Seasons: Monsoon

A creeping marsh herb happy in a wide bowl of wet soil — the one plant you cannot overwater.

The pennywort of damp corners; spreads by runners and asks for shade and moisture.

A fine-leaved climber with tuberous roots, happiest scrambling up a partly shaded wall.

A small shady-forest shrub, historically important and now scarce in the wild.

The bitter herb of the monsoon — quick from seed and a reliable pot plant.

The household holy basil — thrives in a pot, keeps pests down and brings pollinators to a balcony.

The dark-leaved tulsi, sharper in scent and a little slower to grow than the green.

The wild tulsi — taller, camphor-scented and perennial where winters are mild.

A hardy monsoon spreader with long traditional use, easy to grow and valuable for small insects.