You will find Hillside Herbs at the Willunga Farmers Market every Saturday

Product line: potted herbs, cottage plants, succulents, chillies, potted capers, vegetable plants

Lorraine and Steve Thompson both have green thumbs and together they grow thousands of plants at any one time on their McLaren Vale property.

Under the name Hillside Herbs, they specialise in herbs with around 300 varieties.

Coriander, mint and basil are their biggest sellers and Lorraine’s hot tip is to plant coriander in autumn as it won’t seed until spring. This means three months of lush coriander not going to seed.

In addition Hillside Herbs grow hardy, perennial cottage plants, around 500 varieties of succulents, 65 varieties of chillies, up to 100 potted caper bushes, and vegetable plants such as Roma tomatoes, capsicums, eggplants etc in spring/summer. 

Caper bushes have a stunning fluffy white flower with a mauve stamen. Another hot tip from Lorraine is to pick the caper before it flowers then the caper berry will be ready to pick about 6 weeks after flowering. More expert advice is available from their Market stall or nursery.

All the plants are grown outdoors except young chilli and basil seedlings which are first raised in an igloo.

Mains water is used on the pots but the Thompson’s have put in recycled gravel beds so excess water goes into these beds then drains into large tanks. That water is then reused on their garden.

Mulching is definitely a key, says Lorraine and as the succulents are drought-resistant, and once the cottage plants are established, they don’t need a lot of water.

Throughout spring and autumn Hillside Herbs sell excess vegetables from their garden at the Market.

Hillside Herbs supply nurseries in South Australia and also sell at the Victor Harbor and Adelaide Showground Farmers Markets.

Contact:
Hillside Herbs
Sand Rd, McLaren Vale, 1st driveway on the left from McLaren Vale
Open 7 days, 10am till 4pm
P: 08 8323 8385
F: 08 8323 8227
M: 0414 77 8385
E: hillsideherbssa(at)bigpond.com