For this year’s winter season (October – April) we doubled the tomato beds: ­A couple of heirloom reds and a compact cherry line, mainly because our toddler loved picking them last season. We added a pepper quartet as well: sweet-heat capsicum for salads, Kashmiri for colour, Guntur for everyday warmth and a pair of Jolokias for the brave.

Eggplant came in as the slow, sculptural anchor, but the real experiment was tulsi at full throttle. We grew four varieties: Ram, Shyam, Kapoor and Laung, ­to compare their overlapping yet distinct terpene profiles and to test the growing pile of research on tulsi’s anti-inflammatory and adaptogenic benefits. Most mornings now start with a light tulsi brew, equal parts ritual and field study.

Scroll the carousel below to meet the season’s lineup ↓