Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Also known as Archangel, Garden Angelica, European Angelica & root of the Holy Ghost.

Uses - medicinal, culinary & cosmetic.  One of the tallest and certainly very decorative herbs, it is a biennial but it will self seed itself.  The leaves are fragrant, can be used fresh or dry.  The stems used for cake decoration and to flavour food such as jam.

Bay (Laurus nobilis) Also known as Sweet bay, Bay Laurel, Sweet Laurel.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal. Frost hardy evergreen for a free draining soil in a sunny sheltered position.  Pick the leaves for flavouring casseroles, stews and marinades.

Borage (Borago officinalis)  Also known as Starflower.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  A tall & vigorous annual which readily sets seed.  It has hairy leaves and lovely blue star shaped flowers adored by bees.  Young leaves used in salads, egg mayonnaise and cheep dips.  The flowers are used in salads and vegetable soups.

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) 

Uses - medicinal & culinary.  Hardy perennial with narrow leaves growing in clumps.  Lovely mauve flower heads are attractive to bees.  Chopped chives can be used in salads, cooked vegetables, soups and egg dishes.  

Dill (Anethum graveolens)  Also known as Dillseed & Dillweed.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Hardy annual for full sun in well drained soil, excellent in tubs & containers.  Leaves and seeds are used in sauces to flavour fish, seafood & egg dishes.  Also use with green & raw vegetable salads.  Helps cure hiccups and induce sleep.

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) Also known as Blue Hyssop.

Uses - Culinary, medicinal & cosmetic. Bees are drawn to their blue flowers.  Hardy to half hardy perennial for a dry soil in full sun.  It is a very bitter herb so it is used sparingly, add the leaves to stews and baked vegetables.  Flowers can be added to salads.  It is used to flavour Chartreuse liqueur and is also used for eau de cologne.  Leaves have antibacterial properties and infusions can be made to help ease coughs & colds.

Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)  Also known as English lavender.

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic, insect repellent.  Lovely herb with a wonderful fragrance, both the leaves and the flowers are scented.  It is grown commercially on a large scale for it's essential oil.  It is a fabulous plant for bees & butterflies and thrives in pots & containers in full sun.  Lavender is said to have a calming effect and is used for headaches.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) 

Uses - medicinal & culinary.  Hardy spreading perennial herb for any soil in sun or partial shade.  Very definite lemon scent when the leaves are rubbed, it is a fragrant and easy to grow herb, adored by bees.  The leaves are used in refreshing, digestive & calming tea, it adds flavour to chicken and fish dishes, desserts & summer drinks.  It soothes skin irritations and insect bites.

Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla)  

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic & aromatic.  Wonderful citrus scented herb makes a refreshing lemon verbena tea, it is added to fish, chicken, vinegars, fruit salads and summer drinks.  It is widely used in the perfume industry as the dried leaves retain their fragrance. Prefers a sunny & sheltered spot in light, well drained soil. Half hardy.

Lovage (Levisticum officinale)  Also known as Love parsley & sea parsley.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Very tall perennial for a damp soil in the sun or partial shade.  Adds flavour to vegetable soups, casseroles, meat dishes.  The candied stems are used to decorate cakes and trifles.  Seeds are baked in bread & biscuits.  The roots and seeds have digestive properties.

Golden Marjoram (Origanum vulgare 'Aureum)

Uses - Culinary.  Hardy perennial suitable for any soil, some sun, excellent in pots & tubs.  Use chopped leaves in soups, sauces, salads and with meats.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)  Also known as Wild Marjoram.

Uses - Culinary, medicinal & cosmetic.  Hardy aromatic herb, very strong flavour, often used in Mediterranean cookery with meat & vegetables. Very attractive to bees & butterflies.

Flat leaved parsley (Petroselinum crispum)

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Very strong flavour, preferred by chefs. Ideal for garnishing food and main ingredient fines herbs, used in stuffings and sauces.  Freezes well in small quantities.  Rich in vitamins and iron.

Sage (Salvia officinalis)  Common sage, garden sage, green sage.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Hardy evergreen perennial for full sun and a light well drained soil.  Strong flavour, used with pork, liver and other meat dishes & stuffings.  Flowers used for garnish and decoration.  Flavours cheese.  

Sage 'Tricolor' (Salvia officinalis Tricolor AGM)

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Use as common sage, in stuffings, stews, poultry and salads

Thyme Jekka's (Thymus Jekka)

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic & aromatic.  Hardy perennial for a light, dry and well drained soil in a sunny spot.  Very strong flavour, use in fish dishes, chicken & vegetable dishes.  

Broad leaved thyme (Thyme pulegiodes)

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic & aromatic.  All thymes are attractive to bees & butterflies and ideal for tubs & pots.  Good strong flavour for use in salads, soups stews, sauces, stuffings & meat dishes.

Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) 

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Excellent ground cover, loved by bees & butterflies.  Use in stuffings and meat dishes.

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) Also known as Lad's love, Old man.

Uses - Medicinal, culinary, decorative, insect repellent.  Semi evergreen hardy shrub for well drained soil in a sunny spot. Strong bitter herb to use very sparingly, can be used to flavour cakes & vinegars.  It has insect repellent qualities and if hung in bunches it will deter flies.

Woad (Isatis tinctorial)

Uses - Dye plant for it's blue pigment.  Hardy biennial for a rich soil in a sunny spot.  Leaves can be used during the summer.

Agastache (Anise Hyssop) Also known as Giant Hyssop, Fragrant Giant Hyssop, Fennel Hyssop, Anise Mint.

Uses - Culinary, decorative, medicinal.  Important plant for bees & butterflies. Hardy perennial for free draining soil in sun.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) (Sweet basil, Genovese)

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Highly aromatic.  Used in Mediterranean cooking to flavour pasta & tomato dishes, pizzas & soups.  Main ingredient of pesto.  Also used as a digestive aid and can be added to cough mixtures.  Half hardy annual for a sunny & sheltered spot, very frost tender.  

Purple basil (Ocimum basilicum)  Also known as Dark Opal.

Purple basil has mauve flowers and makes a decorative garnish but does have less flavour.

Betony (Stachys officinalis) Also known as Bishopwort, Wood betony & Devil's plaything.

Uses - medicinal. Hardy perennial loved by bees, will flourish in shade or sun and tolerates most soils.

Bergamot (Monada didyma)  Also known as Bee Balm, Mountain mint, Blue balm & Oswego tea.

Uses - medicinal & culinary,  Highly aromatic & hardy perennial for a rich, damp soil, happier in part shade, but will tolerate full sun if the soil is moist.  Leaves are added to fruit drinks and to hot water for a digestive tea.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)  Also known as Chinese parsley & cilantro.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  Annual herb for full sun in a rich, light soil, does very well in tubs & pots.  The leaves are widely used in Asian and Middle Eastern dishes.  Leaves also used in salads, curries, sauces or as a garnish.  The seeds are used in curries to flavour meat & poultry and in cakes, breads and biscuits.

Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea)  Also known as Purple coneflower.

Uses - Medicinal.  Hardy perennial with lovely purple daisy flowers adored by bees & butterflies.  Echinacea is made commercially to stimulate the bodies immune system.  Echinacea is said to be effective against infections such as colds.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) Also known as Bitter fennel.

Uses - Culinary, medicinal & decorative.   Plant Green or Bronze fennel in a warm sunny spot in a rich & well drained soil.  Often used with fish dishes & fish sauces, also with cooked vegetables.  The seeds are also used for their anise flavour.  It aids digestion and makes a refreshing tea.

Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) Also known as Bear's foot, Lion's foot & Nine hooks.

Uses - Medicinal.  Today, this herb is used more as a garden ornamental rather than a healing herb.  It was once used to treat bleeding wounds and as a heart tonic.  It likes full sun to partial shade but does tend to take over the garden.

Sweet Marjoram (Oreganum majorana) Also known as Knot or Knotted Marjoram.

Uses - culinary  & medicinal.  Half hardy perennial for full sun and preferably chalk soils. The leaves & flowers are used in a number of ways, add to tomato dishes, meat dishes, pizzas, ratatouille, omelettes and salads. Medicinally it is used for headaches & insomnia.

Mint (Mentha) 

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, repellent, digestive & cosmetic.  So many mints.  Peppermint, Spearmint, Black peppermint, Swiss mint, Eau de Cologne, Basil, Chocolate, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Garden mint, Moroccan, Lavender mint, Spanish, Apple & Pineapple mint to name but a few. Add flavour to potatoes, peas, carrots, used in green & fruit salads, mint sauce, mint tea, cocktails, refreshing drinks & garnish.

Curly Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) 

Uses - Culinary & medicinal.  A rich source of iron and vitamins.  It likes a rich moist soil in partial shade.  Used in a variety of dishes, sauces, as a garnish in salads & chopped in to green salads.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Uses - Culinary, cosmetic, aromatic, decorative.  Frost hardy evergreen perennial for a sunny, sheltered site in well drained soil.  Adds flavour to meat, especially lamb, also used in marinades and oils.  Thought to improve the memory, a small sprig in hot water is said to restore memory loss.

Purple sage (Salvia purpurea)

Uses - Culinary, medicinal & aromatic.  Use as for common sage. Excellent with meat dishes and with sausages & stuffings.  

Sage Icterina (Salvia officinalis 'Icterina' AGM)

Uses - Culinary, medicinal & aromatic. Particularly strong flavour, good with meat dishes, stuffings & sausages.

Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)  Also known as Garden thyme.

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic & aromatic.  An essential plant for the herb garden.  Bees & butterflies are attracted to it.  Use the leaves in salads, soups, stews, sauces and stuffings.

Lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus)

Uses - Culinary, medicinal, cosmetic & aromatic.  Excellent thyme with a lovely lemon flavour and scent.  Use with poultry, fish, salads, fruit salads, and baked desserts.

Tarragon - French (Artemisia dracunculus)  Also known as Estragon, little dragon.

Uses - Culinary & medicinal. Half hardy perennial for sun and well drained soil.  An outstanding culinary herb which is wonderful for chicken, fish, vegetable & egg dishes, adding flavour to soups, sauces, salad dressings & vinegars. 

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)

Uses - Medicinal.  Hardy perennial with sweetly scented white/pink flowers loved by bees & hoverflies.  It will grow in any soil but does prefer moisture.  The roots are used to make a sedative tea but use with extreme caution.