Common Name: Curry Plant Latin Name: Helichrysum angustifolium Description: Small shrub with thin, greyish-green foliage and clusters of small yellow flowers in summer. Distinctive curry fragrance, especially on a warm summers day. Perennial. 30cm. Harvesting: Harvest early in the morning and use fresh or dried. Best Results: Prune after flowering to prevent plant from becoming woody. Uses: Leaves do not have […]
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Cumin
Common Name: Cumin Latin Name: Cuminum cyminum Description: Slender green foliage with tiny white and pink flowers. Grown for seed. Plant in spring and collect seeds from flowers in summer. Annual. Height 20cm. Harvesting: Harvest in summer. Collect pods once brown. Dry then rub pods to release seeds. Store in airtight container. Best Results: Grow in part shade in rich, […]
Coriander Slowbolt
Common Name: Coriander Slowbolt Latin Name: Coriandrum sativum Description: Fast growing but slow bolting variety of coriander with distinctive pungent flavour. Annual. 45cm. Harvesting: Harvest young leaves frequently and use fresh. Seed can be harvested when ripe. Best Results: Buy new plants when less than 10 cm tall to ensure that the roots aren’t too well established. Planting established plants […]
Comfrey
Common Name: Comfrey Latin Name: Symphitum Offinicale Description: Large, bristly leaves 25cm long with clusters of prurple to pink or white flowers. It is best to keep plants in pots or in an area where it doesn’t matter if the plant becomes a bit invasive. Perennial. 80cm. Harvesting: Harvest leaves frequently to encourage fresh growth from the centre. Wear […]
Chives – Onion
Common Name: Chives – Onion Latin Name: Allium schoenoprasum Description: Onion flavoured, grass-like stems with slender bulbs which, when left to flower, have decorative pink blossoms in summer. May die down in the coldest months of winter but will come back when the weather warms up. Perennial. 15cm. Harvesting: Harvest frequently by snipping quite low with scissors. Don’t cut […]
Chives – Garlic
Common Name: Chives – Garlic Latin Name: Allium tuberosum Description: Also called Chinese Chives. Garlic & onion flavoured, grass-like stems with slender bulbs and decorative white blossoms in summer. Garlic chives cope quite well in winter but, if they do die down they will come back again in spring. Perennial. 15cm. Harvesting: Harvest frequently by snipping quite low with […]
Chervil
Common Name: Chervil Latin Name: Anthriscus cerefolium Description: Delicate, lacy green leaves on thin stems have a subtle anise flavour. Hardier than it looks. Very small white flowers are borne in clusters during summer. Biennial. 30cm. Harvesting: Start harvesting leaves when quite young and use fresh. Can be frozen. Best Results: Apply liquid fertiliser regularly and mulch well. Uses: Add sprigs […]
Chamomile Lawn
Common Name: Chamomile – Lawn Latin Name: Anthemis nobilis Description: Traditional ground cover with bright green feathery foliage and erect stems of small, daisy-like flowers. Can be lightly mown if necessary. Takes light foot traffic. Placing three plants per square metre will fill an area within about three months. This plant spreads by stolons. Perennial. 30cm. Harvesting: Pick the […]
Chamomile German
Common Name: Chamomile – German Latin Name: Matricaria recutita Description: Attractive, feathery foliage and daisy-like flowers in spring and summer. Will self-seed throughout garden. Fairly short lived in the heat of a WA summer. Annual. 30cm. Harvesting: Pick the flowers early in the morning just as they begin to open. Store dried or frozen. Best Results: Grow in slightly acid […]
Catnip
Common Name: Catnip Latin Name: Nepeta cataria Description: Grey green downy leaves that cats find irresistible. Whorls of white with purple spotted flowers in summer. Perennial. 100cm. Harvesting: Harvest leaves or cut full stems to hang and dry at any time. Best Results: Cut back by two-thirds when leggy to encourage new growth. If the plant becomes woody, pruning it […]