HERBS in the heat

You don’t have to abandon your herb and flower patch when the heat hits. There are more herbs and edibles than you realise which, with a little care and good selection, can deliver flavour, colour, zest and zing to your meals and drinks all summer long, no matter how high the mercury rises.

Topping the list of heat warriors, of course, are all the Mediterranean herbs — oregano, sage, rosemary, lavender, thyme. Basils aren’t far behind, either, coming to life once the heat arrives after a long, cold winter.

Then we have the suite of subtropical Asian flavours: cardamom, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime and perennial coriander. Want more inspiration? Here are my summer-lovin’ top 10.

THYME, THYMUS VULGARIS

You can never have too much thyme, right? But there are just so many species and named varieties to choose from, ranging from the traditional garden thyme to the heavenly