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​Plants with a bee symbol are beneficial for bees or other pollinators.
Key: 
Annual: A plant that flowers, set seeds and dies within a single growing season.
Biennial: A plant that completes their life cycle over two seasons putting on leaf growth only in the first year and flowering and setting seed in the second year.
Perennial: A plant that will continue to grow for many seasons, possibly flowering each year. Some perennial plants will die back each winter with new growth appearing in the spring. Not all perennials are hardy and some will need protection or placing under cover during the winter.
Monocarpic: A plant that will die after flowering and setting seed but is not necessarily an annual and may live for more than one season before flowering.
NOTE: It is very important to consult a qualified medical herbalist before taking any herbs medicinally. Any information contained here is for information only and not as a guide to self-medication. The use of any information from this website is entirely at the reader's own risk. 

Dill

 Anethum graveolens ​
  • Type: Hardy Annual
  • Approximate height: 60 cm to 1 m
  • Preferred position: Fertile, well drained soil in full sun.
  • Care: Regular watering helps to prevent premature running to seed.
  • Uses: Culinary, Medicinal
  • Dill has yellow umbels of flowers in midsummer. Both the leaves and the seeds, (when ripe), can be used for flavouring.

Downy Woundwort
Stachys germanica
  • Type: Biennial or short-lived perennial.
  • Approximate height: 60 cm
  • Preferred position: Well drained soil in sun.
  • Care:
  • Uses: Medicinal
  • Rare in the UK.. Thought to have been used to cover wounds. Upright grey-green downy herb with whorls of pink/purple flowers in summer.

Echinacea
 Echinacea purpurea ​
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 1.2 m
  • Preferred position: Rich, well drained soil in sun.
  • Care: Dead heading will ensure a second flush of flowers.
  • Uses: Medicinal, Decorative
  • Very attractive plant with large purplish pink flowers.

Elecampane
Inula helenium
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  •  Approximate height: Up to 2m
  •  Preferred position: Prefers damp soil in semi-shade.
  •  Care: Needs little attention but water in very dry weather.
  •  Uses: Medicinal
  •  Attractive tall plant with large leaves and yellow flowers up to 7cm in diameter.​

Fennel
 Foeniculum vulgare ​
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 1.5m - 2m
  • Preferred position: Fertile, well drained soil in sunny position.
  • Care: Cut back old growth. Removing flowers will result in more leaf production but obviously not recommended if you would like seed to use, (also because the flowers are loved by insects.)
  • Uses: Culinary, Medicinal
  • Very tall with attractive feathery leaves. All parts of the plant are aromatic with an aniseed scent and flavour. Finely chopped leaves can be added to salads, cooked vegetables, stuffings and soups.  The seeds can be used in sauces and bread.
  • An attractive bronze leaved variety is also available.

Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium ​
  • ​Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 60 cm
  • Preferred position: Any soil, self seeds readily.
  • Uses: Medicinal
  • Pretty, white, daisy like flowers, sometimes double. There is also a golden leaved form. ​

Fiddleneck
Phacelia tanacetifolia
  • Type: Annual
  • Approximate height: 20 to 120 cm
  • Preferred position: Well drained soil in full sun.
  • Care:
  • Bee plant
  • Soft blue or lavender flowers during the summer. Very attractive to bees and other pollinators.

French Sorrel

 Rumex scutatus ​
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 45 cm
  • Preferred position: Plant in rich moisture-retaining soil in sun or partial shade.
  • Care: Remove flowering stems when they appear.
  • Uses: Culinary
  • Forms large clumps of long leaves and tall striped flower stems in June and July.
  •  
    CAUTION: HIGH IN OXALIC ACID, AVOID IF SUFFERING FROM KIDNEY PROBLEMS, RHEUMATISM, OR ARTHRITIS ETC.

French Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus ​
  • Type: Half-hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 1m
  • Preferred position: Moist but well drained soil in a sunny sheltered position.
  • Care: Needs protection in winter.
  • Uses: Culinary
  • Upright aromatic herb with lance-like leaves. Usually non-flowering in the UK.

Garlic Chives
Allium tuberosum ​
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  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 30 cm
  • Preferred position: Rich moist soil with some sun.
  • Care: Cut regularly to encourage new growth.
  • Uses: Culinary
  • Grass-like leaves, flatter than normal chives with a garlic flavour.

Golden Marjoram
Origanum vulgare 'Aureum'
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 45 cm
  • Preferred position: Well drained soil in sun. 
  • Care: Can be trimmed after flowering.
  • Uses: Culinary
  • Golden leaves with mauve/pink flowers in summer.

Great Mullein
Verbascum thapsus
  • Type: Hardy Biennial
  • Approximate height: up to 2 m
  • Preferred position: Likes a stony dry soil in a sunny position.
  • Uses: Medicinal
  • Big grey-green downy leaves with yellow flower spikes developing in the second year.  Self seeds readily, seedlings can be dug up and re-situated.

Horseradish

Amoracia rustican
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 60 cm
  • Preferred position: For best crop grow in rich moist soil with some sun but will grow in any position or soil.
  • Care: Can be invasive. If space is limited try growing in a large pot.
  • Uses: Culinary, Medicinal
  • Large coarse leaves and small white flowers on long stems in late spring to early summer. The grated root is used to make Horseradish sauce or to flavour dips or coleslaw.

Hyssop
Hyssopus offinalis
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 60 cm - 90 cm
  • Preferred position: Plant in a sunny position in well-drained soil.
  • Care: In spring cut back hard into old wood. This will encourage new growth and stop the plant getting untidy.
  • Uses: Culinary, Medicinal
  • Flower spikes in summer in deep blue, white or pink. The strongly flavoured leaves can be used sparingly in stews.  The flowers can be sprinkled on salads.  Can be used for low hedging around beds or herb gardens.

Lavender
​Lavendula angustifolia
  • Type: Evergreen Perennial
  • Approximate height: 30 cm - 90 cm
  • Preferred position: Likes sunshine and light free draining soil.
  • Care: Cut back after flowering.
  • Uses: Medicinal, Decorative, Pot-pourri, Culinary
  • Flower spikes in summer in colours ranging from white, through pink, lilac to deep purple. Can be used for hedging.

Lemon Balm
​Melissa officinalis
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 30 cm - 80 cm
  • Preferred position: Sun or partial shade in any soil.
  • Care: After flowering down to ground to encourage a new flush of leaves. Can be invasive, pull up unwanted clumps.
  • Uses: Culinary, Medicinal
  • Very small white flowers in summer.  Also appears in variegated and golden varieties. Use whenever a lemon flavour is needed in either sweet or savoury dishes.

Lemon Verbena

​Aloysia triphylla
  • Type: Half Hardy Deciduous Perennial
  • Approximate height: 1.5 m
  • Preferred position: Light well drained soil in a sunny position.
  • Care: Can survive the winter if kept frost free over winter.
  • Uses: Culinary, Aromatic, Medicinal
  • Small white flowers in summer. Use leaves as a tea and for lemon flavouring.

Lovage

​Levisticum officinale
  • Type: Hardy Perennial
  • Approximate height: 2 m
  • Preferred position: Prefers rich moist well drained soil but  will tolerate most soils and conditions. Sun or partial shade.
  • Care: For a second crop of leaves cut back to ground level just before flowering.
  • Uses: Culinary, Medicinal
  • Yellow flowers in late summer. Leaves have a celery flavour.
  • CAUTION: Pregnant women and people suffering from kidney disease should not take large quantities medicinally.