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Having only a balcony garden limits my choices, so I concentrate on herbs. Always: rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender, mint (love the smell of chocolate mint, but what to use it in?) and usually one or two others (sage, basil, lemongrass). I find parsley, cilantro, etc too cheap and easy to get at the market to take up container space at home. I often have nasturtiums and use their flowers either to garnish or in salads.

I am seriously considering making the space for a meyer lemon tree now....my favorite citrus. Anyone else had success with some other container herbs/plants?

My first thought also lemons, along with weary and tired...LOL.

I grow all my favorite herbs, but since I'm moving OUT, I'm planning to do them all in containers. I'll probably forget some but.......
sweet basil, flat leaf parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay, chives, dill, sage, lavender, mint, tarragon, & bee balm. I thought about adding marjoram and chervil - haven't tried them yet. I'm not much of a tea drinker, but I think it would be interesting to investigate which plants make healthy drinks.

I brought some in for the winter - rosemary, bay, thyme all are doing great, parsley and chives are enjoying the longer days and looking healthier. I miss basil the most.

@PerkyMac...there was a plant I saw today called "tea herbs". Not sure what that was all about...but I'm presuming something you could dry and then steep. The basil I got today was gorgeous and fragrent! The dog even tried to eat a leaf off of it.

@beth1 - we're trying to figure out which citrus tree to plant as we live in Florida. I did see one which was a mulit fruit tree which grafts different varieties to it. It grow lemons, limes, and grapefruits...all on the same tree! Tomato growing season is here now, but I'm not interested in normal tomatoes and need a good heirloom.

Lemons & PerkyMac--loved your responses! I'll add...in my dreams...can't get a darn plant of any kind to grow!! I'm in awe of you SE's that own a green thumb:)

I grow herbs. I am the kiss of death for anything more substantial than basic herbs. Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Nasturtiums, Sage. I don't grow parsley or cilantro because I'd need a whole garden for just those two things, I use them frequently and in large quantities.

I planted chives 6 or 7 years ago and they are still going strong. We also have rosemary, mint (invasive!), oregano, flat leaf parsely, cilantro, and thyme in the herb garden.

@StripeyChef, we've had a Meyer lemon tree in a pot for about 5 years and it's very happy.

In the summer, we grow tomatoes, basil, zucchini, pumpkins, soy beans, and sunflowers. This year we are trying to grow watermelon. Tried growing canteloupe a couple of years ago but they were flavorless - think we over watered.

We also have 2 orange trees and a peach tree. Would love to find room for a lime tree - so good in so many things.

My mother killed my basil, my parsley and my chive while I was on vacation. I have had them for quite some time and had been so proud I had not managed to kill them myself and now I feel, as if one had murdered my babies.
During my childhood my family lived in a house with a huge garden where we grew practically anything that can be cultivated in northern Germany. Prunes, apples, pears, hazelnuts, rhubarb, peas, rasperries, pumpkins, strawberries, beans and the list just gows on and on. Sad thing I never appreciated this when I was a child. (Maybe because my brother and I were forced to pick weeds in the garden)

Here is an excellent article about companion planting. Not only can you improve flavors, but you can actually keep some insects in check.

http://www.northerngarden.ca/ResultList.asp?strArticleID=149

@frederika.......always keep dill away from fennel. I also keep it away from most of my herbs, especially anything with fronds. It always grows nice and healthy..