You don’t need masses of space to grow a selection of herbs which will add flavour to your meals virtually all year round, but you will have to make sure that the herbs you grow together will have the same growing requirements.

Many herbs don’t like the moisture-retentive rich soil preferred by vegetables, so you may want to give these a separate space, in the form of a herb wheel or simply some large pots in which they will thrive in the right conditions.

Not all herbs like full sun. Thyme, sage, rosemary, French tarragon and oregano like it hot; rocket, sorrel, mizuna, mustard, parsley and chervil prefer partial shade. Parsley prefers cool light shade, chives thrive in rich soil and mint prefers plenty of moisture.

Some are short-lived and need successional sowing through the season, including basil, coriander and parsley, while others will survive for a long time in a pot. These include marjoram, mint, chives, sage and thyme.

If you are planning a herb garden as a central island in the lawn, put the tallest herbs in the middle and the lower-growing ones on the outside. For a garden in an established border, the tallest plants go to the back near the fence, and the lower ones in the front.

A wooden barrel or large terracotta pot planted with trailing thyme, chives, sage, basil, coriander, tarragon and with French lavender in the middle looks very effective. Even in the smallest space - whether just a windowbox or hanging basket - you could grow a selection of fragrant herbs, making sure what you plant is suitably located.