Herb Basket

This practical herb holder will bring a touch of the country and fresh flavours to any kitchen. These herbs are grown in the UK and are much hardier than those you might find in the supermarket.

This weeks herbs are looking really nice as pictured with a fresh selection of hardy culinary herbs. Crop and use these tasty herbs on the windowsil and then for best results plant them out in the garden for year round flavour.

25cm high x 30cm wide

We are updating the website all the time, and care instructions will be posted here soon. Please do check back or call us with any questions

Looking after your Herb Planter

These instructions are sent with the plant gift

Herbs are usually grown outside, but young plants are quite happy indoors if you follow a few simple tips. Indoors, they will have a shorter life, but keep cutting them back and you will find they last longer than you might think.

Like most plants, herbs need sunlight. A sheltered patio, sunny windowsill or a cool bright room is best. Try to keep them away from any radiators and their leaves from contact with the glass, where they may get scorched or chilled. Or of course pop them outside on a patio within easy reach of the kitchen.

When picking herbs for cooking, cut or pick stems cleanly leaving a couple of centimetres of stalk above the soil, when you have used a complete crop of leaves allow the plant to rest and regrow. Regular harvesting encourages growth but once your plants have been harvested 2 or 3 times they should be left to rest completely and given a liquid feed or alternatively the individual herbs can be planted out in the garden in a sunny sheltered spot and the trough reused for a flowering display.

Kitchen herbs are generally very robust plants. However sometimes their fragrant leaves can be bruised in transit. If you notice any crushed or damaged leaves, nip these off to add flavour to your evening dinner and encourage new growth. As conditions indoors can be quite humid, occasionally indoor herbs may develop a mildew or mould near the base of the leaves, if this occurs, pull off any affected leaves and try moving to a sunnier position ideally outside with good airflow. Uneven watering can also be a cause of mould and mildews so ensure that you water regularly.

We are updating the website all the time, and new information will be posted here soon. Please do check back or call us with any questions

Rosemary

Rosemarinus officinalis

There are many old names for Rosemary, including compass weed and polar plant. An old French name for it was Incensier whilst the Spanish revered it as one of the bushes that gave shelter to the Virgin Mary in the flight into Egypt and call it Romero, the Pilgrim's Flower.

Attractive blue flowers

This hardy shrub will survive in almost any conditions and can grow up to 1m if allowed. In a small pot indoors its growth will be contained but it will continue to thrive all year round.

The Ancients were well acquainted with Rosemary, which had a reputation for strengthening the memory, because of this it was also associated with fidelity for lovers. At weddings, it was entwined in the wreath worn by the bride, being first dipped into scented water. Anne of Cleves, we are told, wore such a wreath at her wedding. As well as weddings, rosemary was also used at funerals, for decking churches and banqueting halls at festivals and as incense in religious ceremonies. In modern times rosemary is used in aromatherapy to promote untroubled sleep.

Season: Jan to Dec

Rosemary goes fabulously with meat dishes and adds a depth of taste to a traditional Sunday roast. Poke sprigs of rosemary into scores cut into lamb, beef or pork roasts. Its fragrant leaves add a lovely flavour to casseroles and soups.

Further information available at http://www.botanical.com