Houseplants are often categorized apart from garden or culinary plants as if there were a boundary they dare not cross, and vice versa. The idea that herbs like chives and savory might grow indoors as decorative companions as well as useful cookery spices is slightly revolutionary
“In a natural sense, there is no such thing as a ‘house plant,’ for no plant can claim a house as its natural habitat,”notes herbalist Susan Betz in Herbal Houseplants. “Not all herbs are suitable for indoor culture due to their size or unattractive growth habit.”
But many herbs, properly cultivated and cared for, flourish indoors and add beauty, fragrance and flavor to a home, as Betz aptly proves in this directory of herbal houseplants. The book includes a primer on caring for indoor herbs, a guide to harvesting and preserving home-grown herbs, and recipes for cooking, scenting, bathing and more.