This year I planted my annual herbs in a hanging moss planter, which gives me an attractive garden piece, is easy to maintain, and keeps the tender vittles away from the bug population.  I grew the herbs from seed in peat pots and then just panted the pots in some extra soil, watered and hung it on the Jacaranda tree in the backyard.  When the moss part of these contraptions starts to get really ratty looking you can simply buy new moss liners.  This system is working so well I think I’ll use it every year from now on.  In the past I was never able to keep the bugs off the basil.  The snails never seemed to bother with it, nor the raccoons, nor the roof rat we had living in the yard for a couple of months.  Bugs are not usually a problem with most herbs given the strong taste, but I suppose Albany bugs know what’s good.