Sow in May

Stinging Nettle – 1300 seeds (Urtica dioica)

Stinging Nettle – 1300 seeds (Urtica dioica)

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£1.24

Basil ‘Blue Spice’ – 1600 Seeds (Ocimum americanum)

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£1.24

🌿 Ocimum americanum Basil ‘Blue Spice’ – Aromatic Basil with Spicy, Vanilla-Clove Notes

‘Blue Spice’ is a distinctive Ocimum americanum basil variety prized for its intense, complex aroma combining notes of vanilla, clove, citrus, and spice. The narrow, grey-green leaves are highly fragrant, while the delicate lavender-blue flowers add ornamental value and strongly attract pollinators. Less sweet than classic Genovese basil, ‘Blue Spice’ is ideal for teas, desserts, fruit salads, infused oils, vinegars, and herbal blends. Compact, heat-tolerant plants perform well in pots, borders, and herb gardens.

Key Features

● Unique spicy aroma with vanilla and clove notes

● Highly aromatic leaves ideal for teas and flavouring

● Decorative lavender-blue flowers loved by pollinators

● Compact, heat-tolerant plants

● Excellent for pots, herb beds, and ornamental use

How to Sow & Grow Basil ‘Blue Spice’ (UK)

Sow indoors: III–VI (March–June) in trays or pots

Transplant outdoors: V–VI (May–June) once nights stay above 10 °C (50 °F)

Direct outdoors: VI (June) in warm soil

Harvest: VI–IX (June–September)

Life cycle: Annual

Germination temperature: 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)

Average germ time: 7–14 days

Depth: Surface sow — do not cover, but press gently into the soil (requires light to germinate)

Light required: Yes

Moisture: Keep evenly moist

Environment: Full sun

Soil type: Light, fertile, well-drained soil or potting mix

Plant spacing: 25–30 cm (10–12 in)

Height: 40–60 cm (16–24 in)

Sowing & Growing Tips (variety-specific)

● Harvest regularly to encourage bushy growth.

● Pinch out flower buds for continuous leaf production (unless growing for flowers).

● Excellent for herbal teas and aromatic infusions.

● Performs well in hot, sunny conditions.

● Can be grown purely as an ornamental, pollinator-friendly herb.

Special Features

● Unusual flavour profile unlike sweet basil

● Strong pollinator attraction due to scented flowers

● Heat-tolerant and less prone to bolting

Herb Peppermint - 1500 seeds (Mentha piperita)

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£1.24

Herb Corn Salad - 1400 seeds (Valerianella Locusta)

Herb Corn Salad - 1400 seeds (Valerianella Locusta)

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£1.24

Dwarf Spearmint - 1200 seeds (Mentha spicata)

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£1.24

Mentha spicata – Spearmint

Aromatic hardy perennial herb with fresh, sweet classic mint flavour

Mentha spicata, commonly known as Spearmint, is a vigorous hardy perennial herb prized for its fresh, sweet mint flavour and intensely aromatic green leaves. Softer and less sharply mentholated than peppermint, its refreshing flavour makes it one of the most versatile mints for everyday culinary use.

Fresh leaves are excellent in teas, cold drinks, salads, sauces, desserts and traditional mint sauce, and can also be dried for later use. Spearmint is extremely productive once established, producing repeated harvests of fresh foliage throughout the growing season. Its spreading habit makes it particularly well suited to containers, where growth can be easily controlled, while summer flower spikes are also attractive to bees and other pollinating insects.

Why You'll Love It

● Fresh, sweet and highly aromatic classic mint flavour

● Suitable for growing indoors in pots for fresh mint close at hand

● Excellent for teas, cold drinks, sauces, salads and desserts

● Productive cut-and-come-again herb for repeated harvesting

● Hardy perennial that returns year after year

● Easy to grow in containers where its vigorous spread can be controlled

Ideal For

● Kitchen herb gardens

● Indoor windowsill growing

● Patio containers

● Fresh herbal teas and drinks

● Culinary harvesting

● Pollinator-friendly herb gardens

How to Sow & Grow (UK)

Sow indoors: February–May

Plant out: May–June, after hardening off

Direct outdoors: April–June

Harvest: May–October; established plants can be harvested repeatedly throughout the growing season

Life cycle: Hardy herbaceous perennial

Germination temperature: 18–21°C (64–70°F)

Average germination time: 10–21 days

Depth: Surface sow, gently press seeds onto the compost – do not cover

Light required: Yes – light aids germination; do not exclude light

Moisture: Keep compost consistently moist but not waterlogged during germination; established plants prefer consistently moist soil

Environment: Full sun or partial shade

Soil type: Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil

Plant spacing: 30–45 cm (12–18 in)

Mature height: Approximately 30–60 cm (12–24 in)

Expert Growing Tips

● Surface sow the very small seeds and gently press them onto moist compost without covering, as light aids germination.

● Spearmint can also be grown indoors in a pot on a bright windowsill. Provide plenty of natural light, keep the compost evenly moist and harvest stems regularly to encourage fresh leafy growth.

● For the most useful culinary growth, harvest or trim stems regularly to encourage fresh, tender shoots and prevent plants becoming coarse.

● Grow Spearmint in a large container if you want to restrict its vigorous underground spread; plants grown directly in open soil can spread rapidly through rhizomes.

● Keep plants consistently watered during dry periods, especially when growing in containers, as moisture encourages lush, tender leaf production.

● For the best flavour and aroma, harvest leafy stems before flowering; regular cutting can also delay flowering and extend the supply of fresh leaves.