HistoryThe Upper Hutt Herb Society is the only herb society in the Wellington and Hutt areas, and is part of the Herb Federation of New Zealand. The society was established on 27 August 1977, when 22 people met at the Upper Hutt community Craft Centre in response to an ad asking ‘Have You Thyme?’
Its projects have included designing a herb garden that was planted behind Upper Hutt City Library in 1980, and building a Victorian herb spiral at Golders Cottage in 1998 and a herb garden at Upper Hutt College. Other activities have included stalls at the annual Summer Carnival, and various herb events.
Since September 1977 the society has produced a monthly newsletter 10 times a year; initially known as the Upper Hutt Herb Society newsletter, since July 1986 (issue 88) it has been called Upper Hutt Herbal Thymes.
It meets monthly in Trentham, and has a programme including mini-workshops on the properties of herbs, herbal crafts and the making of tinctures, balms and other products; guest speakers; group visits to herb gardens in the lower North Island; and the maintenance of the herb spiral at Golders Cottage.