A flowering PERENNIAL growing to 70cm with lemon scented leaves similar looking to mint and in summer small, nectar-rich flowers appear.
Prefers well-drained soil in a full sun or semi-shaded position.
Leaves are edible and medicinally it is commonly used household remedy as both a tonic herb and for its soothing, anti-anxiety actions.
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.
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.
Black cumin is an ANNUAL flowering plant that grows to 40cm with finely divided feathery leaves and attractive flowers which are pollinated by bees. Distinct inflated capsules contain numerous seeds which are used as a spice and medicine.
A PERENNIAL growing to 1m with heart-shaped grey-green leaves and pretty flowers in pink or white with lilac spots. Known to be attractive to bees, and cats. Prefers well-drained soil in a full sun position. Can grow in very alkaline soils. Leaves and flowers are edible and it has a long history of medicinal use.
A PERENNIAL growing to 1m with heart-shaped grey-green leaves and pretty flowers in pink or white with lilac spots. Known to be attractive to bees, and cats. Prefers well-drained soil in a full sun position. Can grow in very alkaline soils. Leaves and flowers are edible and it has a long history of medicinal use.
An ANNUAL growing to 1m with grey-green branched stems and 1-4cm lanceolate leaves. Flowerheads are commonly in an intense blue, but with white, pink, purple and even dark, almost black varieties existing. Flowers are known to attract bees and other pollinating insects. Prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor, alkaline soils. Full sun position is best and tolerates some degree of drought.
Shoots and flowers are edible and it has a long history of use as a medicine, although rarely used today.
An ANNUAL growing to 1m with grey-green branched stems and 1-4cm lanceolate leaves. Flowerheads are commonly in an intense blue, but with white, pink, purple and even dark, almost black varieties existing. Flowers are known to attract bees and other pollinating insects. Prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor, alkaline soils. Full sun position is best and tolerates some degree of drought.
Shoots and flowers are edible and it has a long history of use as a medicine, although rarely used today.
A BIENNIAL/PERENNIAL growing to 1.8m with prickly stem and leaves and purple, dark pink or lavender inflorescence.
Grows well in almost any soil and can tolerate heavy clay soil. Prefers moist soil in a full sun position.
With some use as a herbal remedy, the plant is better known for the dried flower heads being used for carding wool and as a clothes brush for raising nap on woollen cloth.
Anise hyssop is a PERENNIAL growing to 90cm with bright lavender-purple flowers that are very attractive to bees and butterflies. It grows upright and clump-like with oval, toothed leaves that have a white tint underneath. The plant prefers well-drained soil and a full sun position. Leaves are anise-scented and the flowers slightly aromatic. Used as a culinary herb, and noted as a Native-American medicine for various ailments.
White flowering Anise hyssop is a PERENNIAL growing to 90cm with white flowers that are very attractive to bees and butterflies. It grows upright and clump-like with oval, toothed leaves that have a white tint underneath. The plant prefers well-drained soil and a full sun position. Leaves are anise-scented and the flowers slightly aromatic. Used as a culinary herb, and noted as a Native-American medicine for various ailments.
A HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL Lady’s Bedstraw is a low scrambling plant. Leaves are borne in whorls of 8–12 and the flowers are yellow produced in dense clusters.
A frost-tender, tropical, evergreen, PERENNIAL grass that is aromatic and grows up to 1.5m.
Prefers well-drained moist soil in a full sun position. Can tolerate very alkaline soils and drought to some degree.
Fragrant leaves and the heart of young shoots are cultivated for use in cooking and teas. The leaves and essential oils are used commonly as traditional home remedies.
Origanum onites is a PERENNIAL growing 30cm by 60cm. Leaves are slightly bitter compared to oregano or marjoram, but with their strong thyme-like flavour are an acceptable culinary herb. Leaves are used fresh or dried. Has medicinal uses.
A tender PERENNIAL growing to 60cm with small simple, smooth and ovate leaves that have a sweet pine and citrus flavour. Small white flowers are loved by bees and bumblebees.
Prefers well-drained soil in semi-shade or full sun. Leaves are edible and used as a flavouring, and it has medicinal applications.