DIY organic herbs for autumn

Autumn's not exactly the obvious time to start sowing kitchen herbs in your window boxes, but you'd be surprised by what you can grow this time of year. By 'you' I mean people like me who don't have a clue when herb seeds  germinate. As luck would have it, you can still grow coriander, rosemary and mint plus a whole load of lesser-know ones such as mace, chervil and savory. By going DIY, you'll cut down on food miles - most supermarket herbs trundle all the way from Israel - and save yourself a stack of cash. Though there's a huge choice of online seed shops, I highly recommend Jekka's Herb Farm in Gloucester. Everything is organic and the choice of herb seeds and plants is mind-bogglingly encyclopedic. While you're there, swot up on the latin names to impress green-fingered friends.