Chives have been in American kitchen gardens since the colonial era, perhaps owing to their robust nature and tasty leaves, which are most commonly used to season soups, cream cheese, etc. Jefferson grew Chives in the kitchen garden at Monticello and recorded planting it in the submural beds in 1813. Chives form clumps 12 inches high and 12 to 18 inches wide. Their attractive lavender flowers bloom in late spring and are good for cuttings as well as in salads.