In the spotlight

Summertime-and the scent of oregano wafts in the air. It isn't always appreciated that the classic pizza herb is also a wildling of sandy and calcareous soils in the British countryside. Wherever it can get sufficient sunshine and free-draining ground to plunge its roots into, this warm and pungent, knee-high herb, with slightly bitter notes in its leaves, thrives in a good, hot summer to develop its volatile oils (which have long been valued by herbalists for their antiseptic/antibacterial properties). The pinky-mauve flowerheads are attractive in their own right; many bee species clamber over its tiny, nectar-rich flowers ( adds a spicy note to honey) and there are few better butterfly magnets.