Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is a herbaceous perennial native to Southern Europe. Due to its properties as an antiseptic, cough reliever, it is used as a medicinal herb. Can be used as a dry flower. Good accompaniment for meat dishes. An aromatic herb which is loved by bees and other benefical insects. The flowers are edible, and can be used in pot pourri too. If you keep bees, you should have a small hedgerow of hyssop. The stems will go woody over time. Just gently trim them back during the winter, but if you have the space, just leave them to grow. You can use the young leaves and flowers in salads. Can be used to make an aromatic bath.

Sow the hyssop seeds thinly indoors in early spring. The germination can be slow. Cover the seeds with sieved compost and place at a temperature of 15 - 20 Celsius.

Prick out he seedlings to individual pots when large enough to handle and grow them on inside. Plant the seedlings to final position, in full sun and preferably a good soil, but hyssop will be happy in poorer soils too. Flowers from June to October year after year.