Shake up your herb border with something a little different. Summer Savory has been used as a culinary and medicinal herb for 2000 years, but is rarely seen grown these days.
With slender bronze green leaves and lilac tubular flowers, this hardy annual makes an attractive addition to the herb garden. Summer Savory lends an aromatic peppery tang to soups and seafoods. It's mild flavour is useful as an alternative to sage or thyme, and it is also used to aid digestion, reduce fevers and soothe bee stings. Grown next to broad beans it is reputed to help repel black fly. Gather Summer Savory when harvesting your broad beans and cook them together - it does wonders for the flavour. The secret is to have your Summer Savory 15cm (6in) tall by early May to plant out amongst your beans! Height: 45cm (18). Spread: 30cm (12)