I like basil. At some point I i got tired of killing all the plants and started learning how to properly grow and care greens with basil.

It has plenty of uses and it requires the right amount of care, not too simple not too complex.

I’ve grown it from seeds, cuttings, in pots, outside and in hydroponics.

Rosemary and bay leaf. They grow so well here in Ca, it’s criminal that they sell the leaves at 8 dollars a pop at most stores.

To also contribute a plant myself: My current favorite is Jiaogulan. Even though it isn't really a spice, it is used to make tea (very mild) and they say it has the power to keep you young (not sure how much and if there is anything really to it).

Mint (in a bucket). I harvest and dry it and use it for mint tea throughout the year.

Yellow lavender! It’s more “spicy” than normal lavender and is great for cooking.

I also grow my own peppers, mostly Thai and Jalapeño, because I can choose when to pick them and adjust the watering schedule depending on how hot I want them.

We have wild California Bay Laurel growing out back. Not exactly the same, but pretty good to cook with.

If you get into herbs, consider purchasing a dehydrator. In my experience, it makes drying and preserving the herbs so much easier.

Chiming in with Catnip. I grow it for my cats, Its a super easy grow(mints just seem to be easy plants). They love hanging around it and eating the leaves and flowers. If you have cats its definitely worth a try!

Ive heard of people using it in teas as well but I’ve never tried.

Agastache foeniculum for an herb and spiceberry (Lindera benzoin) for a spice, so far. The agastache kinda tastes like licorice? But more complex, and weirdly pretty suitable for savory foods. Spiceberry has lots of different flavors depending on what part of the plant you use, and makes for a great all-in-one replacement to a whole bunch of other spices.

The previous owners of my house left me a bush of shrub of lemon balm and sage... They are of significant size and especially the sage I use basically weekly for various recipes.

I second basil. I have been trying to propagate rosemary into small containers; rosemary and lavender are easier to grow from cuttings than from seed. I grow dill in small containers, too, but it is not really my favorite.

I most often use the parsley from my herb garden. It's in so many recipes that I make! Also love rosemary. My rosemary has died each winter so I replant every year