Herb seeds buying guide: name the herb, then the count
Updated: 21 October 2026
Packets on amazon.co.uk can all say herb seeds while the title, a bullet and a style name point at different plants. Start with the herb you will cut, then the life cycle, then a count that stays the same from field to field. The eleven rows are on the [herb seeds comparison](/hub/herb-seeds/herb-seeds). This page is the order of those checks. Peter F. used the listings, GOV.UK organic labelling and RHS notes on 20 October 2026. We did not sow the packets. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Packets on amazon.co.uk can all say herb seeds while the title, a bullet and a style name point at different plants.
Packets on amazon.co.uk can all say herb seeds while the title, a bullet and a style name point at different plants. Start with the herb you will cut, then the life cycle, then a count that stays the same from field to field. The eleven rows are on the herb seeds comparison. This page is the order of those checks. Peter F. used the listings, GOV.UK organic labelling and RHS notes on 20 October 2026. We did not sow the packets. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Herb | Quantity stated | Life cycle | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  DAMAVAND PRO DAMAVAND PRO lemon balm | Lemon balm | 2500 seeds | Perennial | 7.7 | about £2.99 | View offer |
 Just Seed Just Seed Classic Italian basil | Basil, Classic Italian | 300 seeds | n/a | 8.6 | about £3.15 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  Mr Fothergill's Mr Fothergill's rosemary | Rosemary | About 75 seeds | n/a | 4.6 | about £2.69 | View offer |
On this page
Name the herb and the job
Basil is a tender annual. The RHS sows it on the surface at about 20°C from March to July. Just Seed Classic Italian basil is about £3.15 for 300 seeds, 4.3 from 179 reviews. The field says outdoor. UK reviews describe a kitchen windowsill. Thai basil is about £4.11 for 300 seeds, aimed at containers and windowsills, with a seller line of 15–20°C.
Coriander and dill are hardy annuals you resow because they flower. Leaf coriander is about £3.73 and claims it is slow to run to seed. Dill is about £2.69 for leaves and seeds in pots. Chives at about £4.09 have no seed count. Rosemary, on the RHS, waits years, and the field says outdoor. Lemon balm, 2,500 seeds at about £2.99, is the wrong packet if you wanted basil. A sill is covered on herb seeds for a windowsill.
Trust a count only when the listing agrees with itself
Trust a count only when the listing repeats it. Thyme’s title says 1,000 seeds at about £2.99 and a bullet says 100. There is no star line. Rosemary says about 75 seeds, the piece count says 75, and the number of items says 150. The style name is Plain Leaved 2 Parsley Seeds. The Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 11, says goods must match the description.
Thai basil’s bullets say the 300 seeds will supply spring onions. Lemon balm’s bullets say 0.5 cm and 60–90 cm, the height field says 120 inches, and a care line says 1 inch deep and stake the plants. Dill says 750 and also 1 piece, and 90 cm against 20 centimetres. One review reports an empty packet. Leaf coriander lists 300 items, and one review found about 30 seeds. Who should skip a row is on best herb seeds in this set.
Organic and licence lines are not germination scores
Just Seed is the only packet that says organic, via Organic Registration AP23164 and Defra Registered 7291. GOV.UK requires GB-ORG-XX on organic food labelled in Great Britain. AP23164 is not that code, so this guide does not call the basil certified. 7291 and Viridis Hortus DEFRA licenced No: 7641 were not matched to the APHA list. They are not germination scores.
Parsley is in Schedule 1 of the Seed Marketing Regulations 2011. Small packages sit outside the licence duty in regulation 20(2). Basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm and mint were not in that table, which does not make those packets illegal. Viridis prints P.V.P beside coriander Cruiser and gives no grant number. Stars do not fix a style name that says parsley.
What to buy for the job you named
Buy one packet when you already cook with that herb. Just Seed basil at about £3.15 repeats 300 seeds, and the organic line stays a claim. Dill at about £2.69 is the cheap annual if you open the envelope.
Buy a collection only when every species is named and you will sow more than one. Viridis Hortus at about £6.72 lists ten counts, and it both encloses instructions and says they are not attached. Unwins at about £3.39 does not name the herbs. The 12-variety bag at about £7.99 includes collards, evening primrose and “Dendoilne”, with 4.7 from five ratings beside basil’s 179.
Common questions
What should I read before I buy herb seeds?
Read the common name, then whether the plant is a leaf this summer or a perennial you will still be waiting on next year. After that, compare the title count with the bullets and the piece count. On this amazon.co.uk set, thyme, rosemary, dill, lemon balm and Thai basil each fail that second check in a different way. This page only sets the order.
Is a bigger seed count a better packet?
A bigger count helps when the same figure appears twice and you will sow more than one batch. DAMAVAND PRO lemon balm repeats 2,500 seeds at about £2.99, and the RHS says one or two lemon balm plants are enough, so most of that packet stays in the envelope. Thyme’s title says 1,000 and a bullet says 100, which is a clash, not a bargain. Chives state no seed count at all.
Does “organic” on the amazon title prove certification?
No code on the Just Seed basil listing is a GB-ORG code. The file says organic and Organic Registration AP23164, plus Defra Registered 7291. GOV.UK asks for GB-ORG-XX on organic food labelled in Great Britain. Keep the word as a claim on the packet, and judge the row on the 300-seed count, the price of about £3.15 and the 179 reviews.
Why does one listing say both 100 and 1,000 seeds?
The DAMAVAND PRO thyme title says 1,000 fresh seeds and a bullet says the packet contains 100 seeds. Both figures are on the amazon.co.uk listing, at about £2.99, and the file has no customer reviews line. Until the seller shows one count, the packet fails the check this guide uses before price. Rosemary has a similar split: a 75-seed bullet and 150 items.
Should I buy rosemary seed if I want leaves this summer?
The RHS says rosemary from seed can take several years before a harvest. This packet is about £2.69, the field says outdoor, and the style name says Plain Leaved 2 Parsley Seeds. Two of three stored UK texts report no germination. The dill packet at the same price is the annual for leaves this year.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these eleven listings are the figures in the product files. Page updated 21 October 2026.
- RHS basil: grow your own (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- RHS coriander: grow your own (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- RHS rosemary: grow your own (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- RHS lemon balm: grow your own (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- RHS chives: grow your own (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Seed Marketing Regulations 2011 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- GOV.UK organic food labelling rules (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- RHS Xylella fastidiosa (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 11 (retrieved 21 October 2026)