Native to the Mediterranean, this variety is naturally bushy and slow to flower, giving a longer harvest period than traditional sweet basil. With its tidy domed habit, Greek Basil is ideal for edging beds or growing in containers — especially where space is at a premium.

• Flowers: July–September (best pinched out to encourage leaf production)
• Tender (grow as an annual outdoors)

• Soil: Free draining, moderately fertile
• Aspect: South-facing
• Sun levels: Full sun

Grown in peat-free compost and supplied in a biodegradable coir pot, made from waste coconut fibre and natural latex. When planting, remove the herb and compost or reuse the pot — break it up as mulch, pop it in the green bin, or leave out for birds to use as nesting material. Water regularly and harvest often to keep plants bushy and vigorous. Protect from cold — best grown in pots you can move under cover as the weather cools.