Thank you for your interest in herb plants from MeadowSweet Herbs & Flowers. I've closed plant and seed order processing for 2024. Online orders for plants and seeds will re-open on Monday 6 January for shipping from the next Tuesday, 14 January.
If you are interested in my Mini Grow & Use Guides, please email me for processing at minette@tonoli.co.nz during the shop's vacation dates.
The gates sales table plant stand is always open and up and running, so feel free to pop past if you are in the Rangiora/Waikuku area to see a selection of the plants (not all plants in my inventory is available outside - if you want to come past for something specific, text me and we can see what we can work out: 0225251177).
Alyssum is a low growing ANNUAL reaching 20cm in height. The much branched stem has small, broad oval to lanceolate sessile leaves and dense clusters of small flowers. Noted for their sweet scent like honey, they come in white, pink, salmon, rose-red, violet and lilac and are known to attract insects such as bees. The plant does well in almost any well-drained soil in a full sun position.
Young leaves, stems and flowers can be added to salads or as an edible garnish. Has some medicinal use, especially in Spain.
African basil is a perennial basil, although it may still grow as an annual in temperate or cold climates. It is native to Africa and is also known as Clove Basil.
Bush basil is an ANNUAL growing to 30cm with a tidy rounded growth habit and tiny, light green leaves. The plant prefers full sun in a moist, but well-drained soil.
Leaves, which are mild in flavour, are used like common basil.
Cinnamon basil is a PERENNIAL, but often grown as an ANNUAL. It has a spicy cinnamon-scented fragrance. Leaves are slightly serrated and dark green with reddish-purple veins and dark purple stems and pinkish flowers. Growing to almost 80cm tall, it prefers a full sun position in moist, but well-draining soil.
Holy basil is an erect SUBSHRUB that grows up to 60cm. Many branched, hairy stems carry simple ovate green leaves with slightly toothed margins. Flowers are purple.
It is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes and herbal tea and common to the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia. The plant is revered as the elixer of life.
An ANNUAL growing to 60cm with bright green lemon-and-basil-scented leaves and white flowers. Used fresh in salads or as a garnish, with its lemon flavour it pairs beautifully with fruit dishes.
An ANNUAL basil that grows to about 45cm with very large crinkled leaves. The flavour is not as strong as other sweet basils, but their mild flavour and large size make them ideally suited to as a lettuce wrap, or added to salads etc.
An ANNUAL growing up to 60cm with oval light green leaves with a lime-basil scent and white flowers. Similar in look to the lemon basil, but with a more lime-basil scent, it makes a great fresh use basil and can be added to salads, fish, herbal vinegars and infused as a tea.
An ANNUAL growing to around 70cm, it is a cultivar of Sweet Basil, and has oval dark purple leaves, reddish stems and purple flowers. Used much in the same way as common basil, it has a stronger flavour and its pretty leaf colour makes it an appealing herb to add to salads or as a fresh garnish.
Sweet basil is an ANNUAL growing to around 50cm with oval green leaves and white flowers. It can be grown as a PERENNIAL in warm climates, but dislikes the cold and will succumb to frost. Basil prefers well-drained moist soil in a full sun position away from cold drafts.
Leaves are edible and used fresh or cooked, or dried in various dished, notabley Italian cooking. Pairs well with tomato dishes, garlic, eggplant or peppers. Seeds are edible too.
Sweet basil is an ANNUAL growing to around 50cm with oval green leaves and white flowers. It can be grown as a PERENNIAL in warm climates, but dislikes the cold and will succumb to frost. Basil prefers well-drained moist soil in a full sun position away from cold drafts.
Leaves are edible and used fresh or cooked, or dried in various dished, notabley Italian cooking. Pairs well with tomato dishes, garlic, eggplant or peppers. Seeds are edible too.
Thai Basil is an annual plant with bright green leaves that tend to purple at the flower tips, and characteristic purple stems. The flavour of Thai basil is that of basil with a hint of aniseed. It is often used in Thai cuisine.
An ANNUAL growing to 45cm, it is sometimes known as Anise Basil or Liquorice basil because of its spicy anise- and liquorice-like flavour. It has shiny, green, slightly serrated narrow leaves, purple stems, and pink-purple flowers.
An ANNUAL growing to 60cm with several stems from the base lined with pairs of lance-shaped leaves that emit a lemony odour when crushed. The purple flowers are highly attractive to butterflies and bees. Prefers moist soil in a full sun or semi-shaded position.
Leaves are edible and used as a condiment and for brewing a herbal tea.
A PERENNIAL growing to 90cm forming dense clusters with dark green opposite leaves along square stems and ragged tubular flowers borne on showy heads in many shades of scarlet, bright red, pink, salmon and crimson. Very attractive to bees and butterflies. It can grow in heavy clay soil, and prefers a sunny position or semi-shade.
Leaves and shoot tips as well as flowers can be eaten while an excellent aromatic tea is made from fresh or dried leaves and flower heads. Often used in home herbal remedies.
A PERENNIAL growing to 90cm forming dense clusters with dark green opposite leaves along square stems and ragged tubular flowers borne on showy heads of bright scarlet. Very attractive to bees and butterflies. It can grow in heavy clay soil, and prefers a sunny position or semi-shade.
Leaves and shoot tips as well as flowers can be eaten while an excellent aromatic tea is made from fresh or dried leaves and flower heads. Often used in home herbal remedies.
A PERENNIAL growing to 1.5m noted for attracting wildlife like bees and butterflies. Large clumps has erect branches with lance-shaped toothed leaves and solitary compact flower clusters of pink to lavender flowers. It is often used as a honey plant, medicinal plant, and garden ornamental. Grow in any well-drained soil, but can grow in heavy clay soil. It prefers a full sun position. Flowers are edible and aromatic leaves are used raw or cooked. A common North American tribal medicine, it is still used somewhat in modern herbalism.
An ANNUAL growing to 60cm with several stems from the base lined with pairs of lance-shaped leaves that emit a lemony odour when crushed. The purple flowers are highly attractive to butterflies and bees. Prefers moist soil in a full sun or semi-shaded position.
Leaves are edible and used as a condiment and for brewing a herbal tea.
An ANNUAL flowering plant growing to 60cm , well noted for bringing bees to the garden. It is very bristly or hairy all over the stems and the leaves. Large leaves are alternate and simple. Large floral displays with multiple flowers blooming simultaneously. Somewhat tolerant of drought, it can grow in semi shade or full sun.
Leaves have a cucumber flavour and the pretty star-shaped blue flowers are also edible. Medicinally it has a lot of domestic uses.
An ANNUAL flowering plant growing to 60cm , well noted for bringing bees to the garden. It is very bristly or hairy all over the stems and the leaves. Large leaves are alternate and simple. Large floral displays with multiple flowers blooming simultaneously. Somewhat tolerant of drought, it can grow in semi shade or full sun.
Leaves have a cucumber flavour and the pretty star-shaped blue flowers are also edible. Medicinally it has a lot of domestic uses.
An ANNUAL flowering plant growing to 60cm , well noted for bringing bees to the garden. It is very bristly or hairy all over the stems and the leaves. Large leaves are alternate and simple. Large floral displays with multiple flowers blooming simultaneously. Somewhat tolerant of drought, it can grow in semi shade or full sun.
Leaves have a cucumber flavour and the pretty star-shaped blue flowers are also edible. Medicinally it has a lot of domestic uses.
A BULB that grows to 30cm, preferring a moist but well-drained soil and full sun or semi shade. Tolerates heavy clay. Chives have hollow stems (or scapes) up to 50cm and tubular leaves that are just slightly shorter than the scapes. The flowers are pale purple, and produced in a dense inflorescence.
Leaves with their mild onion flavour is used in cooking, either fresh, or cooked, or dried. Long history of nutritive healing.
A BULB growing to 30cm. Not frost tender, it prefers well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates alkaline soils and somewhat drought resistant. Garlic chives have strap-shaped leaves and produces many white flowers in a round cluster. Leaves are used fresh or cooked where a mild onion-garlic flavour is needed. Flowers and flower buds can be eaten raw or cooked.