Bay leaf refers to the aromatic leaves of several plants used in cooking. These include: Bay laurel. Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance.

At first glance you'll think this is a celosia, with its heavy, tightly packed blooms glowing in cardinal red. A closer inspection reveals that tell-tale scent, rich and heady with a touch of spice. Strong, deep burgundy stems hold the flowers above the smooth, bright green leaves, ensuring a vibrant show throughout the summer even as you continue harvesting fresh leaves. A beautiful standout in the herb patch and a flavorful addition to the ornamental bed.

Dark Opal Basil is popular sweet basil with regal, purple-black glossy foliage and pale pink flowers and a delicious aroma. The beautiful eye catching purple leaves get darker as the basil plant matures. Aside from being a colorful garden plant Opal Basil is a very high quality basil perfect for culinary use in any dish.

This Italian variety has extremely tender, fragrant, extra-large, dark green leaves and is superb for pesto. Start early indoors or outside after all danger of frost.

Lemon basil is a hybrid between basil and African basil. It is primarily grown in northeastern Africa and southern Asia. Attractive, spreading silver-green plant with lemony aroma and flavor is great for potpourris, tea, chicken, fish, vegetables and herb vinegars.

Sweet and fragrant basil with a mild citrus taste and fragrance. A rare and hard to find seed variety, Lime basil is sweet and fragrant with a mild citrus taste. The lime scent of the bright green, lance-shaped leaves pair perfectly with lemon basil for a full explosion of tangy fresh flavor. Excellent for flavoring sauces, dressings and desserts.

This herb is known around the world for its wonderful fragrance and flavor. The key ingredient in classic Italian pesto, Sweet Basil has big leaves that are fast and easy to grow so that you can make your own pesto to freeze for year-round use. It loves hot weather, so always wait until all danger of frost is past before planting in the garden in the spring, then harvest before the weather starts to cool down in fall. Great for containers, but be sure to keep watered.

A stronger-flavored basil than sweet basil, Thai Basil also has a hint of licorice flavor. The leaves, which are about half the size of sweet basil, have purple stems and make pretty garnishes.

Young leaves for salads and lemonade. With it's blue, star-shaped flowers, borage makes a lovely ornamental. Its young leaves have a refreshing, mild cucumber-like fragrance and traditionally been used in salads and lemonade. The flowers can be candied.