Aka 'Giant Blue Hyssop'. Native to the prairies and growing to 3', with spires of tiny, blue flowers, this is a honey plant - loved by bees, it produces light, fragrant honey. It's an important source of nectar for butterflies and birds love the seeds. Its leaves have been used for tea and as a culinary seasoning. Sun. Perennial Z 6-9 (as low as 4 with protection).

Try a variety of basils, all Certified Organic - Sweet, Genovese, Lemon, Lime & Thai.

(Annual) An introduction from Mexico, this basil is absolutely beautiful. Every part of the plant is gorgeous - from the dark purple stems and stalks, to the light green leaves and the violet/purple flowers. On top of this, it has a wonderful cinnamon taste and fragrance. (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz)

(Annual) The classic large-leaf Basil from Italy, with a wonderful spicy flavour. Excellent for pesto and bruschetta. (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz)

This species of basil is native to Chile. It is more compact than other basils, having a bush habit and smaller leaves. This makes it perfect for containers. (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz)

This is the true “Holy Basil” or “Sacred Basil” grown in India. The leaves are clove-scented, and the flowers are a pretty pink/purple.

(Annual) This Italian heirloom has much larger leaves than Sweet Basil – 3-4” long, broad, crinkly leaves that are perfect for pesto. Growing to 14”, the stocky plants have a scent and taste that is sweeter than “Genovese” Basil (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz)

(Annual) Mentioned by Mrs. Grieve (in "Mrs. Grieve's Herbal")in 1931, this Basil has a beautiful lemon fragrance. Great for tea and in vinegar (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz).

This form of Lemon Basil grows tall and upright - to 2' - with leaves to 3" long, and is therefore more easily contained than the low-growing Lemon Basil. Other than that, they are very similar in fragrance and taste (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz).

(Annual) Originally from Thailand, this Basil is similar to Lemon Basil, but with a zesty lime scent (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz).

1885. This stunning basil has deep purple/red flat leaves and lavender flowers. Growing to 12-14”, it’s beautiful enough to plant in the flower garden or line a walkway, and small and compact enough to grow in containers. Turns basil vinegar a gorgeous red colour and is a beautiful accent in salads. Has a “peppery” taste. This is a high-quality, all purple Italian strain. (approx. 16,000 seeds/oz)

(Annual) A very old herb long considered in Italy as a sign of love. One tradition held that when a man gave a woman a sprig of basil, she would fall in love with him and never leave him. Early Greek and Roman physicians believed that one had to shout & curse when sowing basil seeds, in order to grow a good crop. We, luckily, didn’t have to resort to this. Basil grows 1 - 2’ tall with a bushy appearance. In July - August, it bears pretty two-lipped white flowers.

(Annual) An ornamental as well as culinary basil. Has a distinctive anise scent and flavour. The leaves are green at the base of the plant, turning purple near the flowers. This is the true strain used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking (approx. 17,000 seeds/oz).

(Annual) Borage was cultivated in gardens before 1440, primarily because it was believed to “make a man merry and joyful”, drive away sadness and melancholy, and give courage. Although chiefly considered an herb, it was grown in ornamental gardens for the simple beauty of its blue, star-shaped flowers. The plant grows to 2 - 3’, and has a pleasing, rounded shape. According to legend, borage was sometimes slipped into the drink of prospective husbands, to give them the courage to propose marriage. Sun.

The rare, white-flowered form of borage. Very unusual and beautiful.

This perennial favourite of cats has been loved by humans, too (but they don't roll around in it...usually) A European wildflower, it was used by "the peasants" to make tea before tea from China replaced it. Its medicinal uses have included the promotion of a good night's sleep and reduction of the symptoms of colds and fever. A little more unusual attribute was its perceived ability to "make the most gentle person fierce and quarrelsome" (by chewing the root). There is a legend that a particular hangman could not work himself up to execute anyone without chewing on a good amount of catnip. To reduce cat damage, you could pay heed to this ancient verse "If you set it, the cats will eat it. If you sow it, the cats don't know it." an allusion to the belief that transplanted plants would draw cats, but direct sown ones wouldn't.

The annual Chamomile, sweetly-scented, that grows to 18”, and produces a profusion of little daisy-like flowers that have been harvested for medicinal purposes for centuries. Self-sows.

(Perennial) An ancient plant, it has been used since at least the 13th C. for both medicinal uses and as a turfing plant for walkways and grounds. The delicate-looking greenery gives off a delicious apple-like scent when crushed, and it’s very hardy. In summer, single daisy-like flowers abound, and these are what have traditionally been harvested for chamomile tea.Sun; Z 5 – 9.

Ah, well, I don't think there is anything common about chives. For one thing, they have an ancient pedigree, dating back to perhaps 5000 years of cultivation. They were a mainstay in the Middle Ages, and the Romans valued chives for their medicinal purposes. Romanian Gypsies used chives in fortune telling. They are one of the essential ingredients in the "herbes fines" of France. They have myriad culinary uses and are super easy to grow. Just let chives grow in clumps and harvest the leaves as needed, or three times a year for major harvests. They are not fussy about soil and growing conditions, other than to prefer well-drained soil and sun. Hardy to Z3. Sun.

(Perennial) This native of Japan produces strong, flat leaves and, most importantly for the garden, showy large white umbrels of flowers in late summer-early fall. The leaves can be used as are regular chives. A must-have for the garden.