Regions: North India

Plant a knob of market haldi in June; harvest your own in February.

A marginal water plant for a tub, aromatic-rooted and steady for years.

An unfussy evergreen shrub with white throated flowers that carpenter bees work.

A low monsoon weed of wet ground, gathered for hair oil for as long as anyone remembers.

A slight winter annual of dry western fields, grown for the husk of its seed.

Fine blue-white flowers over ferny leaves, then the black seed of the spice box.

Feathery winter foliage, then umbels that hoverflies and small wasps work all day.

Grows from a cutting in a glass of water. Keep it in its own pot — it will take over any other.

Thick scented leaves on a succulent stem; one plant fills a windowsill pot for years.

A clump of scented grass that mosquitoes avoid and tea drinkers cannot do without.