House plants have always been a common feature of home decor but a popular trend in recent times is growing herbs and vegetables right in the kitchen so they are close at hand when cooking. No more stumbling around the garden in the dark, trying to locate herbs to use for dinner.

As well as convenience, studies suggest a number of health benefits to growing your own vegetables and herbs. When looked after correctly, home-grown veggies contain more nutrients and are naturally fresher than produce sold in shops. Added to this is the enjoyment and sense of satisfaction you get from growing your own food.

Some varieties of plants lend themselves better to being grown indoors than others but, generally, culinary herbs are versatile enough to thrive inside. Easy to grow herbs include parsley, basil, coriander, chives, oregano and thyme. As long as the plants have sufficient light and water, as well as high quality soil, they should grow as well as they would outdoors in the garden. Vegetables that can be grown successfully indoors include leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and kale and tomatoes, especially the small salad varieties.

To give your garden that added touch, you will want to choose pots that complement your kitchen decor. There is a huge range of pots available including terracotta, bright colors and stainless steel. They can simply be placed on a bright windowsill or bench top, or hung from pot hangers. IKEA make different styles of pots that hang from rods, which can be suspended inside a window frame. These can look great when you can have more than one row of pots on the same window.

So why not try your hand at growing some kitchen greenery so you too can have the health benefits of having plants indoors as well as fresh herbs and vegetables right there at your fingertips.