'Desert" as in where? Specific location, please. How hot is it likely to get in the growing season? If growing in containers and they are provided with adequate water, the only limiting factor would be heat tolerance. A great many annuals will fit that criteria and nearly all herbs do.

Arizona desert east of Phoenix in the foothills, better air quality and a little cooler. Will use 2-3 concrete containers to start, with drip irrigation. Part sun, inside a courtyard. Tried south and north sides of the house previously. Too hot.

Bear in mind that some on that list may be treated as annuals in colder winter areas but are perennials. eg Lantana.

So, do you insist on annuals? They are more work than perennials.

Its been some years since I’ve grown annuals other than vegetables but had good success with viola/pansys in the winter and spring with moss rose in the summer to fall in Las Vegas. These were in pots in morning sun location and usually with taller plants like aloes.

Rosemary is the easiest of the herbs and then oregano and sage but Thyme doesn't live through the summer for us. Dill is a good winter crop and basil a summer one.

Will try zinnias & cosmos, sage & thyme. Lavender hasn't worked in the past as a perennial.

Rosemary grows almost anywhere here! Thanks!

bulbs have been a great addition during this drought year - apart from the usual spring bulbs (and corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.) I would suggest agapanthus, galtonia, babiana, tritileae(sp?), homeria, zephyranthes, some gladioli (esp. papillio), watsonii, ixia, dahlia, rhodohypoxis. The extra storage seemed to work as a buffer against the long periods without water.

I could be talking out of my arse but this awful summer was saved by a number of summer bulbs. O, I might try eremurus too. And species tulips (I added a couple of hundred of these little gems which grow in high montane desert in Afghanistan, Tian Shan and Turkey