Growing spaces: balcony

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

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

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

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

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

Compact evergreen with flower heads butterflies work all morning.

The monsoon green that grows itself — heat-proof, rain-proof and ready in a month.

A deep trough and forty days is all it asks. Thin ruthlessly for straight roots.

One plant on a sill supplies a household. Crops for two years if you keep picking.

Regrows from the root end of a shop-bought bunch — the cheapest crop in the house.