Don’t miss the blue label herbs…

We’re having a Summer Sale at our open days this Friday (22nd), Saturday & Sunday!  We have an organic herb farm, just bursting with beautiful, blooming, verdant herbs, and (being a less than 2-acre site) we need space to accommodate our latest herb babies that are growing up jolly quickly in the polytunnels, and demanding board and lodgings out on the farm. And food (liquid seaweed, once a week).

Blooming beautiful organic herbs

It’s about Blue Labels. All  herbs in 1L pots in a blue label area will be ‘3 for £10’. A bargain – true blue (and we all know that bees adore blue).

Meanwhile, we’re all rushing now to get the farm looking, smelling, tasting wonderful for the maximum possible enjoyment of our visitors. The Berry Blue Creative Food marquee’s going up (more blue)…

Berry Blue Cafe (in the making)

..and the herbs are growing up (a lovely splash of gold)…

Achillea Gold Plate growing tall - sunshine on a stem

 …and Jekka’s herb display is complete (started before the birds were up and the sky turned blue this morning).

Jekka's Open Day herb display - you can do this at home

We’re nearly ready. So, if you’re visiting us tomorrow, Saturday, or Sunday, then remember – look out for the blue label. And please bring summer with you. Thank you.

Hampton Court herbs-a-buzzing

Hampton Court Flower Show was a joy, if a little wet (saved on watering though).

Visitors are still surprised to see us there, as we no longer exhibit in the floral marquee. Instead, these days, we have a ‘plant plot’, and Jekka continues to create a beautiful herb display to show visitors how organic herbs can totally transform a garden.

 Jekka’s Herbs, and the team – Dan, Hannah, Mark and Jekka, Hampton Court 2011

The archway (above) is Galega officinalis  Goat’s Rue (a.k.a. French Lilac), flanked on each side by Humulus lupulus‘Aureus’ AGM Golden Hop. Monarda didyma Bee Balm Bergamot obliged by opening its beautiful red blooms that week, and Origanum ‘Kent Beauty’ was an absolute show stealer. And we were very pleased to pick up an award – runner-up in the ‘Totally Plants’ area.

Oregano Kent Beauty

Jekka’s display was a bee magnet. The moment we unloaded the plants, the bees moved in and lodged happily with us all week.

Bee-ing busy on the Cornflower

Tall swathes of Lythrum salicaria Purple Loosestrife, Salvia sclarea Clary Sage, Ammi majus Bishops Flower and Centaurea cyanus Cornflower surrounded the thyme garden at the front.  Our best selling herbs had to be Persicaria Odorata, Vietnamese Coriander and Porophyllum ruderale, Bolivian Coriander.

The very lovely Alan Titchmarsh kindly popped along to see us, along with BBC Gardener’s World presenter, Joe Swift.

Jekka and Alan Titchmarsh (top), Joe Swift (below) and a spot of welcome sunshine

July has been..um, busy (understatement). We really do need another experienced horticulturist to join the team. Now we’re all prepping for the next big buzz on the farm: our July Open Days, which start this Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th, 10am-4pm. Bee there!