The perfect Earth Day garden gift surely must be green. Herbs top the list of the most enjoyable yet useful plants available. Herbs also have a lot to say to good friends. Consider presenting to them a snippet of fragrant santolina or a bouquet of flavorful rosemary cuttings from your cottage garden.

Historically, mankind has cultivated herbs since the beginning of their existence.

Early American colonials highly valued herbs’ utility. Herbs often require less water and no fertilizer to flourish. Many require full sun to perform well and good drainage to prevent root rot. Although enjoying a sweeter (alkaline) pH, herbs often will tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. Some even prefer dry, rocky conditions to emulate the native Mediterranean habitat some of them originate from.

A practical approach to selection for your garden is to categorize herbs according to their lifecycle (annuals, perennials or biennials). Herbs are further grouped by usage, often having characteristics that overlap such divisions. Consider searching online publications for herb culture. But to learn of a few easily grown in the Shepherdstown area, read on.

Culinary sage is a must-grow for pork lovers. With fresh leaves placed atop a roast, sage eliminates the need for adding salt and fills the kitchen with fragrance. It also has ornamental qualities to boot. The gray-green leaves of this woody-stemmed perennial are lovely year-round. Showy blue flower spikes attract bees and butterflies. Trim them to keep this plant from sprawling. They can be propagated from seeds or cuttings.

We often think of chives on top of sour cream as a splendid dressing for potatoes, but don’t overlook the decorative attributes of this small bulbous perennial. When massed, the clover-like purple flowers of salad chives provide a lot of curb appeal! Harvest the blooms to arrange them on cucumbers or float them in a cup of soup — the beauty of this flower with its mild onion flavor is sure to please.

Parsley is packed with vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals. This versatile biennial is attractive in the landscape or mixed in hanging baskets where rich green color is needed for contrast. This herb provides an explosion of flavor when added to omelets and stews. Flat leaf parsley seems to overwinter better than curly leaf. For your good health, never let this popular garnish return to the kitchen from the dinner plate. Nibbling a leaf during outdoor chores provides a perfect pick-me-up.

Preferred for sachets and potpourri, aromatic lavender brings a soothing influence with each whiff. Plant this perennial near a mailbox where you can enjoy the scent by bruising the leaves or dainty flowers as you pause to post correspondence. Many cultivars of English, French and Spanish lavenders are available, but check them first for cold hardiness.

Herbs are can-do plants. As a valuable natural resource, these plants are the perfect choices for those wanting to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, either by giving them as gifts or by cultivating them in a garden.

Kristi Hendricks is a graduate of Shepherd College and West Virginia University and a Master Gardener with the Virginia Cooperative Extension. She can be reached at belowthejames@yahoo.com.