potato casserole.

Thyme

Thyme is a more subtle herb, which, like basil, can work just as well in a cocktail as it does in a soup or mashed potatoes. Make lemon-thyme butter to slather on roast chicken, or combine it with tea, vodka, fresh lemon juice, honey, and ice for a refreshing drink.

Simple Ways to Make Your Herbs Last Longer

Cilantro

Bright and fresh cilantro is always great to have on hand — for a more unconventional pairing, we love it with mussels, crème fraîche, and jalapeños, which is a step up from your traditional mussels-in-white-wine recipe. You can also add the herb to pesto for a kick, or go all out with by combining it with spinach for the base of verdant palak paneer made with pressed fresh ricotta.

Dill

Dill is a seriously underrated herb, if you ask us — the pickle-esque flavor is a tried-and-true pairing with salmon, whether you like it smoked on potato pancakes with caviar and cream, or grilled with lemon slices. It brightens up salads, too.