Beans and Herbs
       
 
 
Herb Nursery          
                 
We run a private herb nursery. We grow about 100 different sorts of medicinal, aromatic and culinary herbs, using organic and peat-free compost, without the use of artificial fertilisers or pesticides. We have always been committed to safe and sustainable methods of cultivation. If you can grow some of your food as we do, we believe you and your family will be consuming vitamins, minerals and many trace elements vital to maintaining optimum well-being.

Why herbs ?
We believe herbs bring great benefit to health and should be eaten regularly in small quantities as part of the diet.

Why beans ?
Beans are an excellent source of protein and are extremely productive and nutritious per square metre of land. This is especially true for Climbing French beans. The return of food for the effort expended makes the cultivation of beans exceptionally economic.

Why organic seed ?

What is organic seed ? Organic seed is -

Seed produced by totally organic growing methods; seed that has not been gene-altered in any way; seed that is not hybrid seed but has been open-pollinated; seed that has not been given a chemical treatment in the packet. See A closer look See also
More information and System of Organic Culture at The Herbary

OUR AIMS AND METHODS

We encourage seed-saving by offering you only open-pollinated seeds grown by time-honoured, traditional methods. We never supply gene-modified seed, or F1 hybrid seed which cannot be reliably regenerated. With any of our seed you can have the satisfaction of saving some of your own particular favourite varieties, can plan your next season's crop and recipes, and can develop personal knowledge of the growth habit of each variety for your part of the country.

Our aim is to promote food self-sufficiency so that people can take control over at least some of their own food supply. The wide range of herbs, beans and other vegetables offered here give many nutritional and medicinal benefits.

We practise and encourage home-composting and green manure-growing (growing particular plants to improve soil structure and fertility). Our own practice is organic, and we use crop rotation methods. See Crop Rotation. We use no artificial fertilisers and no pesticides, and we minimise the time from harvest to table or storage.

 

Mail order for seed (see Seed Catalogues) is available all year. However we send only a few plants by Mail Order (see list below). These are small plugs or bare roots ready for planting immediately in the spring. Order Form

HERB PLANTS FROM THE NURSERY Note that the Nursery is open by appointment only from 1st May to 1st September. Please contact us with the herbs you require with at least several days notice. We prefer you to email us at info@beansandherbs.co.uk We will endeavour to have your herbs ready for you to collect at a mutually convenient date/time. When collected from the nursery, plants cost £2.50 for a 7cm pot and £4.50 for 13cm pot. If you wish to order a large number of plants for collection, such as for planting a Rosemary hedge, please give us as much notice as possible, preferably before Christmas.
Please note that we only send some plants by mail order. These have MAIL ORDER next to them on the list below. Plants may be ordered at any time of year such as when you are ordering seeds from us. We send you the seeds straightaway, and send you the plants ONLY during April / May. MAIL ORDER plants (two to four roots/bulbs) cost £8.50 plus £1.75 P&P .
PLANT RANGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON
 
ALECOST
Tanacetum balsamita		 Small white daisy flowers in summer. Height in flower 1 metre. Silvery grey-green leaves have scent of spearmint. Hardy perennial.  
Nursery only
       
ALOE VERA
Aloe vera		 Succulent green pointed leaves with slightly spiny edges contain healing gel. Half-hardy perennial.  
Nursery only
       
ANISE HYSSOP
Agastache foeniculum		 The scented leaves and the flowers can be used for tea, adding to fruit drinks, or decorating salads. Hardy perennial . Height 60cm+ when in flower. Stunning blue flower spikes.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
ARNICA
Arnica chamissonis		 Yellow daisy flowers in summer. Pointed green leaves. 60cm tall in flower. Hardy perennial.  
Nursery only
       
BETONY
Stachys officinalis		 Dark pink flowers in summer. Aromatic leaves. Height 60cm in flower. Hardy herbaceous perennial. Medicinal herb. Dye plant for yellow.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
CAMPHOR PLANT
 Tanacetum balsamita subsp. balsametoides		 Aromatic silver grey leaves with camphor scent. White daisy flowers in summer. Height 1 metre in flower. Hardy perennial.  
Nursery only
       
CHAMOMILE Roman
 Anthemis nobilis		 Flowering chamomile which can be used for lawns. Clip forming buds often. Hardier than 'Lawn Chamomile' (Treneague). Needs good drainage. Height 40cm. Perennial.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
COMFREY 'Bocking 14'
Symphytum x uplandicum		 Large Comfrey leaves for adding to compost or making liquid plant feed. Roots clump out to form large plant in a few years. See webpage Comfrey  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
COREOPSIS
Coreopsis tinctoria
 Bright yellow flowers with maroon centres. 1m tall in flower. Used for red dye. Half hardy annual.  
Nursery only
       
DYER'S WELD
Reseda luteola		 Long wavy edged leaves. Spires of yellow-green flowers. Dye plant for yellows. Height 1 metre in flower. Biennial.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
ELECAMPANE
Inula helenium		 A magnificent plant in flower. Height in flower up to 1.75m, flowers 12cm across. Medicinal plant. Roots were used for candying to help asthmatic conditions. Hardy herbaceous perennial.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
FRENCH TARRAGON
 Artemisia dracunculus		 Strong flavoured leaves. Ht. 60cm. Half-hardy perennial. See webpage French Tarragon  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
GARLIC CHIVES
 Allium tuberosum		 Leaves for garlic flavour chopped into salads, soups, casseroles. White flowers in late summer, later than blue variety. Ht. 40cm. Hardy perennial.
Also seed
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
HORSERADISH
 Armoracia rusticana		 Large thick leaves. Deep pungent root for sauce. Hardy perennial. See webpage Horseradish  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
HOUSELEEK
 Sempervivum tectorum		 Succulent leaves in rosette. Pink flowers. New offsets form at base. Hardy evergreen perennial.  
Nursery only
       
LOVAGE
 Levisticum officinale		 Yellow-green clustered flowers in summer. Lush green leaves for salad, soup, gravy or casseroles. Ht. 2m. in flower. Hardy perennial.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
LUNGWORT
Pulmonaria officinalis		 Pink flowers turning blue in spring. Large green leaves with white spots. Hardy perennial.  
Nursery only
       
MINT Peppermint
 Mentha x piperita		 We offer Black Peppermint. Very peppermint scented for tea. Hardy herbaceous perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
MINT Eau de Cologne
 Mentha x piperita citrata		 Roundish dark green leaves with delicious scent that can be added to the bath. Hardy perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
MINT Spearmint
 Mentha spicata		 Garden Mint. Mauve flowers in summer. Good for mint sauce or mint jelly. Hardy perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
MINT Tashkent
 Mentha spicata 'Tashkent Form'		 Vigorous sturdy mint with most excellent flavour for mint sauce. Indefinite spread. Hardy herbaceous perennial. See webpage Mint  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
ROSEMARY
Rosmarinus officinalis 'Miss Jessopp's Upright'		 Upright bushy habit. Good for hedging. Height up to 2m. Pale blue flowers in spring. Evergreen hardy perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
SAGE Purple
Salvia officinalis Purpurascens Group		 Purple aromatic leaves good for the kitchen. Height and spread 70cm. Hardy evergreen perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
SAGE Painted
 Salvia horminum		 Not normally for culinary use. Grown for blaze of mixed colours in the garden - dark purple, white, dark pink, pale pink. Height 50cm. Annual.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
SHOOFLY
Nicandra physalodes		 Reputed to keep flies away when sown among vegetables. Makes a beautiful patio plant when planted into a large pot. Lots of blue flowers and seedpods like pale Chinese lanterns. Annual.
Also seed
Nursery only
       
SOUTHERNWOOD
Artemisia abrotanum 		Feathery grey green leaves with sweet scent. Ht. and spread 1m. Hardy semi-evergreen perennial.  
Nursery only
       
THYME Lemon
variegated
 Thymus x citriodorus		 Green/yellow variegated leaves with strong lemon flavour. Ht. 30cm. Spread 20cm. Excellent culinary thyme. Evergreen hardy perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
THYME Silver Posie
 Thymus vulgaris
'Silver Posie'		 Silver variegated leaves. Pale pink flowers. Height 30cm. Spread 20cm. Excellent culinary thyme. Evergreen hardy perennial.  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
TREE ONION
 Allium cepa proliferum		 Leaves used as Chives. Small onions develop at top of mature plants. See webpage Tree Onion  
MAIL ORDER
Order Form
       
WILD GARLIC
 Allium ursinum		 Clusters of white flowers in spring. Leaves becoming popular in salads and soups, and for garnishing. Hardy perennial.
Also seed
MAIL ORDER
Order Form