Gardener’s Kitchen Herb Collection - Essential Culinary Herbs

£27.99

The Gardener's Kitchen Plant Collection for Sale UK – 6 Culinary Herbs

Bring the kitchen garden to your doorstep with six classic culinary herbs chosen for fresh flavour, fragrance and years of useful harvests.

The Gardener's Kitchen contains Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley and Fennel, with the specific variety of each herb selected according to season and nursery availability. For example, your Rosemary might be 'Tuscan Blue', Pot Rosemary or another suitable culinary Rosemary variety. This allows us to select healthy, seasonally appropriate plants while keeping the six-herb character of the collection.

Why Grow It?

✓ Six different culinary herbs in every collection
✓ Varieties selected according to season and availability
✓ Fresh herbs for everyday home cooking
✓ Excellent for pots, raised beds and kitchen gardens
✓ Includes perennial herbs that can provide harvests for years
✓ Flowers provide valuable food for bees and other pollinators

Collection size: 6 live culinary herb plants

Herb types included: Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley and Fennel

Varieties supplied: The particular cultivar or variety of each herb will depend on what is healthy and available at the nursery when your order is prepared. For example, Rosemary may be supplied as Rosemary 'Tuscan Blue', Pot Rosemary or another culinary Rosemary; the same principle applies to the other herbs in the collection.

Seasonal selection: Photographs are representative of the collection. The exact varieties, plant size and appearance will naturally vary with the season.

Substitutions: We aim to supply all six named herb types. If one is temporarily unavailable, we may substitute it with another suitable culinary herb of similar garden and kitchen value.

Usually available: Spring–Autumn

This distinction is important:

VARIETY CHANGE: Rosemary stays Rosemary, but the cultivar could be 'Tuscan Blue', Pot Rosemary, etc.

SUBSTITUTION: Only if Rosemary itself is unavailable would you potentially replace it with a different culinary herb.

I'd use that same wording principle for all of your multi-plant kits, because it prevents a customer interpreting the photograph as a promise that they'll receive those exact cultivars.

Planting

Location: Choose a sunny, sheltered position close to the kitchen if possible, making regular harvesting convenient.

Planting time: Plant from spring to early autumn while conditions are suitable.

Spacing: Allow each herb sufficient room to reach its mature size. Fennel in particular should be given considerably more space than Thyme or Marjoram.

Soil preparation: Improve heavy soil with organic matter and ensure excellent drainage around the Mediterranean herbs.

Containers: The collection works particularly well as a group of individual pots. Use containers with drainage holes and a good-quality peat-free compost.

Care

Watering: Water newly planted herbs regularly. Once established, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano and Marjoram prefer relatively free-draining conditions, while Parsley and Fennel appreciate more consistent moisture.

Feeding: Avoid heavily feeding Mediterranean herbs. Container-grown Parsley and Fennel can benefit from occasional feeding during active growth.

Pruning & maintenance: Harvest regularly to encourage fresh growth. Lightly trim woody herbs to maintain compact plants, avoiding severe cuts into old bare wood.

Winter care: Avoid winter waterlogging around the Mediterranean herbs. Pots are more exposed to cold than plants in the ground, so move vulnerable containers to a sheltered position during severe weather.

Harvesting & Storage

Harvesting: Pick herbs regularly once established. Harvest Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram and Oregano little and often, take Parsley leaves from the outside of the plant, and harvest Fennel foliage as required.

Fresh use: For the brightest flavour, use freshly harvested herbs soon after picking.

Drying: Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram and Oregano dry particularly well. Harvest healthy stems in dry weather and dry somewhere warm and well ventilated away from strong direct sunlight.

Freezing: Parsley and other leafy herbs can be chopped and frozen for later cooking.

UK Growing Conditions

This collection has been selected with UK kitchen gardens in mind, but the plants do not all want identical conditions. Rosemary, Thyme, Marjoram and Oregano dislike prolonged winter wet, making drainage particularly important on heavy clay soils.

Parsley and Fennel prefer somewhat richer soil with more consistent moisture. In very exposed gardens, give Rosemary a sheltered position, and protect container-grown herbs during prolonged severe winter weather.

Uses & Benefits

Traditional Uses

These six herbs represent centuries of European culinary and household herb-growing tradition.

Rosemary has a particularly long history in Mediterranean and European herbal traditions. Its aromatic leaves were used in culinary preparations, infusions and numerous traditional household preparations.

Thyme was valued as both a strongly aromatic culinary herb and a traditional household herb. The flowering aerial parts were historically used in herbal preparations.

Marjoram and Oregano have long histories in Mediterranean food and traditional herb culture, where their aromatic leaves and flowering tops were valued.

Parsley has been cultivated since antiquity and became an important European culinary and kitchen-garden herb.

Fennel has an exceptionally long history of cultivation. Its leaves, stems and aromatic seeds have all been valued in traditional European and Mediterranean food and herbal culture.

These are descriptions of historical and traditional practices rather than claims about modern medical effectiveness.

Folklore & Heritage

Rosemary became strongly associated in European culture with remembrance and fidelity, appearing in wedding, funeral and household traditions.

Thyme accumulated associations with courage and strength, while Fennel appears repeatedly in ancient Mediterranean history and folklore.

Together, these plants represent the old tradition of keeping a productive garden close to the kitchen: plants were grown not simply ornamentally, but because they were useful ingredients for everyday household life.

Culinary Uses

Rosemary: Excellent with roast potatoes, breads, vegetables and savoury dishes.

Thyme: Useful in soups, stews, sauces, stocks and roasted dishes.

Marjoram: A softer, sweeter aromatic herb for sauces, vegetables, poultry and Mediterranean cooking.

Oregano: Classic for tomato sauces, pizza, roasted vegetables and Mediterranean dishes.

Parsley: Use fresh in sauces, salads, soups, garnishes and herb butters.

Fennel: The feathery foliage has a distinctive aniseed character and can be used with fish, vegetables, salads and sauces.

Wildlife & Garden Benefits

Allowing some of the herbs to flower turns this productive collection into a useful pollinator planting. Thyme, Oregano and Marjoram can become particularly busy with bees, while Fennel's umbrella-shaped flowers can attract a wide range of beneficial insects.

The collection therefore provides something for the kitchen, the garden and visiting wildlife.

Plants: Your herbs are carefully packed and normally dispatched within 2–4 working days, Monday to Thursday. We avoid dispatching plants where possible if they are likely to be held at a courier depot over a weekend or Bank Holiday, helping your plants arrive as fresh and healthy as possible.

What herbs are considered culinary herbs?

Culinary herbs are plants used to enhance the flavour of food, whether fresh or dried. Common examples include parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, coriander, basil, and marjoram. These herbs are staples in kitchens around the world and are valued for both taste and aroma

Why have we selected these herbs in culinary terms?

This collection has been carefully chosen to give you a balanced and versatile flavour range.

Covers a wide range of recipes—from Mediterranean to everyday home cooking

Includes both bold and delicate flavours to experiment with

Perfect for seasoning meats, vegetables, sauces, and salads

It’s a well-rounded starter set designed to inspire creativity in the kitchen.

Is this herb bundle suitable for beginners?

Absolutely. This collection is:

✔ Ideal for both new and experienced gardeners

✔ Easy to grow in pots, containers, or directly in the ground

✔ A great way to experiment with fresh flavours at home

It also makes a thoughtful and practical gift—perfect for food lovers and gardening enthusiasts alike