DEAR DAME EVELYN , While strolling through the Mission the other day, I noticed fennel growing in an empty lot across the street. Recognized it by its feathery green foliage. And I noticed lavender growing in a tree basin right at my feet. Made sure by snapping off a leaf and taking a whiff. In the next basin was a clump of Mexican sage. My friend said you can't use it for cooking; I said you can. We broke off a leaf (it was the right shape and texture, kind of a greenish-gray color) and took our respective whiffs. I must say the scent was unimpressive, and I was immediately put on the defensive. What's the story here, do you think? And is it legal to gather herbs from tree basins in the (I assume) public sidewalks?

Whiffy

Teacup, The nose knows, indeed! Yes, our fair city is a veritable herb garden. Dame Evelyn has noticed the weedlike growth of rosemary in many a tree basin around town, along with the aforementioned fennel and lavender. (Oddly enough, these city-tough plants have often not thrived in Dame Evelyn's own garden; her handsome rosemary bush bought it after a year or so in the ground, as did her handsome thyme and lemon-thyme plants.) The sage you describe is, I think, salvia leucantha – with purplish, spiky flowers, like party decorations, is that the one? – which is often used in freeway landscaping because of its resistance to drought but is useless in the kitchen. For cooking you need garden sage (salvia officinalis), which is somewhat less hardy but smells far better. As to the gathering of herbs in public places: Dame Evelyn has never heard that this is forbidden (except for a few places, such as in Golden Gate Park, where signs are sometimes posted), but she urges you to proceed with caution, taking no more than you need, leaving plenty for the next gatherer, should there be one, and not damaging the plant. Herb plants actually benefit from pruning, but mind the difference between pruning and pillage, and between public and private property.

Sagely, E.G.-S.