Hi!

I have grown herbs outside (a smaller selection than yours!) and don't bring them in for the frosts (I'm in London, so they don't get too cold). Some look a bit tatty later in the winter, but rejuvenate quickly in spring. Most herbs should be pretty happy outside in the winter: with obvious exceptions like Basil (which I only grow indoors).

As for which plants to combine in the same trough, I think you've had good advice on that: look for plants that like similar conditions to put together. I grow mint in a separate pot to stop it taking over, as you already knew. I grow Rosemary and Sage together and they seem perfectly happy to share a pot. I've grown rosemary and thyme together in the past, and the Rosemary had a tendency to take over but only very slowly, and it didn't mind being cut back occasionally to compensate.

One recent discovery is that I have always grown parsley and chives together, and the chives have never done very well. I recently read that chives like to have their own pot, so took them out of the parsley pot and put them by themselves. Already (about 2 weeks later) they are looking MUCH happier. So you might want to plant your chives in a separate plastic plant plot sunk into your trough to keep other plants' roots out.

Good luck!

Di