Snip tonight, grill tonight.

The three herbs every backyard cook reaches for: 2 Barbeque Rosemary, 2 Garden Sage, and 2 English Thyme. Six live plants in 4-inch pots — plant them by the grill and harvest all season long.

Unlike vegetables, herbs pay you back the day they arrive: rosemary sprigs on tonight's chicken, sage butter over Sunday's pork chops, thyme on everything.

What's included

• 2 Barbeque Rosemary — strong upright stems that double as grilling skewers; intense flavor
• 2 Garden Sage — the classic. Sage butter, sausages, stuffing, roasted squash
• 2 English Thyme — earthy and essential. Rubs, marinades, soups, roasted vegetables

All three are sun-loving, container-friendly, and forgiving — snip often and they grow back thicker. Rosemary and thyme are perennials in warmer zones; sage returns year after year in most of the country.

A natural gift for the griller who has every gadget but nothing growing.

Round out the patio: add the Strawberry Mojito Garden for drinks and dessert, or the Mosquito Defense Duo to keep the cook comfortable.

Sage & thyme photography: Jörg Hempel (CC BY-SA 3.0 de) and Magnus Manske (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons — cropped and color-adjusted.