On a whim, I hung a basket containing spearmint and red basil at my back door the other day.
Now I am greeted by the most wonderful aromas as I come and go.
It’s also very easy to reach out for a clipping when I brew my tea or make a salad. Since both herbs benefit from frequent harvesting, I pluck them freely.
Incidentally, in Greek mythology, mint was considered the herb of hospitality.
In Tudor times, small pots of this were given by farmers’ wives to visitors as parting gifts. It is also reputed that any man will fall in love with a woman from whom he accepts some basil as a gift.