Herbs

Borage 

(Borago officinalis)

Borage is a fast‑growing, hardy annual herb prized for its striking blue, star‑shaped flowers and refreshing cucumber‑like flavour. Loved by gardeners and pollinators alike, it is one of the best plants you can grow to attract bees and beneficial insects into the garden while adding beauty and function to your space. 

The edible flowers and young leaves are commonly used fresh as a garnish, in salads, drinks, and summer dishes, where they add a mild, cooling flavour. Borage grows vigorously with minimal care and often self‑seeds, returning year after year once established. 

🌿 Why You’ll Love It

• Brilliant blue edible flowers with strong ornamental appeal
• Excellent pollinator plant, loved by bees
• Easy‑to‑grow, fast‑establishing annual
• Mild cucumber flavour in leaves and flowers
• Useful companion plant for vegetables like tomatoes and squash 

🌱 Growing Tips

• Direct sow for best results: Borage does not like transplanting; sow seeds directly where they are to grow once frost risk has passed.
• Sun & soil: Thrives in full sun and well‑drained soil, and tolerates poor soils better than most herbs.
• Watering: Water regularly while young; once established, borage is relatively drought tolerant.
• Allow space: Plants can grow large and branch widely—give them room, or grow one per container. 
• Self‑seeding: Let flowers go to seed for natural re‑sowing, or deadhead to control spread.

🌸 Plant Details

• Botanical name: Borago officinalis
• Plant type: Annual herb
• Height: Approx. 60–90 cm
• Position: Full sun
• Use: Edible flowers & leaves, companion planting, pollinators

Approx. 20 seeds pkt 

Basil – Italian

(Ocimum basilicum)

Italian Basil is the classic sweet basil of Mediterranean cooking, treasured for its lush green leaves and unmistakable aroma. This traditional variety produces tender, broad foliage with a rich, warm flavour combining gentle clove, pepper, and anise notes, making it the essential basil for authentic Italian dishes.

A warm‑season annual, Italian Basil grows quickly and generously, rewarding regular harvesting with fresh new growth throughout summer. Its fragrant leaves are best used fresh, bringing vibrant flavour to pesto, tomato sauces, salads, bruschetta, pizzas, and basil oils. Pinching out flowers helps maintain leaf quality and prolong harvest.

Ideal for garden beds, raised planters, and pots, Italian Basil thrives in sunny, sheltered positions and is perfectly suited to home cooks who value fresh, aromatic herbs picked straight from the garden.

🌿 Why You’ll Love It

• Classic Italian sweet basil flavour
• Essential herb for pesto, sauces & salads
• Fast‑growing and highly productive
• Excellent for containers or garden beds
• Best used fresh for peak aroma and taste

🌱 Growing Notes

• Position: Full sun
• Soil: Well‑drained, fertile soil
• Height: Approx. 30–60 cm
• Harvest: Pick leaves regularly; pinch flowers to extend production

Italian Basil is frost‑sensitive and performs best in warm weather. Regular harvesting keeps plants compact, leafy, and productive

Oregano heracleoticum

Greek Oregano • Perennial culinary classic

Oregano heracleoticum, commonly known as Greek Oregano, is the most prized oregano for cooking, valued for its intense aroma and robust, peppery flavour. Native to the Mediterranean, this hardy perennial produces compact, silver‑green foliage and small white flowers in summer, thriving in warm, sunny garden positions.

Renowned as the traditional oregano used in Greek and Italian cuisine, this variety offers a stronger, more authentic flavour than common oregano. The leaves can be used fresh or dried, and many cooks find the flavour deepens even further once dried.

In the garden, Greek Oregano is easy to grow, drought tolerant once established, and well suited to herb beds, borders, and containers. Regular harvesting encourages bushy growth and prolonged productivity, making it a dependable and long‑lived addition to any kitchen garden.

🌿 Why You’ll Love It

• Authentic Greek oregano flavour
• Strongly aromatic, ideal for Mediterranean cooking
• Hardy perennial – returns year after year
• Drought tolerant and low maintenance
• Excellent for pots, borders, and herb gardens

🌱 Growing Notes

• Position: Full sun
• Soil: Free‑draining, light soil
• Height: Approx. 30–60 cm
• Harvest: Pick leaves regularly; prune to keep compact
• Approx 500seeds pkt 

Oregano heracleoticum prefers lean soil and dry conditions – rich soil produces softer growth and milder flavour.

Lovage

(Levisticum officinale)

Lovage is a bold, aromatic perennial herb prized for its rich, celery‑like flavour and impressive garden presence. A traditional cottage‑garden favourite, lovage produces lush green foliage on tall, sturdy plants that return year after year once established.

Often described as a more intense version of celery with hints of parsley and anise, lovage is a powerful culinary herb — a small amount goes a long way. The leaves are especially valued for flavouring soups, stocks, stews, and savoury dishes, making lovage a kitchen essential for cool‑season cooking.

In the garden, lovage is hardy, long‑lived, and generous, forming a large clump that can be harvested regularly through the growing season. Its height and fresh green foliage also make it an attractive backdrop in herb beds and mixed plantings.

🌿 Why Grow Lovage

• Strong, aromatic celery‑like flavour
• Classic herb for soups, stocks & slow cooking
• Hardy perennial — returns year after year
• Productive plant with generous leaf harvests
• Traditional cottage‑garden herb
• Approx 30 seeds per packet 

🌱 Growing Notes

• Position: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Rich, moist, well‑drained soil
• Height: Can reach 1.5–2 m when mature
• Harvest: Pick leaves as needed once established

Lovage likes space to grow and rewards the patient gardener with years of flavour and abundance.