Herbs

Grown for culinary use, thyme is a fragrant herb which grows better in rockeries and free draining soil. Its clumping habit makes it a perfect option for growing along paths or in cracks in walls. Purple flowers appear from May-July.

Characteristics:

• Colour: Purple
• Max. Height & Spread: H-0.5m x S-0.3m
• Hardiness: Frost tender
• Flowers: May - July
• Position: Full Sun

Rosemary officinalis is a bushy shrub with a dense, leafy habit. Linear dark green leaves have recurved margins and pale, felty undersibes. Flowers usually pale violet-blue and white. Repeat-flowering may occur at different times throughout the year.

Characteristics:

• Colour: Purple-Blue
• Max. Height & Spread: H-1.5m x S-1.5m
• Hardiness: Frost Hardy (Needs Winter Protection)
• Flowers: May to June
• Position: Full Sun
• Pot Size: 9cm

Lemon Balm is a perennial herb of the mint family, it is easy to grow and is a robust grower. It has a distinct lemon-scented foilage. During the summer months, it produces small creamy-white or pale purple flower spikes that are full of nectar, which attracts bees!

Lemon Balm has many uses, as a culinary herb it can be infused to make tea as well as flavouring ice-creams, it is also used as a herb for stuffing poultry. Harvest throughout hte summer by snipping or pinching out the growing tips, it will keep regenerating all summer!

Characteristics:

• Type: Herb
• Height & Spread: H 1.2m x S 0.6m
• Position: Full Sun
• Flowering Period: July
• Size: 9 cm

Romarinus Officinalis or Rosemary is well known for its fragrant scent, and grown widely for use in cooking and medicine. A dense shrubby herb it looks great in rockeries or window sill herb gardens alike.

Characteristics:

• Colour: Toad Green with an Ivy Undertone
• Max. Height & Spread: H-1m x S-1m
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Flowers: March - May
• Position: Full Sun
• Pot Size: 25cm

Salvia officials 'Tricolor' is a half-hardy perennial sage. Its small leaves are green with pink, white and purple variegation purple-green. They have a mild sage flavour, so are suitable for use in cooking.

Characteristics:

• Common Name: Sage
• Type: Herb
• Colour: Green and Pink
• Max. Height & Spread: H-0.4m x S-0.4m
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Flowers: July and August
• Position: Full Sun
• Pot Size: 9cm

Alpine strawberries are usually grown in shade in ornamental gardens. They have small, sweetly-flavoured, aromatic fruits and tolerate cooler conditions than most other strawberries. They need no special care and can be left to fend for themselves after planting

Characteristics:

• Type: Semi-Evergreen
• Height & Spread: H-0.3m x S-1.5m
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Flowering Period: May
• Position: Full Sun or Partial Shade
• Size: 9cm

Oregano Golden is a woody-based perennial to 30cm in height, forming a spreading clump of wiry stems bearing broadly ovate, bright golden-yellow leaves, and light pink tubular flowers in small terminal clusters.

Characteristics:

• Type: Deciduous Herb
• Height & Spread: H 0.5m x S 0.5m
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Colour: Yellow, Pink
• Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• Size: 9cm

Oregano is a stable of most herb cupboards - pizza or pasta sauce just wouldn't be the same without it. But have you ever tried to grow your own? Easy to grow, you can create your own kitchen herb garden on your window sill or plant it in a rockery. It needs very good draining soil, as overly wet roots can lead to root rot.

Characteristics:

• Type: Herb
• Height & Spread: H-0.6m x S-0.5m
• Position: Full Sun
• Flowering Period: Summer
• Size: 9cm

Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a bushy dwarf shrub with small, linear to ovate, aromatic, dark grey-green leaves and spikes of small, tubular, purple pink or white flowers in early summer.

Characteristics:

• Type: Evergreen Herb
• Height & Spread: H-0.5m x S-0.1m
• Hardiness: Hardy in most places
• Colour: Green Foilage, Grey and Silver with Pink Flowers in Summer
• Light Requirement: Full Sun
• Size: 9cm

An abundance of sweet juicy red fruit in Summer. Plant in a sunny position, in a container, hanging basket or window box, and feed regularily in Summer.

Delicious in pies, tarts, jams, and preserves. Serve as a scrumptious dessert or appetizing breakfast. The perfect addition to any fresh fruit tray or spinach salad. Wash fruits, vegetables and herbs thoroughly before eating.

Characteristics:

• Height & Spread: H-0.2m x S-0.5m
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Flowering Period: Summer
• Position: Full Sun
• Size: 9cm

Lippia citrodoria (Lemon Verbena) gives off a strong lemony scent when crushed, essential for pot-pourri. Also used as a culinary herb. A good Summer patio plant, likes a dry sunny position.

Characteristics:

• Type: Herb
• Colour: White, Lilac
• Max. Height & Spread: H-1m x S-1m
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Position: Ful Sun
• Pot Size: 9cm

Nepeta Catmint is a member of the mint family. It is an easy-to-grow plant with very few pests or problems. Its dark green foilage is topped with spikes in early summer with repeat blooms throughout the season.

Slightly aromatic, nepeta has a delicate, lacy appearance. Its flowers can be white, pink or lavender-blue and bloom on long spikes.

Characteristics:

• Type: Perennial
• Height & Spread: H 1m x S 0.5m
• Hardiness: Half-Hardy
• Colour: Blue
• Light Requirement: Full Sun or Partial Shade
• Size: 9cm

Aromatic herb with fresh green curly foliage. This herb is widely used in cooking and is ideal for garnishes and sauces or finely chopped and added to sandwiches also. Plant in a sunny dry position. Can be eaten as a natural breath freshener.

Characteristics:

• Type: Semi-Evergreen Herb
• Height & Spread: H-0.5m x S-0.5m
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Colour: Green
• Light Requirement: Partial Shade
• Size: 9cm

Aromatic herb, with ornamental chocolate scented foliage. Use in cooking and in salads. Plant in a sunny position, where its scent can be enjoyed by passers-by. Best planted in a container.

Characteristics:

• Type: Herb
• Colour: Green and brown
• Height Height 50cm x Spread 30cm
• Position: Partial Shade
• Hardiness: Hardy

Mentha suaveolens, or also known as Mint 'apple' is a vigorous rhizomatous herbaceous perennial with rounded, softly hairy, apple-scented leaves and dense spikes of tiny pale purple flowers in late summer and early autumn.

Characteristics:

• Type: Deciduous Herb
• Height & Spread: H-0.8m x S-1.5m
• Position: Full Sun
• Flowering Period: July to August
• Size: 9cm

Rosmarinius officinalis (Prostrata Group) 'Capri' is a decorative rosemary which can be used in the kitchen. It is an evergreen herb with needle-like leaves that are aromatic. Blue flowers are borne along the branches in spring and autumn. Easy to grow!

Characteristics:

• Type: Evergreen Herb
• Colour: Green, Blue (Flowers)
• Max. Height & Spread: H-0.3m x S-0.6m
• Flowers: Spring and Autumn
• Hardiness: Tender in Frost
• Position: Full Sun
• Pot Size: 3 Litre

Lemon thyme plants are a lovely addition to a herb garden, rock garden or border or as container plants. A popular herb grown not only for its culinary uses but for its attractive foliage, lemon thyme plants can be planted to form a ground cover or among pavers along a path or patio. The tiny flowers are a bee attractor, aiding in the pollination of surrounding plants.

Characteristics:

• Height & Spread: H 0.2m x S 0.4m
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Flowering Period: June and July
• Position: Full Sun
• Size: 9 cm

Primarily used as a groundcover, Creeping Thyme is a dwarf, aromatic shrub forming a low cushion of tiny, pointed, glossy blue-green leaves that turn bronze in the fall. Beautful clusters of tiny, deep pink-purplish flowers are rich in nectar attracting butterflies. Although the leaves are aromatic, they are rarely used in cooking.

Characteristics:

• Type: Dwarf Shrub
• Height & Spread: H 0.7m x S 3m
• Hardiness: Hardy
• Colour: Blue-Green
• Light Requirement: Full Sun
• Size: 9cm