Winter savory (Sajureja montana) is a wonderful perennial herb which is lesser known than some of the more traditional kitchen garden varieties such as rosemary and thyme. That said, it is an absolute must-have with its tasty narrow leaves which pack a punch with both flavour and spice that pair well with stews, bean and lentil dishes. In the summer they enjoy a flourish of vibrance as they burst into flower and provide a feast for the bees and butterflies too, making this variety an all-round winner.
The versatile herb of winter savoury can be grown either in pots which are at least 30cm wide with a bit of extra grit, or into beds with poor, free-draining compost. They prefer a slightly alkaline soil but are otherwise not fussy. Like most Mediterranean herbs, this variety enjoys basking in the sunlight, so opt for a sunny corner that gets at least 6 hours of light per day, but ideally somewhere sheltered away from any harsh winds.
As with many herbs, winter savory can be grown from seed in the spring and typically takes two to three weeks to germinate. However, our personal favourite is to take soft tip cuttings in the early summer to increase our plant stock as it's relatively easy to do but also makes the most of your existing plants. Or, if you're looking for a perfectly sized herb plant to go straight into your garden, our 9cm winter savory plants are just what you need.
Winter savory can easily become leggy over time if not properly cared for. In the spring, it's worth giving your plants a hard cutback to ensure pretty, compact, bushy formations throughout the year. It's also good to regularly harvest your herbs, or pinch out the tips, cutting back around a third at the time to continually encourage new growth and keep the plant young. Many opt to replace and re-sow their winter savory plants every two to three years to keep them looking their best.
If you've planted your winter savory herbs into pots, we'd recommend moving them to a frost free area over the colder months to help reduce leaf fall. Reduce the amount if water you give these plants, particularly if they're still at risk of frost. For plants in the ground, we'd advise adding a thick layer of mulch such as compost or well-rotted manure to add a layer of insulation, as well as keep the weeds away. If the area your herbs are planted gets particularly water-logged over the winter, you may also want to consider digging them up for the season just to ensure they don't rot away in the ground.
Get to know this mighty herb a little better in our introduction video:
]]>There are many herbs to grow in the UK that actually enjoy the cooler conditions of early spring, that seem to thrive under chilly clear skies, which is excellent news because we absolutely love adding these herbs to cooking on colder spring nights.
We are going to take you through some of our favourite herbs to plant out in spring, and some tips on how best to plant your herb plants at this time of year.
There are so many hardy, evergreen herbs that can be planted in early spring. Essentially, they can be planted if the ground is workable, free-draining and not frozen. We find that the growth of these hardy varieties of herb plant can be accelerated by planting within a container under cover in a polytunnel or greenhouse, although equally, they will enjoy the cold crisp conditions outside too.
All of the herb plants mentioned on this page are fully hardy and will enjoy the chilly conditions that early spring will provide, but we would recommend taking the following steps to ensure that your herbs thrive
We really hope that you have enjoyed this introduction to the best garden herbs for spring. The spring herb garden is an exciting place filled with hope and potential - we absolutely love it. Head over to our herb plant shop to get started.
]]>Whilst the majority of herbs will overall thrive better in the ground, there are lots of ways to get the best from your herbs in pots. The additional benefit of container growing is that you can move them whenever you need to, be it to bring them under cover for a hard frost in the winter or to implement a change of garden design.
Some herbs such as mint are best kept contained within a pot, even when sunken into the ground as this restricts the root growth and stops them from taking over your entire garden. The best example of this is mint, which we always recommend growing in a pot for this exact reason.
We'd recommend a pot around 15-30cm deep for your herbs as this will allow their roots space to grow. When you're planting them out into your pots, be sure to give them room around the root ball with a spacing of around 10cm to stop them from competing with one another.
There are so many combinations of herbs that work wonderfully well together, so we thought we'd just give you a little inspiration.
The Classic Herb Garden Collection - Rosemary, Creeping Red Thyme, Sage, Hyssop, Moroccan Mint, Lemon Variegated Thyme
The Herbal Tea Collection - Lemon Mint, Lemon 'Curd' Thyme, Blackcurrant Sage, Moroccan Mint, Tashkent Mint, Roman Chamomile
The Strange and Beautiful Collection - This collection is updated weekly with a selection of delectable treats that are a little different from the norm.
The Fruit Bowl Herb Collection - Blackcurrant Sage, Orange Thyme, Orange Mint, Mint 'Jessica's Sweet Pear', Alpine Strawberry, Lemon Curd Thyme
The Boozy Herb Collection - Lime Mint, Strawberry Mint, Lemon Verbena, Rosemary, Orange Thyme, Pineapple Mint
Once you've selected your vessel and your herb combinations, it's time to get planting. You want to ensure you use a free-draining compost so you might want to add some extra grit in the form of perlite or coarse grit to help with this. Add a layer of compost to the bottom of the pot, leaving enough space for the entire depth of the pot to be placed on top. Then position your herbs into their final places and fill in the gaps between the plants with your gritty compost mixture. Water them well to help them get started and then ensure they don't dry out during warm and windy spells. For a final flourish, you can add a top dressing of grit, crushed shells or bark to cover the compost whilst the herbs establish.
The three key elements of looking after your container-grown herbs are based around food, water and pruning. Potted plants have a tendency to dry out very quickly, particularly during the summer months so make sure you're keeping a keen eye on their water levels. In the winter, you want to make sure they're not sat in a wet puddle as the majority of herbs really hate to be sat in soggy soil. Give your herbs a feed once a month or so during the peak growing season to give them a little boost, and you may wish to re-pot your plants every 2-3 years into fresh compost. Finally, it's important to keep on top of picking and pruning, not only so that you can make the most of your delicious herby treats, but also to help keep the plant growing vigorously and in good health.
We really hope that this has given you some ideas on where to start with your container herb gardens, but if you need any advice at all we're always happy to chat via Instagram or over email so drop us a message!
]]>Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), we almost feel like this herb doesn't need an introduction because it's so well-known and loved. However, this champion of the kitchen garden certainly deserves a full introduction, so we will indulge you. This flavourful herb with its tiny leaves and vast varieties is quite possible one of our favourites. Adding something magic to both sweet and savoury dishes, it's a must-have for any garden, whether you only have space for one special specimen, or ten, the rewards are endless. What's more, it's a really easy-to-grow plant, perfect for those new to growing, as well as a great gift for those with years and years of experience.
For starters, Thyme is a sun-loving herb that thrives in well-drained soil and basks in sunlight. When selecting the ideal spot for your thyme, you want to choose an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight daily if possible. This ensures robust growth and enhances the herb's aromatic oils, intensifying its flavour profile. However, it will tolerate some shade if you're not blessed with a sun trap growing space.
Well-draining soil is crucial to prevent waterlogged roots, a condition that thyme strongly dislikes. Thyme isn't particularly picky about soil pH, but slightly alkaline to neutral conditions are ideal and we'd certainly suggest giving it a fresh dousing of compost when first planted, as well as a good mulch once a year to keep it looking its best.
Whether you're planting thyme in the ground or in containers, space the plants approximately 12 to 18 inches apart. This allows for air circulation, reducing the risk of fungal diseases and promoting healthy growth. Whichever space you choose, this herb easily adapts to its e and produces huge amounts of foliage for you to cook and eat throughout the year.
Growing thyme from seeds can be a rewarding endeavor, allowing you to witness the herb's journey from germination to harvest but it can be a tricky process to get right, so most people start off with more establishes plants such as the ones we sell in 9cm pots. These are ideal for going directly out into the garden, whether you've got a permaculture herb spiral, a living wall or a space in one of your garden beds for this incredible plant. Once established, you can then take cuttings to spread the joy of herbs even further! Thyme cuttings root easily in well-draining soil, or in water, just make sure you don't take cuttings from the woody centre of the plant.
As your thyme matures, you want to make sure you're harvesting regularly as this promotes bushier growth and ensures a constant supply of fresh leaves for culinary use. Trim the stems just above a set of leaves not taking more than a third of the plant at any one time, and your thyme plant will reward you with a robust and aromatic display.
Pruning is a vital aspect of thyme care, contributing to its compact form and enhancing both its visual appeal and flavor. Start by pinching back the tips regularly to encourage branching and prevent the plant from becoming leggy. This can double as your harvest, so definitely make use of your pinched tips for delicious desserts and hearty stews.
In early spring or late winter, a good, slightly harsher pruning is worthwhile to shape the plant and remove any dead or woody growth. Thyme can withstand a significant trim, just be careful not to cut into the woody growth as this will prevent it from growing back in certain areas.
While thyme is generally hardy, providing some care in the winter months ensures its v and resilience come spring. Mulch around the base of thyme plants to insulate the roots and protect them from freezing temperatures. IF you're growing your thyme in pots, these can be moved indoors to shield it from the harsh winter elements. Place it near a sunny window, and your thyme will happily endure the winter chill. However, be careful to monitor its water levels as you don't want them to dry out whilst out of reach of rainfall.
To help you step into the wonderful world of thyme, here are a few of our favourite varieties that we really think you need to try:
]]>Hyssop is an extremely versatile herb with a rich history dating back to ancient times which brings both culinary and medicinal benefits to your kitchen garden. Its vibrant green leaves and vibrant blue flowers is what gives it character aesthetically, whilst to take you'll notice a mildly minty, yet subtly sweet flavour when added to dishes. Its aromatic essence complements various culinary creations, from soups and salads to marinades and teas. Easy to grow, this resilient herb is a delightful addition to any home garden.
Hyssop plants will thrive in well-draining soil and plenty of bright sunlight, making it ideal for a sunny corner of your garden. The more sunshine these tasty leaves get, the richer their aromas and flavours will be, but they will tolerate partial shade if need be. These herbs dislike waterlogged conditions so avoid any heavy clay areas which can remain body during rainy weeks of the year. This herb adapts well to various soil types but leans towards a slightly alkaline pH if you're getting scientific.
Like many similar herbs, hyssop is best grown from a pot plant, like the 9cm versions we sell here on our online plant shop! Once they arrive at your door, we recommend giving them a good drink in case they've been a little thirsty during their journey, and then get them settled into their final homes. Companion plant them with other herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage for a classic pairing, or add them into beautiful borders to enhance the sensory experience and you'll enjoy them for many years to come. You can also clone mature hyssop plants, either by division during the dormant seasons of early spring or late autumn, or by taking cuttings and growing them on in water or an alternative growing medium. This is a really fun way to get to know you plants, and create more of them to share with friends and family too!
Pruning hyssop is a relatively straightforward process that enhances the plant's appearance and vitality. In early spring, trim back established hyssop plants to encourage bushier growth. Make sure you use clean, sharp shears to cut back about one-third of the plant, focusing on removing dead or damaged wood. Regular pruning not only helps to maintain a compact shape but also stimulates fresh growth and ensures the flowering lasts for as long as possible. Keep an eye out for any yellowing or damaged foliage throughout the growing season and prune them away as necessary, alongside spent flower heads to ensure the plant is putting all its energy into fragrant leaves.
Before the frost sets in, it's a good idea to make sure your plants are well hydrated, as winter winds can lead to dehydration. However, be careful that the roots aren't left sat in water for any prolonged periods of time as this may lead to root rot. You may wish to apply a layer of mulch around the base to help insulate the roots and protects against extreme temperatures which we can face here in the UK which will also help to enrich the soil and lead to a great harvest for the following year. While hyssop herbs are hardy, providing a windbreak or covering with fleece during severe cold spells can prevent winter damage just to be on the safe side.
If you love geeking out on herbs just as much as we do, why not join us in the Herb Club? You'll get to enjoy a whole range of great perks such as exclusive discounts, expert masterclasses and more!
]]>Lemon balm, otherwise known as Melissa Officinalis, is a fragrant herb celebrated for its citrusy aroma and versatile uses. You may be surprised to learn that it is a member of the mint family boasting vibrant green, serrated leaves and clusters of small, pale-yellow flowers. Beyond its ornamental appeal, lemon balm is known primarily for its calming properties, often used in tantalising teas and aromatherapy. Its lemony flavor adds a delightful twist to culinary creations, from salads and desserts to infused beverages. Easy to grow in gardens or pots, this is a plant of pure joy and one which will make you smile every time you brush past its leaves. Also, have you seen how gorgeous variegated lemon balm is?
Lemon balm plants thrive in well-drained soil and unlike many other herbs, it does well in partial shade, making it ideal for planting in a garden with dappled sunlight. Choose a location where it receives morning sunlight but is sheltered from the intense afternoon sun, preventing the herb from drying out. This resilient herb adapts to various soil types but favors fertile, loamy soil rich in organic matter. Consider planting lemon balm near other herbs or vegetables as a companion, as it attracts pollinators while deterring certain pests. However, it can put on vigorous growth to be sure to give it space so not to overcrowd its plants pals. Its lush, aromatic foliage makes it a charming addition to borders or containers, enhancing both the aesthetic and functional aspects of your garden.
For those of you looking for a low maintenance herb that doesn't skimp on reward, this is just the plant for you. It can be easily grown from seed, although we highly recommend starting with a potted plant (you can get them from our fantastic herb shop) and then propagating them when needed to increase your stock or share them with friends and family. If you were looking to geek out on all the technical details on growing this showstopper, we're sorry to disappoint but it is a plant which only ever needs a light prune to keep it in ship shape.
Pruning lemon balm is a simple yet crucial practice to maintain its health and vigor. In early spring, as new growth emerges, trim back the stems by about a third top kickstart the season. Whilst this may feel a little brutal, it will encourage a bushier habit and prevents the plant from becoming leggy which you want to avoid at all costs. Remove any dead or yellowing leaves regularly throughout the growing season to enhance air circulation and discourage pests. Harvesting leaves for use in your creative cooking serves as a form of pruning, so we highly recommend doing so. You can then prune back the plant in late autumn to remove dead or weakened growth, promoting a healthier resurgence the following year. The final thing to remember is to cut back spent flower heads promptly, this will redirect the plant's energy into fresh growth rather than on seed to reproduce. With these mindful pruning steps, your lemon balm will thrive, providing abundant aromatic foliage.
Caring for lemon balm in winter ensures its vitality come spring. Before a frost sets in, lay a generous layer of organic mulch around the base to insulate the roots against harsh temperatures. While lemon balm is hardy, in particularly cold regions, consider adding a protective covering or moving potted plants to a sheltered location is worth while just to be on the safe side. During snowfall, gently brush off snow to prevent breakages.
If you're not growing lemon balm in your garden, you seriously need to consider this addition as we think there's a chance it just might change your life... Want to become a herb expert with cool perks such as exclusive discounts, expert masterclasses and more? Why not join our Herb Club?
]]>Sage, oh wonderful sage. This classic kitchen garden herb is such a wonderful, fragrant and beautiful plant that we just love so much. Otherwise known as Salvia, this drought-tolerant shrubby plant is one of the easiest to get started with and will bring you joy for many, many years to come, as long as you give it a little TLC here and there. Whilst many of you will have heard of the classics such as purple sage and golden sage, one of the true delights for us is blackcurrant sage, a game changer of a herb which is simply delicious with a sweet hit of fruity goodness and gorgeous purple flowers during the summer. You NEED to meet this herb, we promise you won't be disappointed.
In the UK, you'll want to plant your sage in a well-drained, sunny location for optimal growth. This aromatic herb thrives in soil with good drainage, preferably sandy or loamy, to prevent waterlogged roots. Choose a spot that receives maximum sunlight each day if you can as this will enhance both flavour and essential oil production. However, it will tolerate part and often full shade so don't fret if you're growing space isn't a complete suntrap. Sage is a super versatile plant which complements a variety of garden layouts, from herb beds to borders and pots. It looks fantastic as part of a herb spiral and when planted amongst the other classics of the kitchen herb garden family such as oregano and thyme.
Whilst you can sow sage from seed, it's a time consuming process starting off in early spring and sometimes taking a number of weeks to germinate. That's why its most common for sage plants to be grown on from pots, like the ones we sell in our online herb shop, or from cuttings! To propagate from cuttings, take 8-12cm stem cuttings in spring or early summer, remove lower leaves, and place them in water or damp compost. Keep them in a warm, bright spot until roots develop, then transplant into larger pots before hardening them off to go outside into the garden. Our potted plants can simply go straight into the ground, or into pots as we send them out at optimal times of the year to ensure you get the best out of these beautiful stems.
You can start pruning your plants in the early spring, removing woody stems and any dead or damaged growth. Trim the plant to maintain a compact shape, cutting just above a set of leaves and you'll be rewarded with a full, bushy plant later in the year. Be careful and avoid cutting into the woody core excessively, as sage may struggle to rejuvenate from old wood and may leave you with an architectural, but sad looking plant. Regular harvesting during the growing season will also help you to keep your herbs looking their best, and encourage new growth too.
As temperatures drop, we'd definitely recommend adding a protective layer of mulch around the base to insulate the roots against frost, like a lovely natural blanket. Consider covering the plant with horticultural fleece during severe cold spells, shielding it from freezing winds if you're in a particularly cold area. It's also worth keeping an eye on water levels and ensuring the plant is watered but not sat in damp, boggy grounds for a long period of time as this could lead to your sage taking a trip to plant graveyard. With these precautions, your herbs will stand a good chance of making it through the winter months, ready to flourish again in the spring.
Want to learn more? Check out our in-depth YouTube video on how to grow pineapple sage:
If you can exercise enough self-restraint not to order every variety we sell, then we applaud you, and here are out top picks:
Blackcurrant sage - no, really, you NEED it
Pineapple sage - the foliage on this one is a real showstopper
Purple sage - a classic which enhances so many dishes throughout the seasons
If you really want to get your geek on your herbs this year, why not join our Herb Club?
]]>Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) is one of the more unusual herb varieties we offer in our online herb shop and it is so incredibly undervalued! The sweet, citrusy hit this plant gives is DIVINE, reminiscent of sherbert lemon. Growing to between 2 and 3 metres in height with shiny pointed leaves, they add a great architectural feature to your garden with gorgeous pale purple flowers in the summer. In our eyes, this really is a must have for any kitchen garden.
They love light, airy, free-draining soil, so be sure to avoid any areas of your garden which suffer from water logging as that will not make them happy. Plus, they're a sunshine loving herb so plant them in full sun where possible. Lemon verbena has a limited hardiness in the winter months, so you might want to keep this one in a pretty pot so that it can be brought into a warm greenhouse an protected during the frosty months. Alternatively, you could carefully dig the plant up each year, or add some fleece around the plant to increase its chances of survival.
Lemon verbena is a plant best grown on from pot plants or cuttings for the best results. You can take step tip cuttings in lake spring, or divide larger plants in the winter dormant season once they are a few years old. Our lemon verbena plants are supplied in 9cm pots over the course of the spring and summer months to give you the best chance of a thriving herb. All you need to do is simply give it a good water and plant it out into the area you have designated to be its home, be it a pot or in the ground. Ensure you keep on top of watering, particularly while the plant is first establishing in its new home, and during any unexpected heatwaves.
It's best to prune your lemon verbena plants during the late spring, once you have seen new growth starting to emerge. This will help your plant to be big, beautiful and bushy, without getting out of control as they can put on an incredible amount of growth once they hit peak season. You'll want to cut away any dead and damaged stems, then reduce the woody stems of the plants down to around 5-10cm in height. This might feel a little harsh just as it's getting going, but the plant will thank you for it in months to come. You can then give your herbs a light price after the first set of flowers start to appear, being careful not to take off more than a third of the plant in total. Then, simply harvest what you need throughout the year to make delicious dishes and drinks.
What you do with your lemon verbena over the winter depends on how much of a risk you want to take. For those living in more milder areas of the UK, you may find your plants do just fine if they're tucked away in a warm corner, beside a wall or in a protected pocket. We'd recommend adding a nice layer of mulch in the late autumn/early winter for a bit of extra care if you're going down this route. For the more precautious herb growers amongst you, you'll want to bring these tasty treats inside. Un unheated greenhouse should do just the trick whilst the plant goes into dormancy. Just be sure to give it a drink of water every couple of weeks so that it doesn't dry out entirely.
And there you have it! With these tips and tricks, your garden flourish with this new sweet and delicious herb in its midst. If you have any other questions about lemon verbena or any of our other super cool herb varieties, just drop us a DM and we’ll get back to you - or, if you really want to get your geek on, why not join our Herb Club?
]]>If you've not got Lavender plants in your garden then you're really missing out. These are fantastically versatile herbs which add colour, fragrance, structure and flavour to any space. Throughout the year you can really get creative with your harvests from using them fresh in baking, drying them for gifts or extracting their powerful scent to be used at home. What's more, bees absolutely LOVE these highly scented blooms so planting them in your garden will provide an absolute feast for our little flying friends.
Offering a wonderful choice as a border that's not only beautiful but loved by the bees and butterflies too, and being versatile enough to be grown in pots of vegetable beds, you really can't go wrong. Preferring Mediterranean climates, you'll want to choose a spot that mimics the conditions as closely as possible. Avoid areas which are in full shade, boggy or particularly exposed to cold snaps and opt instead for drier soils with good drainage. Overall, lavender plants tend to thrive in the UK with only a little TLC needed throughout the year.
Lavender can be grown from seed, typically germinating in 2-3 weeks, but they can be time-consuming to grow on to the size you're looking for. Certainly, the easiest way to grow this herb is by selecting a pot-grown plant from a reputable supplier such as ourselves, and planting it out into your garden. Then, in the summer months, you can select the non-flowering stems from the plant to propagate if you wish to increase the number of plants you have, or grow them on to share as a gift to friends and family.
It is of the utmost importance that you prune your lavender plants to keep them compact and looking fresh. Deadhead tender lavenders throughout the summer to stop them from using all of their energy to produce new seed. Then, in late summer to early autumn, cut them back by around a third to prevent them from becoming woody at their centres. Be sure not to cut down into woody areas whilst pruning leaving plenty of green on the stems, especially when the plants are young. Don't forget, you should always harvest and prune with clean, sharp secateurs.
Once you've pruned your plants in the summer or autumn seasons, there's not much you'll need to do to care for them over the winter. Just remember that they really don't like being sat in cold, wet conditions, which is why lavender grows so well in pots in particularly dry areas.
Can we say all of them? Once you discover the joy of lavender you'll soon want to collect them all, but here are a few of our personal favourites to get you started:
If you love geeking out on herbs, why not join us in the Herb Club where you'll get great perks such as exclusive discounts, expert masterclasses and more?
]]>Oregano plants are an absolute must-have in any kitchen garden. These woody perennial plants typically grows from 20-80 tall, whilst there are a number of varieties which grow close to the ground and provide excellent cover. They look truly wonderful in the garden, with pretty pale flowers that come out in the summer, and have a fantastic fragrance too. Typically used in Greek and Mediterranean dishes, oregano, fresh or dried, adds a hint of pepper, slight sweetness and a lovely earthy aroma.
Originating from Mediterranean climates, oregano loves a warm, sunny spot with good drainage. It's best to plant them somewhere where they will be sheltered from strong winds as they can be a little delicate. If you're growing in particularly clay soil, add in some fresh compost or grit to help with the drainage. They'll grow very well in pots, raised beds and directly in the ground
Oregano can be grown from seed or cuttings, but buying plants is certainly the easiest way to get this perennial established. Once you've got a plant or two, you can them propagate cuttings to multiply your stock for the future for your own garden, or to give as gifts to others. All you need to do is snip a healthy stem around 10-15cm long, remove the lower leaves, and place it in a glass of water in a sunny spot. Once you start to see the roots emerge and they are about 3-5cm long, you can then transplant your new plants into compost and grow on until they are ready to be planted out after the last frost.
To get the very best out of your oregano plants, you want to harvest the flavourful leaves regularly. Once the last frost has passed, give your plants a good trim back, this will keep them compact and help encourage a new fresh flush of growth for the summer season. Then, at the end of autumn/early winter a few weeks before the first frost, you can give your plants another light trim to stop them from going woody over the winter. Don't forget to deadhead the summer flowers either before they start to set seed as you want your plants to pour their energy into producing beautiful leaves.
It doesn't hurt to give your oregano plants a mulch ahead of the winter to add some nutrients to the soil and give it an extra layer of protection. Otherwise, simply ensure that the roots aren't left waterlogged. Pots can be moved and positioned against a wall to help reduce the rainfall. If you're worried about plants in the ground getting waterlogged, they can be dug up and kept in pots over the winter. Just be sure to add something to improve the drainage when you replant them so that you needn't disturb the plant each year.
Now this is a tricky choice, but here are a few of the varieties we really, really love:
- Oregano Hot'n'Spicy - a fun twist on the classic with a spicy kick!
- Oregano 'Country Cream' - a beautiful variegated variety that looks stunning in pots
Growing oregano at home or at your allotment is such a rewarding process. You can easily add them into butters, flavoured oils, dry them and crush them to store in jars or use them fresh making them an incredibly versatile crop!
If you love geeking out on herbs, why not join us in the Herb Club where you'll get great perks such as exclusive discounts, expert masterclasses and more?
]]>Mint plants love to soak up the sun, but also appreciate a bit of shade during the hottest parts of the day. Find a spot in your garden that receives partial sunlight, and your mint will thank you with lush growth. The plants grow best in moist, free-draining soil which is rich in organic matter so avoid anywhere that is too sandy. It’s best to keep mint contained as it can be very invasive if left to it’s own devices, so we highly recommend potting up your mint plants into large plant pots before sinking them into the ground where you wish for them to grow, thus constricting the roots and stopping them from taking over completely. Every few years you can pull up the pot and remove a portion of the roots, or split your mint plants to ensure they have enough space to grow.
Growing mint from seeds is an option, but let's be real—it's easier to start with plants, and you can buy your herb plants directly from our online herb shop! Propagating mint is also incredibly easy and can leave you with a huge amount of plants! Simply snip a healthy stem around 10-15cm long, remove the lower leaves, and place it in a glass of water. Soon enough, roots will emerge, and you can transplant your minty wonder into soil. If you're feeling daring, plant mint cuttings directly in the soil. Ensure the soil is kept consistently moist until you witness the miracle of roots sprouting.
To keep your mint bushy and thriving, pinch off the tips regularly. This encourages branching and prevents your mint from getting too leggy. Plus, it's a lovely excuse to inhale that divine minty aroma! Then, in late summer, it’s best to give your mint plants a hard cut back to just above the soil level. Providing the weather conditions are right, you’ll then be rewarded with a fresh flush of new growth and this will keep your herbs looking ravishing and fresh for as much of the year as possible.
Mint's growth slows during winter, so ease up on the watering. Allow the top layer of soil to dry out before reaching for that watering can. Overwatering can lead to root rot, a definite winter downer but overall they are an incredibly easy plant to care for from summer through winter.
If it were us, we’d dedicate an entire patch to the wonderful world of mint varieties, but here are a few we highly recommend just to get you started:
Chocolate mint - think divine dark chocolate After Eights
Berries and cream mint - a sweet, fruity and delicious variety that works wonderfully well in deserts
Pineapple mint - zingy and delicious with a beautifully unusually variegated leaf
Lemon mint - fresh and fabulous, this one is a top choice for cocktails such as a refreshing mojito
Growing and nurturing mint plants is a journey filled with aromatic joy and boundless culinary creativity. By selecting the right spot and embracing the fun of propagation, you're setting the stage for minty success. Want to become a herb expert with cool perks such as exclusive discounts, expert masterclasses and more? Why not join our Herb Club?
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Like all living things, rosemary plants have their preferences. They thrive in sunlight, so ideally you’ll place it in a location that basks in full sun for at least 6-8 hours a day but it will tolerate shade so don’t be disheartened if your garden isn’t a suntrap! Well-draining soil is a must for rosemary so if you have particularly wet conditions, it may be worthwhile to add in some sand or perlite with your soil to improve drainage. A slightly alkaline soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5 suits rosemary just right.
We're often ask if rosemary grows better in a pot or in the ground, and the answer is certainly in the ground where it has the freedom to move and send its roots out to search for food and water. That said, it will still grow well in a pot, and many people even have success growing their potted rosemary indoors on a sunny windowsill so it's a great option for a number of spaces and certainly one of the less-fussy plants with their hardy qualities.
Growing rosemary from seeds can be a bit slow taking months on end, so the majority of gardeners opt for ready-grown rosemary plants like ours from our online herb shop and they are certainly worth the investment. As perennial shrubs, they can grow to around 1m in height and with the right care, they’ll bring so much life and fragrance to your space for many years to come. When you find a variety you truly love, we really recommend taking your own cuttings to propagate new plants, this means you can pass them on to friends and family to enjoy.
To get started, snip a 10cm cutting from a healthy rosemary stem, remove the lower leaves just leaving a few cm of leaves at the top, and dip the cut end in a rooting hormone. Use your finger or a pencil to make a hole in a pot filled with compost and then pop the cutting into the home and water it in well. Within a month or so you should be able to see the roots growing and starting to establish the plant’s support system.
An interesting experiment to run with children and adults alike is to propagate your cuttings in water. Simply place your cutting with the lower leaves removed into a glass of water and wait for the magic to happen. Change the water every few days and within a few weeks, you'll see those tiny roots taking shape. Once the roots look nice and healthy, you can pot them up into fresh compost before planting them outside once established.
Pruning rosemary is like giving your plant a spa day—it refreshes its appearance, encourages healthy growth, and even enhances its aromatic charm. Knowing when and how to prune can make all the difference in maintaining a flourishing herb so hopefully, these tips will help you to give your plants the best chance.
In the UK, the best time to prune your rosemary is in the spring, aiming for late March to early April. Pruning during this period allows your plant to channel its energy into new growth and helps it develop a fuller, bushier form. If your rosemary has bloomed during the spring, wait until after its flowering cycle is complete before pruning. This way, you'll ensure that you don't inadvertently remove developing flower buds. Once the blooms have faded, usually by early summer, it's the ideal time to give your plant a light trim.
As summer wanes and the growing season starts to wind down, consider a final touch-up pruning. Around late August to early September, give your rosemary another light trim. This tidying session helps the plant maintain a compact shape and encourages healthy growth going into the cooler months.
When pruning rosemary, less is often more. Use a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears to snip the tips of the branches. Focus on removing about 2-5cm of growth, shaping the plant into a tidy and balanced form. Avoid cutting too far back into the woody stems, as this can hinder regrowth.
As a general guideline, avoid removing more than one-third of the plant's overall growth during a single pruning session. Overzealous pruning can stress the plant and impact its ability to bounce back vigorously.
In the UK, most varieties of rosemary will survive the tough winter months providing that their roots aren’t sat in wet conditions for months on end. They don’t need any additional care in the winter as long as they’re not sat in water they should come back bigger and better than ever the following year.
Want to learn more? Check out our in-depth YouTube video:
Well, if we’re being honest, we’d say all of them! But if you’re just getting started, here are a few that we’d really recommend:
Classic Rosemary - a staple for your kitchen garden
BBQ Rosemary - with the addition of a subtle smoky flavour, this is a fantastic herb for summer dishes
Trailing Rosemary - for herb spirals, hanging baskets or anything where a trailing herb will thrive, this variety is a real winner with a softer stem
And there you have it! With these tips and tricks, your garden will soon be filled with the delightful aroma and charm of rosemary plants which you can add to many of your favourite dishes for a flavour boost. If you have any other questions about rosemary plants, just drop us a DM and we’ll get back to you - or, if you really want to get your geek on, why not join our Herb Club?
]]>The main advantage of preserving your herbs is that very often at the height of growing season, there is just too much to use all at once! The herb garden is so wonderfully full of flavour, your herb plants will be producing foliage so quickly and there will be an abundance of seasoning that you can use. However, it's important to consider that this level of abundance is transitory with the changing seasons.
However, you can harvest your herbs at the height of their growing season, use your fresh produce for what you need at that point and then use different preservation methods to make the rest of your harvest last for months afterwards.
So what are the best ways of preserving herbs?
It is very important to preserve your herbs in a way that does not negatively affect the plant and so maintains the amazing flavour that you would like to add to your food or drink. It is also good to remember that it is often down to what your preferred method is, and what you plan to use the herbs for later down the line.
Here are a few methods of preserving herbs and some tips for getting the most out of your herbs:
This is perhaps the most well known of the methods of preserving herbs, as we all have a few jars of dried herbs in the kitchen cupboard just in case!
Pretty much all herbs can be dried but some need a little more preparation, due to water content and predisposition to mould, so it is good to do a little research. Good herbs to start off with include Rosemary, Sage, Thyme and Winter Savory to name a few.
We grow so many unusual varieties here at Urban Herbs and there are many different varieties of Thyme that you can dry to preserve and use at a later stage. Varieties such as Lemon Curd Thyme are so sweet and the aroma of citrus as you dry this variety will make your kitchen smell amazing. BBQ Rosemary is another beautiful variety with a distinctive smoky flavour that smells so strongly as you dry it.
There are quite a few drying methods to chose from, from more traditional air drying to dehydrating and using your oven or even microwave. All of these drying methods then allow for you to store your dried herbs either whole or crumbled in clean glass or plastic containers to use in your cooking!
A top tip to reduce your energy bill when drying herbs is to place cut herbs onto a baking tray in the middle of an oven after you have finished cooking a meal and with the oven switched off, allow the residual heat to dry your herb plants. When they are fully dry, you can crumble them into an air tight container and use them at your leisure.
Freezing your herbs is another great way of preserving them, and can be done in a couple of different ways to be sure to have herby ingredients ready to use in your freezer.
A great way of freezing herbs for use in your cooking is to 'flash freeze' herbs to then keep in containers in your freezer for whenever you need them. This method works best for thinner herbs such as Chives, Lemongrass and Tarragon.
Another increasingly popular method is freezing methods in ice cubes, which can be used in cooking, as well as in cocktails and to flavour water. This method can be done with any herb and as long as the ice encases the herb leaf completely and is used frozen (thawing wilts the leaves), this is a great way to use your herbs all year round.
Infusing oils with your herbs is a delicious way to make use of the incredible flavours herbs lend to our cooking.
By using a couple of handfuls of strong herbs such as Rosemary or Oregano with olive oil or an oil of your choice, you can create a beautifully scented infusion that should be usable for up to a year.
We hope that this has given you some inspiration for how you would like to preserve your herbs to use all year round and the different ways you can use them in your food and drink!
We really hope that you enjoyed this brief guide to preserving your herb plants and stretching the abundance of summer into the colder months of the year. With the increasing cost of food in general and seasonings in particular, this is a really fun activity that can reduce the cost of your weekly shopping bill slightly throughout the colder months of the year.
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Planning your herb garden
We always suggest planning your herb garden based on the following principles:
The value of the herbs that you will be growing.
This doesn’t just mean the monetary value of the herb plants that you have growing within your herb garden, although the financial impact of these plants and the money that they can save you should also be considered. Growing relatively expensive ingredients such as French Tarragon or Vietnamese Coriander can certainly save you money throughout the course of a full growing season.
But the value of the herb plants that you grow within your herb garden should also be considered in terms of their value to you – to your quality of life. They should make you feel good and add texture to your growing space. This should be a space that benefits you and makes you feel amazing.
Wellbeing
We are big advocates of mental health and the benefits that these amazing herb plants can bring to your mental wellbeing. In building a herb garden, you are creating a space that can be a refuge for you. A space where you can prioritise ‘you’, which provides a sensory recharge.
You should think about filling your herb garden with aromas and textures that speak to you personally.
Smile generation
There is such a huge range of expert advice that can be found about garden design in general and herb garden design in particular. So much of this advice is helpful and inspiring, but ultimately it’s really important to remember that yours is the only opinion that matters as you develop your growing space and make your herb garden.
Your objective should principally be smile generation. If it makes you smile then it’s a huge success.
Realism
This is a tough one to write. We are herb geeks here at Urban Herbs, who get hugely excited by the unusual varieties that we grow and stock. But it’s important to be realistic and consider how much time you will be able to devote to your herb garden. Consider growing amazing evergreen, hardy varieties such as Lemon Curd Thyme, Orange Thyme, BBQ Rosemary or Winter Savory, all of which will be very low maintenance and require little attention from yourself.
As you continue to build your herb garden you can expand as your confidence grows.
You can also find more information regarding design principles around a herb garden in our fortnightly herb growing workshops, which are included free with any Herb Club membership. Find out more here.
(More information regarding these projects can be found in The Herb Gardening Handbook)
This is a really fun project that can be easily achieved using an old pallet. Planting areas can be created between the slats of the pallet at each level and lined using either an old compost bag or landscape fabric. Herbs can then be planted on each level and provide a really attractive and space saving option to add to your growing space.
The pallet can also be decorated to your own taste.
This is another great space-saving option to grow your own herbs. Growing herbs in a hanging basket has many advantages, as your herbs can be grown conveniently and in flexible locations. You just need something to hang your hanging basket from. Low growing varieties are particularly suited to growing in a hanging basket although larger varieties can live in the hanging basket for a short period of time before being potted on into a larger container.
This also has the added bonus that it moves your herbs away from potential issues with animals disturbing your plants.
What is a bee buffet? In the Herb Growing Handbook, Andrew expands more on this, but essentially a bee buffet is planting specifically designed to cater for the needs of bees throughout the season. You are providing a ‘starter’ of herbs in flower during early spring, a ‘main course’ of flowering Thyme plants during the summer months and a ‘dessert’ of late summer/ autumn flowering lavender plants, to provide late season food for bees.
Some of the most beautiful herb gardens that we have seen have been windowsill based and this provides a really convenient way of growing herbs for use in the kitchen. There are many varieties such as Basil or Coriander that will prefer growing behind glass and the windowsill will provide a happy home for these herbs. Growing herbs indoors really doesn’t have to be a ‘second best option’ to growing outdoors – this is something we are really passionate about as many of our customers don’t actually have the option to grow outside but have still developed gorgeous indoors herb gardens.
There are so many aspects to consider when making a herb garden, but the planning stage is so important. We feel that inspiration is important too and we really hope that you have enjoyed us sharing these thoughts with you. Over the coming weeks we will be sharing more growing tips through these weekly blogs, our newsletter, Instagram feed, Facebook feed, YouTube channel and of course exclusive content and workshops through the Herb Club.
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We have listed selected varieties of herb plant that we grow to save ourselves money. This list is subjective to us, as we would always suggest growing varieties of herb that you will use regularly. We all have different tastes and culinary preferences, so your list will look slightly different to ours and we think that is fantastic.
This provides a hint of traditional coriander flavour, coupled with a hint of citrus and a spicy kick. It’s delicious when chopped into a home-made curry or rice dish. The primary selling point of Vietnamese Coriander is that it’s much easier to grow than traditional coriander. It’s a perennial, whereas traditional coriander is an annual. It doesn’t go to seed easily, which means that you can use the same plant on multiple occasions, harvesting the foliage regularly and saving yourself money!
Wild Rocket
We eat so much salad, and when purchasing bags of supermarket mixed salad, the costs can mount quite quickly. There are so many varieties of salad herb that are easy to grow and will quickly begin to save you significant money when you harvest them each week. Wild Rocket is one such variety that is easy to grow and very tasty, with a delicious peppery kick. Keep cutting this variety and it will keep producing regular foliage for you to harvest.
Mint tea is such a beautiful soothing drink to enjoy early in the morning or on a warm summer afternoon and Moroccan Mint is one of our favourite varieties to use. The cost of buying boxes of herb tea blends is increasing rapidly and enjoying a couple of cups of mint tea each day could quickly add a significant amount onto your weekly grocery bill. A variety like Moroccan Mint grows so quickly that it really is easy to grow enough to keep you supplied with delicious mint tea ingredients.
This is a truly gorgeous variety of herb plant with a flavour that can literally transform any meal it is added to. It’s also a variety which recipes seem to invariably require whenever we don’t have any in the kitchen cupboard. Buying a small packet of French Tarragon can be quite expensive and the cost of using this herb just a few times each year can mount up quickly. Growing a small pot of French Tarragon on your windowsill can save you lots of money throughout the year.
This is another hardy, perennial cut and come again salad herb that will grow quickly and provide you with lots of beautiful salad leaf. Burnet Salad has a subtle cucumber flavour that is perfect for chopping into a mixed salad or combining with a stronger salad leaf like Wild Rocket. Just planting a few of these amazing herbs will provide you with a year's supply of salad.
There are so many different varieties of Rosemary that you can grow including traditional Rosemary, BBQ Rosemary or Trailing Rosemary. They all contain that delicious Rosemary flavour that has the magical ability to make us feel hungry and enhance any meal. Once established, a Rosemary plant can last many seasons and provide countless meals with delicious, home-grown flavour.
We absolutely love the onion flavour that Chives provide and their ability to transform a meal. They are hardy and easy to grow, spreading gently each year and really benefiting from being cut back firmly. This will then provide you with a regular harvest of delicious, onion-flavoured foliage. Chives are easy to grow, either in a pot on the windowsill or in a container outside the back door. Fun fact, the bees will absolutely love the Chive flowers that appear during early spring too.
Grow varieties that you use regularly, as we find that designing your kitchen garden space around your needs is a really good idea. If you enjoy eating Italian or Mexican food, Oregano ‘Hot n Spicy’ will absolutely save you money. Whereas, if you don’t really enjoy cocktails, Mojito Mint is unlikely to do so.
Manage your expectations. We all lead busy lives and being self-sufficient is beyond many of us who have other time commitments. However, growing and developing a herb garden slowly, adding and expanding it each year genuinely can save you money and we think that is magical.
Have fun. Remember that growing things is all about having fun and remember to enjoy the process. Wherever possible, share the joy of growing with family and friends. Chocolate Mint always seems to be a crowd-pleaser in that regard!
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We highly recommend growing Rosemary and stock several different varieties. We absolutely love the flavour of the classic Traditional Rosemary, which is simply perfect of using to season roast dinners. BBQ Rosemary is another fun variety, which combines the classic Rosemary flavour with a smoky kick. Likewise, Trailing Rosemary contains all the delicious flavour of classic Rosemary within foliage that naturally trails and spills, making it ideal for growing in a hanging basket or raised bed.
We generally recommend that Rosemary is easier to grow beginning with an established starter plant. This herb plant can then be planted on into a larger container or into the ground. Rosemary is frost hardy and very low maintenance as a variety, but will not enjoy being waterlogged so care should be taken to ensure that its planting location is free draining and not prone to waterlogging. Ideally, Rosemary will enjoy being planted in a sunny position.
Rosemary will typically flower during spring, and its gorgeous blue flowers become a magnet for local bees; they will enjoy working away on the flowers under cool, spring sunshine. The flowers are really beautiful and are perfect for pairing with other ornamental planting.
It’s really important to prune your Rosemary plant regularly, not only to shape the plant but also to promote positive, healthy and productive growth. Rosemary is a herb plant that can be pruned regularly throughout the growing season, although it’s best not to prune too close to the projected date of first frost.
You can prune back up to one third of the Rosemary plant. This will encourage the plant to produce compact, healthy growth and prevent the Rosemary plant from becoming woody or leggy.
You can propagate Rosemary by taking cuttings approximately 10-15cm long from an established Rosemary plant. Remove the lower leaves as this will reduce moisture loss from the cutting and leave you with a length of stem without leaves. ‘Leaf nodes’ are the point in the stem where foliage begins to emerge from the stem and you will cut the exposed stem just below one such leaf node. At this point, you could dip your new cutting in hormone rooting powder, which should reduce the time it takes for roots to be produced, although this shouldn’t be necessary. Finally, place the cutting in a fine compost mix with grit to help drainage and wait for the magic of the growing process to begin. The cuttings can be covered in a cold frame, propagator or with a plastic bag, which should help retain moisture. Within a few weeks, your cuttings should have developed roots and as they continue to grow, you will be able to pot them on into individual containers.
Like many herbs, Rosemary is perfectly suited to growing in a container. It’s a hardy herb with a beautiful aroma, versatile flavour and really ornamental too. Rosemary is relatively low maintenance and quite tolerant of neglect, making it a great herb to grow in containers if you are new to growing your own herbs.
It’s generally easiest to plant up your Rosemary container using a ‘starter’ plant already established in it's pot. Choose a suitable container to pot your new Rosemary plant into; as a general rule we suggest initially potting up into a container at least three times the size of the starter plant pot. Place a little compost in the base of your new container, tease the young Rosemary plant from it’s pot and position it within the new container while carefully packing compost around it.
Rosemary will enjoy growing in a sunny position, reminiscent of it’s native Mediterranean climate. This is also a herb plant that will enjoy free draining conditions, so you should ensure that your Rosemary container is free draining. During periods of warm, dry weather, you may need to give your container a little extra water.
Rosemary is a long-lived herb, that is low maintenance and perfectly suited to life growing in a container. It’s growth can be controlled by the size of container in which you plant it, but ultimately Rosemary can grow into a large plant even within a container.
Rosemary will live within a container for many years, provided that it’s basic requirements for sunshine and moderate watering without waterlogging are met. It will occasionally benefit from being potted into a larger container, but not often.
You can also ensure that your container grown Rosemary remains strong and healthy by pruning regularly, promoting positive healthy growth, keeping the plant compact and preventing it from becoming ‘woody’ or leggy.
We really hope that you have enjoyed this guide to growing Rosemary as it's truly one of our favourite flavours within the kitchen garden. If you have further questions please don't hesitate to reach out to our team on Instagram!
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At Urban Herbs we are really passionate about enjoying winter herbs that are a constant presence throughout the year and provide such a boost to us on cold days. We wanted to put together a list of our favourite herbs for winter, all of which are tolerant of cold temperatures and will grow outside all year round; evergreen herbs that can be left outside within normal winter conditions here in the UK.
Thyme is a relatively low-growing culinary herb that is evergreen and hardy to normal winter conditions in the UK. It is one of the evergreen herbs that is constantly present in the winter herb garden. There are so many beautiful varieties of Thyme, with Lemon Variegated Thyme and Orange Thyme being two of our favourites. Creeping Red Thyme is also a beautiful plant providing evergreen, low-growing foliage and the promise of beautiful red flowers that will emerge each summer. Thyme is a perennial herb that is perfect for enjoying as part of your winter herb garden.
Thyme is a traditional herb to use in cooking although the various lemon-flavoured varieties of thyme are perfect for using to provide a sweet and sour flavour. They are great for using in desserts and making cocktails too.
Rosemary is one of the winter herbs that we simply couldn’t do without. It’s a hardy, evergreen herb with such a beautiful flavour that can transform so many dishes. It’s one of the more common herbs here in the UK, although alongside traditional Rosemary you can also grow BBQ Rosemary, with a smoky flavour and aroma or Trailing Rosemary, which looks so beautiful as it spills down from a raised bed or hanging basket.
Rosemary is traditionally used to season meat such as lamb, although it’s also gorgeous in a veggie stir fry. Rumour has it that Rosemary might be a great garnish in a Gin and Tonic too.
Sage is one of the evergreen herbs that we enjoy in the winter herb garden. We find it quite difficult to make or even imagine a herb garden that doesn’t contain a variety of Sage. It is another of the more common herbs in the UK, with traditional Grey Sage being the most common variety but we absolutely love to plant, use and enjoy Purple Sage with its dark foliage. This is a staple of cold weather winter cooking; for us the smell of sage reminds us of classic roast dinners enjoyed in good company.
Oregano is a flavour that we absolutely adore. Here at Urban Herbs, we are foodies, who absolutely love rich flavours on a chilly winter evening. We wanted to particularly shine a spotlight on the amazing Oregano ‘Hot n Spicy’, which is one of those amazing winter hardy, evergreen herbs that can transform a meal. This variety has a traditional Oregano flavour, which is also coupled with a slightly spicy kick. Does that sound good to you? We promise that it tastes even better and is perfect for adding to homemade fajitas or pizza.
Hot n Spicy Oregano is one of the evergreen and perennial herbs that we love to grow at Urban Herbs. We don’t play favourites with our herbs, but if we did, this variety might be close to the top.
This is one of the most beautiful flavours that we grow here at Urban Herbs. It is evergreen and hardy, providing a constant presence in your herb garden throughout the winter months. We often say that Winter Savory simply smells like the best food that you have ever had, it’s flavour being similar to Thyme with a slightly peppery kick. We love to add this variety to soups and stews on a winter evening; there is something so homely about the flavour it brings.
All of the herbs listed above are hardy, evergreen and require little or no protection against winter conditions here in the UK. There are, however, steps you can take to help these perennial herbs to thrive throughout the winter.
All of the above varieties of herb will enjoy free draining conditions and it’s important to ensure that they have adequate drainage to prevent the plants from becoming waterlogged. If you are growing in containers you can add grit to your growing medium to improve drainage. You can also move your herb containers into a more sheltered position to protect against heavy rain or raise the pots up onto ‘pot feet’ to further improve drainage.
The winter hardy herbs described above will also enjoy a sunny position and it is important to consider how light conditions fluctuate throughout the year but especially within the winter months, as light is at a premium.
We also like to venture out on bright sunny winter days to enjoy the herb garden, to engage the senses, and to check on our winter herbs for any signs of problems such as waterlogging.
The winter herb garden is a beautiful and special place, filled with hope and dreams of spring. We think that the five varieties listed here are beautiful additions to any winter herb garden.
]]>Have you met Salad Burnet before?
This is the beautiful 'Sanguisorba minor' (you know that dropping Latin names into a description really makes us excited on a Wednesday morning!).
It’s a fantastic easy to grow salad herb. It’s leaves both taste and smell like cucumber. Which means that not only is it a great perennial cut and come again salad herb BUT it has useful cocktail related applications too.
Sold yet? It is ridiculously hardy and easy to grow and also has gorgeous delicate flowers during the spring and summer that really make it quite special. Whenever I pot this variety, the smell is so fresh, clean and invigorating.
Have you grown Salad Burnet before? Tempted to add it to your garden or allotment?
]]>In early Spring, I work occasionally, out in the polytunnel. I arrive wrapped up and remain so throughout much of the day! My workplace is one of the polytunnels; as I fill many, many pots with compost. Some might think that sounds boring. For me it’s really special. I love the rhythm of filling the pots with compost as I listen to the occasional birds singing. But it can be cold!!
Further into Spring, I work regularly two days a week. I get to pot up plug plants with all the promise and hope that they represent. However, in the middle of March, the pace changes suddenly. The online herb shop opens and the orders start to appear. In a very short space of time my day consists of picking and packing the many online orders. It is tiring but so rewarding. It is so humbling that our online community 'get' what we are doing.
]]>I am no way as knowledgeable as Mr Urban Herbs. Therefore, I regularly ask him questions.
Can I still plant out Lavender?
How long can I expect this herb to flower for?
As well as picking up advice about the forthcoming autumn season; which herbs will be happy in an Autumn Planter and how to prune my herbs and when.
We will be posting all of this information and more on our social channels during the coming weeks.
]]>Summer working at Urban herbs means growth, growth and more growth. I so blessed to be paid for working with such wonderful herbs. As I step out to work outside, there are so many herbs eager to get my attention. The vivid colour of the Blackcurrant Sage which is quickly joined by the stunning flowers on the thymes. At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t too sure about Caborn Wine and Roses. I suppose I didn’t know what to expect. It has really surprised me; so much so that I have planted some up in our own garden together with Golden Thyme. The results have been stunning.
Another great part of working during the summer here, is when I pack the online orders. Now and then, I look at the boxes as we pack them and they look quite simply stunning. You can imagine the aroma in the packing area is amazing.
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At home, I have planted three Ginger Mints in a trough. They started slowly and are know spreading and look fantastic against the wooden fence backdrop. They have been quite happy just getting on with the job of growing without any fuss. I put the trough in a slightly more shady area which they seem to have enjoyed.
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But we've also been thinking back onto our journey. The days that we stood
outside St Mary's Church in Bearwood working so hard for sales in all weathers. We asked ourselves how we got the strength to do that - day after day. It was hard sometimes.
But this also laid the foundations for what followed. We built a community around ours stall - people that we would see each week. It taught us the importance of community.
We will always look back fondly on those days. Perhaps not the days in which the gazebo blew away. But so many happy memories.
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MORE ABOUT US:
We genuinely hope that you buy our herb plants online, browse our UK herb plants and enjoy beautiful potted herb plants for sale. We have built a collection of perennial herbs to buy and genuinely hope you will love the potted herb plants for sale within our online store. Buy UK potted herbs online. We've tried to create best place to buy herbs online in UK.
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