Herb Seeds

Thymus vulgaris. This woody little evergreen plant spreads steadily over the years and has pretty pink flowers which bees love. Winter Thyme plants grow to a height of 30cm (12″). Wonderful in Mediterranean cuisine, teas, potpourri and a key ingredient of bouquet garni. Thyme dries well, too – cut sprigs and tie them with thread for hanging out of direct sunlight. They remove the brittle leaves from the stalks and store them in a cool, dry, unlit place. Plants do well in containers, and they’re drought tolerant, so consider them for xeriscaping. Cut thyme back by a third at the end of the season to encourage lots of spring growth and flower set.

Salvia rosmarinus. Rosemary has stiff stems with crisp, fir-like leaves and a strong, rich aroma. Dried leaves release more flavour if freshly crushed. Plant in full sun in the garden or a big container. This is one of the woody stemmed perennial herbs, and in the right spot, plants can become large and shrubby. If growing Rosemary seeds in containers, protect the plants from severe winter weather by taking them into a protected area like a garage or garden shed. The flowers of this oil rich herb are fragrant and very attractive to honeybees and other wild pollinators.

To harvest, cut entire branches from the plant, and dry indoors, hanging upside down in some airy place free from direct sunlight. Once dry, the leaves can be pulled off and stored in sealed containers. They remain aromatic for many months.

Symphytum Officinale. Comfrey is the perennial cousin of borage and their pink and blue blooms attract just as many pollinators. This fast-growing herb has multiple utilities. For composting, it can be used a bioactivator as well as an abundant source of green material as it will quickly regrow after being cut. Further, their long taproots draw nutrients deep from the soil into their leaves. For these reasons, their cuttings are often used as mulch in permaculture gardens to increase organic material and improve soil nutrition. It was historically grown for its reputed healing properties and is still today used topically in medicinal salves. However, if not managed, Comfrey can become quickly invasive. They reseed readily and root remnants can become new plants. Consider growing in raised beds or containers. To keep them in check, cut back before they flower.