Many herbs thrive in Central Texas. Most love the abundance of sunny days and dry weather so common in the Austin area. Herbs can bring breathtaking beauty to the garden and tasty treats to the table. But don't use the same standards for producing herbs that might be appropriate for the lush herb greens of England or even the garden state of New Jersey.

The fact is, the area around Austin is unlike what you read about in most garden books. Austin has rocky soil that is rich in lime in many areas. This soil is known as caliche. In other areas, the soil is a heavy clay that buckles, cracks and moves with severe fluctuations in rainfall and temperatures. Smart Texans don't complain, they simply add compost to loosen clay soils or give life to rocky caliche. Greater Austin gardeners boast that they can grow great plants at least 10 months of the year.

Texas gardeners can grow culinary herbs such as basil in abundance. is perfect for blending with olive oil and parmesan cheese to create pesto. Grown next to a tomato plant, basil will share its fragrant nature with tomatoes on the vine.

Garlic also does well in Central Texas, even when planted from bulbs found in the supermarket produce section. Just split the bulb into cloves, and place each clove near an area that you tend to water. Let the garlic stalk grow until it dries out and topples over. Then pull up the bulbs. Let them dry and squeeze the juice into your favorite vegetable or main courses. The society garlic has a head of tiny lilac colored flowers and can be used as flavoring just from its stems.

Mint is adaptable to part-shade. It enjoys morning sun and afternoon shade. Place it in a border or container, since it tends to roam. These days, mints are multitudinous from traditional spearmint to chocolate mint. Children will enjoy sprigs of mint they planted, grew and picked, bobbing in iced tea.

Those who envy the lavender borders of picture-book gardens struggle with English lavender, provincial lavender. They may find success with Spanish lavender. But lavender is worth the trouble for as long as it lasts. Its striking color in profusion and its scent permeating the house are bonuses. The old-lady lavender artificial blends are a mockery of the real thing. Blended into provincial herb mixes, lavender is wonderful as a garnish for cooking. As an accent to sugar, lavender can be a delight for baking.

Medicinal herbs are also making inroads into Central Texas gardens. Associated with fighting flu symptoms, echinacia or purple cone flower is a splendid addition to town and country gardens. Seeded in a cared-for bed, this cone flower is strikingly beautiful in a group as it gracefully bobs and weaves on its three-foot stem. Its prickly looking cone center is surrounded by a daisy whirl of purple petals.

These are just some of the herbs that do well in Central Texas. Common herbs in area gardens include rosemary, oregano and thyme. All these herbs are great for the yard or kitchen.
Ellen Zimmerman, herbalist and president of the Austin Herb Society, recommends taking a new look at the vitex bush, also called the Chastetree. A decorative and useful plant in the gardens of medieval monasteries, vitex flourishes in the Central Texas soil in full sun.