Direct sow after last frost, or sow seeds indoors 4 weeks before last frost. Sow at monthly intervals until 60 days before first fall frost for quality leaves all season. Harvest often to prevent flowers from forming. To harvest, cut basil at the stem just above new leaf growth. Basil is very sensitive to the cold; harvest or protect plants if frost is imminent.

Art by Hazel Jarvis. A reverence for travel and tradition shines through Hazel Jarvis's works. Trained in botanical watercolor and traditional Japanese painting, her Genovese Basil uses a blending of collage and paint to illustrate the Italian Bail dish that took the world by storm.

Hazel lives and teaches water media in Connecticut, and is passionate about color and pattern, gardening and traveling.