Herbs are an incredibly useful feature in a potager, not least because many of them are evergreen and keep the hot plot looking fabulous in the depths of winter. But there’s another reason why you’ll want to plant as many herbs as possible: so many of them have very, very stylish leaves.

Image by Er.We

Fennel grows tall and stately, and has lovely finely cut foliage. There are bronze and green varieties.

Image by Matthew Byrne

Sage is a herb that comes in a myriad of colours. Here are just a few. Purple sage is one of the loveliest.

Image by cynmccune

Golden variegated sage.

Purple and white variegated sage. Image by Tairre Christoperhson.

Bolting coriander is no tragedy. The leaves become finely cut and fabulous.

Golden-leaved hop. Image by Anna.

Image by Architectural Plants. Bay is a rather fine herb, but if you want something even more eye-catching, grow the willow-leaf bay, Laurus nobilis ‘Angustifolia’.

Golden lemon balm, Melissa officinalis ‘Aurea’. Image by Helge Alexander Zock.

Mint can be a bit of a straggly customer at times, but this variegated pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens) from Highdown Nursery will perk up your patch.

Basil ‘Purple Ruffles’ is dark and mysterios and oh-so-chic. Image by Sea Spring Seeds.

And for a big, flamboyant basil, grow ‘Lettuce-leaved’. Image and seeds from Sea Spring Seeds.

Golden marjoram (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’) is perfect for a part-shaded spot, where it will provide a little bit of sunshine. Image by Maja Dumat.

Moss-curled parsley adds marvellous texture to the garden. Image and seeds from Sea Spring Seeds.

And it’s relative, flat-leaved parsley, is a pretty super plant too. Image and seeds from Sea Spring Seeds.

Gilded rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Aureus’) would look splendid interplanted with its common relative.

Thyme is another lovely herb whose leaves come dressed in many different ways. Here’s a white variegated Thymus herba-barona.

Plant mounds of different-coloured thymes together. This ‘Archer’s Gold’ lemon thyme from Norfolk Herbs is another winner.

What fabulously-foliaged herbs do you use in your hot plot?