If you're not really into herb gardening, you might not realize that there are many different types of herbs. They can be generalized into a few different categories depending on what they are used for.
Culinary Herbs
This is what most people think of when they hear the word 'herb.' These plants are used primarily for cooking. They can be generally be thought of as the herbs with strong flavors but are also sometimes used as a garnish.
Herb
The culinary herbs include chives, thyme, basil, sage, savory, marjoram, and parsley, as well as others.
Aromatic herbs
As the name suggests, these have a strong fragrance. They are used for their aromatic quality, not their taste. The strong aroma can come from either the flowers or the leaves themselves.
These herbs can be dried and used to make potpourri, for example. This enables them to retain their fragrance for a long period of time. Examples of herbs often used for potpourri are lavender and lemon verbena.
Some herbs which have aromatic oils in them can be used to make perfume or toilet water. These are herbs such as lovage, mint, and rosemary. (Note that mint is also considered a culinary herb, so herbs don't always fall into a single category).
Ornamental Herbs
Some herbs are used in the same way other flowers are; they are pretty to look at. These herbs have brightly colored flowers and leaves. For example, the crimson flowers of valerian are very lovely to look at, as are lovely blue flowers of chicory and borage.
Herbs are also categorized by their life span, as are other plants. Annuals must be grown every year. These include basil and cilantro.
Perennial herbs will come back year after year. These include sage and winter savory. Note that if they are grown indoors, they should be repotted annually.
Biennial herbs have a 2-year life span. The first year, they form leaves. During the second year, they flower and form seeds. These include parsley, angelica, or caraway.
So as you can see, there are many different types of herbs. Which ones you decide to plant depend on what you want to use them for.
The Different Types of Herbs
Sebastian Mortner enjoys herbs in cooking. He also has a website http://www.stainless-steelrefrigerator.com all about the stainless steel refrigerator.