About Fyne Herbs

Our Story

I’ve always been a bit of a herb nerd, it’s my auntie Maryon’s fault. When I was a young, she sparked an interest in me for herbs which has burned brightly over the years. A keen cook and forager (before it became de rigueur), she’d point out different plants and their uses be it culinary, medicinal, cosmetic or to attract butterflies and bees. She’d likely than not chuck in a literary or mythological reference too.

During a career in horticulture, running, managing or working with the UK’s most well-known online and mail order gardening brands, I’ve learned a lot more about herbs. Not just appreciating their uses but also what’s best for the plant, where to grow them and how to best send them in the post.

In launching Fyne Herbs with my wife Ruth (a practising Reflexologist) we want to encourage the sending of herbs as gifts rather than flower bouquets. Their culinary, medicinal and cosmetic uses as well as their symbolism and folklore lend themselves to all manner of uniquely themed collections. Unusual presents to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, a new job or retirement. They’ll welcome friends into a new home, make an excellent thankyou or Christmas gift and get well soon present.

We want to spread the word and inspire everyone to grow herbs by making it easy - indoors or out. With our plant gift collections, you get six different herb plants, decorative pots to put them in, wooden plant labels, a growing guide and herb snips.

Given the right conditions, herbs will happily grow indoors or just as easily lounge around outside in pots or in the ground. They make wonderful gifts for novice and keen gardeners alike.

Paul and Ruth

Mission: herba est verbum

At Fyne Herbs we’re on a mission to spread the word - we want to encourage people to send a gift of living herbs rather than a bouquet of dying flowers! So much better for the environment and with a myriad of uses, herbs can be grown indoors or out and make the perfect gardening gift.

Our commitment is grounded in five core aims which guide our journey and set us apart:

Send herbs not flowers!

Our aim is to promote a gift of herbs rather than flowers. A bouquet of flowers is a lovely gift to receive, but there’s a dark side. They’re often incredibly bad for the environment and are already dying when you receive them. Herbs make a thoughtful and unusual gardening gift. So much better than a bouquet, they smell fantastic, will help in the kitchen, can give medicinal benefits and generally have interesting back stories.

Make Herb Growing Easy For All

Alongside top quality UK grown herb plants, we give you everything you need to start: decorative biodegradable pots for inside or out, sustainable wooden plant labels with advice and inspiration a click away, super-sharp herb snips for care and harvesting and comprehensive herb growing guide.

Make Customers Smile

We want to put a smile on the face of everyone who receives our herbs. We don’t mind where it comes from – the carefully designed packaging, box opening ‘wow’, waft of scent as the plants are removed, a poem or aphorism in the herb guide, a pun on the website or thoughtful gift message enclosed.

Educate and Inspire

Herb lore is a rich and well-studied source of knowledge and information. It has roots in mythology, spirituality, medicine and of course cuisine - we want to spread the word using a touch of humour and whimsy.

Don’t Just Be Seen to Be Green

Respect for nature is at the heart of our business – you can’t love herbs and not the environment. Our plants are grown in reduced or peat free compost, no plastic is used in our packaging, which is compostable and our decorative pots are made to biodegradable.

Our Best Selling Herbs

Basil - Sweet

Sun is the most important thing in a basil’s life, shortly followed by rich, moist compost. As long as you’ve somewhere bright and warm to gro...

Sun is the most important thing in a basil’s life, shortly followed by rich, moist compost. As long as you’ve somewhere bright and warm to grow this gorgeous herb, then you’ll be rewarded with the most Mediterranean of Mediterranean smells and flavours. Harvesting the leaves regularly will give you more but it’s worth growing several plants to spread the load.

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Sauces & Dressings, Pesto, Pizza & Pasta, Salads, Cocktails & Drinks

Coughs & colds, Digestion, Uplifting Mood, Wounds, Blood Pressure

Skin cleanser, Face mask, Hair wash, Insect repellent, Sun protection

Borage

You may see this robust, leafy annual growing wild in grass verges, on waste ground or in field margins. Introduced by the Romans, it loves an...

You may see this robust, leafy annual growing wild in grass verges, on waste ground or in field margins. Introduced by the Romans, it loves an open, sunny position and will happily self-seed. Most of the plant is edible, with a mild cucumber, slightly salty taste. Toss a few ice cubes each containing a bright borage blue flower, into a long, cool G&T on a hot summer’s day.

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Salads, Cocktails & Drinks, Desserts & Fruit, Sauces & Dressings, Soups

Detox, Skin Conditions, Inflammation, Stress, Arthritis

Skin cream, Hair wash, Moisturiser, Face mask, Anti-aging

Dill

Dill is a wonderfully aromatic plant and is worth a place in any herb garden. The leaves are prized for their sweet anise flavour which has no...

Dill is a wonderfully aromatic plant and is worth a place in any herb garden. The leaves are prized for their sweet anise flavour which has none of the liquorice strength of fennel, and the seeds for their pickling power. Generally grown as an annual because it’s not hardy, it will be ok over winter in a greenhouse and suits growing in deep pots – to accommodate the long root. Grow in a sunny position and keep moist. Dill is pretty vigorous but will be ok in our pot on a sunny windowsill to begin with.

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Sauces & Dressings, Salads, Pickles, Marinades & Rubs, Breads

Indigestion, Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Relaxation, Detox

Face cream, Massage oil, Skin cleanser, Anti-aging, Aromatherpy

Lavender - Hidcote

It’s not a question of whether to grow lavender in your herb garden, it’s which ones? Hidcote is an English lavender (rather than French) and ...

It’s not a question of whether to grow lavender in your herb garden, it’s which ones? Hidcote is an English lavender (rather than French) and is the most widely grown variety in the UK, with good reason. It’s super tough – hardy, drought resistant and positively enjoys rubbish soil, it can also take a severe crew-cut if necessary. Hidcote is an early flowering lavender and is a magnet for bees and butterflies. This variety is known for producing high quality essential oil. Lavender Hidcote will be really happy growing in our pot on a sunny windowsill until it needs potting on.

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Cakes & Biscuits, Desserts & Fruit, Roasts & Stews, Cocktails & Drinks, Breads

Sleep, Anxiety, Hair Loss, Skin Conditions

Soap , Hair wash, Wound Salve, Face cream, Aromatherpy

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm has been used for thousands of years to ease digestive problems and as a feel-good mood lifter. It’s an undemanding, easy to grow h...

Lemon Balm has been used for thousands of years to ease digestive problems and as a feel-good mood lifter. It’s an undemanding, easy to grow herb thriving virtually anywhere in the garden, in sun or partial shade. Bees love the pretty flowers, but it’s the leaves which pack a lemony, minty punch and have a delightful citrussy aroma. In cooking, it’s an interesting lemon alternative – especially in fruit cocktails, desserts, cakes and marinades. Lemon balm will be really happy growing in our pot on a sunny windowsill until it needs potting on.

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Cocktails & Drinks, Cakes & Biscuits, Desserts & Fruit, Salads, Marinades & Rubs

Uplifting Mood , Anxiety, Memory, Relaxation, Indigestion

Skin cleanser, Wound Salve, Bites & Stings, Cold sores, Sun proctection

Marigold (Pot)

Of all the herbs which will brazenly self-seed all over your garden, and there are a lot, pot marigold is the most forgivable. It loves to fin...

Of all the herbs which will brazenly self-seed all over your garden, and there are a lot, pot marigold is the most forgivable. It loves to find its own place to thrive, which might not be where you thought or wanted! Such a cheery, happy herb, it metaphorically blesses those who touch it, traditionally treating rashes, minor burns, cuts and skin conditions. Supposedly called ‘Pot’ marigold not because it looks fantastic in pots, although it does, but because its leaves were tossed into the cooking pot. Pot Marigold will be really happy growing in our pot on a sunny windowsill until it needs ‘potting’ on.

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Salads, Soups, Cakes & Biscuits, Roasts & Stews, Cocktails & Drinks

Skin Conditions, Inflammation, Fever, Wounds, Eyes

Sun proctection, Wound Salve, Anti-aging, Eye wash, Skin cream

Mint - Peppermint

Even if you’re death to plants, you should be ok with Peppermint. It’s a cool, laidback herb – happy to chill in most aspects and soil types. ...

Even if you’re death to plants, you should be ok with Peppermint. It’s a cool, laidback herb – happy to chill in most aspects and soil types. Unlike its mates from the Mediterranean herb brat pack, it enjoys rich moist soil and dappled shade. You’ll know if it likes you as it will try and spread everywhere, so is best grown in a pot to restrict the runners. Peppermint has a sharper, more intense flavour than garden mint, making it excellent for teas, cocktails and desserts. Peppermint will be really happy growing in our pot on a sunny windowsill until it needs potting on.

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Cocktails & Drinks, Desserts & Fruit, Cakes & Biscuits, Sauces & Dressings, Marinades & Rubs

Indigestion , Decongestant, Inflammation, Antibacterial, Anxiety

Hair wash, Breath Freshener, Skin cleanser, Face mask, Aromatherpy

Parsley - Flat Leaved

If curled leaved parsley is the best for a garnish, then flat is best for cooking. It has a slightly stronger, peppery flavour and is a lot qu...

If curled leaved parsley is the best for a garnish, then flat is best for cooking. It has a slightly stronger, peppery flavour and is a lot quicker and easier to clean. It’s easy to grow but does enjoy rich, moist soil in a sunny position. Great indoors on a windowsill, in a conservatory or greenhouse, just make sure it doesn’t dry out. Harvest the leaves regularly and more will follow but you’ll probably need a few plants if you’re a heavy user. Parsley will be really happy growing in our pot on a sunny windowsill until it needs potting on.

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Marinades & Rubs , Sauces & Dressings, Pizza & Pasta, Salads, Soups

Dental, Detox, Indigestion, Decongestant, Pet Health

Breath Freshner, Face mask, Fungal Treatment, Bites & Stings, Eye Pack