do you think there are any basic herbs that witches should just have around (common ones used in spells etc)?
Most of the common culinary herbs (fresh or dry) have a variety of uses that can be applied to lots of different spells. This combined with your own personal associations can give you a multitude of different options. I have an extensive correspondences list here if you are interested, but here are a few off the top of my head that I consider “common” herbs/spices (this is by no means exhaustive). This is not so much a list of “must haves” as it is a “look what you can pick from to cover all your spellcasting needs.
(just a quick note: go with whatever association feels right. If associate basil with sleeping more than you do any of the other listed intents, go with that one)
Basil: Banishing Negativity, Spell Breaking, Clairvoyance, Divination, Protection, Purification, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Success, Money, Wealth, Prosperity, Wishes, Strength, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Fidelity, Fertility, Truth, Honesty, Peace, Harmony, Happiness, Positivity, Balance, Fire, Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, Samhain
Oregano: Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Psychic/Prophetic Dreams, Protection, Luck, Growth, Love, Romance, Weddings/Marriage/Handfasting, Heartbreak Relief, Peace/Harmony, Healing/Health, Happiness, Positivity, Air, Animals
Thyme: Banish, Curse Breaking/Protection, Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Clairvoyance, Divination, Sleep, Dreams, Psychic/Prophetic Dreams, Nightmare Protection, Cleansing, Purification, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Money, Strength, Bravery, Courage, Confidence, Compassion, Love, Romance, Meditation, Healing/Health, Happiness, Positivity, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Samhain, Water, Legal Issues
Rosemary: Banishing Negativity, Wisdom, Knowledge, Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Sleep, Dreams, Nightmare Protection, Protection, Cleansing, Purification, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Wish, Inspiration, Strength, Bravery, Courage, Confidence, Memory, Beauty, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Fidelity, Honesty, Truth, Peace, Harmony, Meditation, Healing/Health, Alleviate Depression, Mabon, Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, Samhain, Yule, Air, Legal Issues, Longevity
Bay Leaves: Exorcism, Wisdom, Knowledge, Clairvoyance, Prophecy, Divination, Cause Nightmares, Protection, Purification, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Money, Wishes, Success, Prestige, Inspiration, Energize, Strength, Memory, Love, Romance, Peace, Harmony, Health/Healing, Imbolc, Yule, Fire
Sage (not necessarily white sage): Wisdom, Knowledge, Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Clairvoyance, Divination, Protection, Psychic Protection, Purification, Bless/Consecrate, Wealth, Prosperity, Wishes, Inspiration, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Weddings/Marriage/Handfasting, Peace, Harmony, Meditation, Healing/Health, Mabon, Litha, Ostara, Samhain, Air, Longevity
Chamomile: Sleep, Dreams, Nightmare Protection, Protection, Purification, Luck, Money, Wealth, Prosperity, Beauty, Love, Romance, Peace, Harmony, Meditation, Relaxation, Healing/Health, Alleviate Depression, Anti-Anxiety, Stress Relief, Mabon, Litha, Lammas, Samhain, Water
Lavender: Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Clairvoyance, Divination, Sleep, Dreams, Protection, Purification, Luck, Money, Concentration, Memory, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Chastity, Virility, Fertility, Peace, Harmony, Relaxation, Healing/Health, Alleviate Depression, Anti-Anxiety, Stress Relief, Happiness, Positivity, Balance, Beltane, Litha, Air, Longevity
Mint: Exorcism, Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Clairvoyance, Protection, Purification, Luck, Money, Prosperity, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Healing/Health, Anti-Anxiety, Stress Relief, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Air, Travel
Spearmint: Exorcism, Increase the power of spells, Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Sleep, Dreams, Lucid Dreaming, Remembering Dreams, Nightmare Protection, Protection, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Success, Money, Wealth, Prosperity, Wishes, Strength, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Healing/Health, Anti-Anxiety, Stress Relief, Happiness, Positivity, Air, Animals, Travel
Peppermint: Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Divination, Sleep, Dreams, Lucid Dreaming, Remembering Dreams, Protection, Purification, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Money, Wealth, Prosperity, Wishes, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Healing/Health, Anti-Anxiety, Stress Relief, Happiness, Positivity, Fire, Animals
Salt: Banish Negativity, Protection, Purification, Cleansing, Bless/Consecrate, Grounding
Pepper: Exorcism, Banishing Negativity, Curses, Increase the Power of Spells, Protection, Gossip, Fire
Cinnamon: Wisdom, Knowledge, Increase the Power of Spells, Clairvoyance, Divination, Protection, Bless/Consecrate, Luck, Success, Money, Wealth, Prosperity, Inspiration, Strength, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Peace, Harmony, Healing/Health, Lammas, Yule, Samhain, Fire
Garlic: Exorcism, Spell Breaking, Clairvoyance, Divination, Protection, Bless/Consecrate, Success, Money, Gossip, Strength, Bravery, Courage, Confidence, Sex, Lust, Healing/Health, Lammas, Fire, Longevity, Protection Against Storms
Onion: Exorcism, Spell Breaking, Clairvoyance, Divination, Psychic/Prophetic Dreams, Protection, Bless/Consecrate, Success, Money, Gossip, Sex, Lust, Health, Healing
Ginger: Mental/Psychic Powers/Development/Awareness, Psychic Protection, Success, Money, Strength, Love, Romance, Sex, Lust, Balance, Ostara, Lammas, Fire
Paprika: Banish, Curse
** Note: My source for all of these correspondences come from various posts that I have reblogged in the past that can be found in this tag. I do not claim authorship for any of it, just the organization of it.**