The Herbs The Herbs is a 60’s Children’s TV animated show. It was designed for pre-school children, but I think it appeals to all ages and was one of the new colour 'Watch with Mother' titles. The Herbs was created by Michael Bond and animated by Ivor Wood at Filmfair (who were responsible for Paddington and The Wombles). The first episode was transmitted on 12th February 1968. Only 13 episodes were made of this delightful programme, but that isn't the end of this story.  Parsley the Lion had become quite popular with the children that watched, so it was decided to give him his own show - Parsley the Lion and Friends. It was supposed to centre on Parsley more, but I think the original Herbs did that anyway.  The new programme also included all the characters that we met in The Herbs. Story Each episode began with the narrator (Gordon Rollings) talking about herbs in the garden, and each time he mentioned a different one, then the herb (plant) would appear. This was a magic herb garden, that you could only get access to by saying the magic word - Herbidacious.  The door of the garden would swing open and in we would all be let in. The garden was owned by Sir Basil and Lady Rosemary, where each week a new adventure would take place. It seems that all the animals in the Herb garden (Parsley, Dill, Sage) could see us watching, but none of the people (Sir Basil, Lady Rosemary etc.) could, which would really confuse Bayleaf as he wanted to know what Parsley was waving at. Each of the characters were named after a herb and they all had a song to sing us, see below for more details. The Herbs Characters Parsley the Lion "I'm a very friendly Lion called Parsley" Parsley is a lovable Green Lion, whose mane and tail are made out of the herb parsley (hence the name). He is the one that shows us around the garden and loves waving to the viewers.  He's not a brave lion and hides whenever there is trouble/danger around or when strangers appear. He was once called Doctor Parsley when he combined herbs with the jumpers Aunt Mint knitted for the chives, and it cured their colds. Parsley also doesn't like to get his tail wet or climb, as he found out when climbing the Tarragon Plant. He pretended to climb it the first time, but only snuck across to the neighbouring tree and back down it again. Shame he got caught and had to climb it for real. But he did have fun playing in the clouds. He made Sir Basil suffer when he shot his tail off, as he pretended to be dead. Poor Sir Basil didn't know what to do, so as usual shouted for Lady Rosemary, who saw Parsley was faking it. His best friend is Dill the dog and both of them seem to get themselves into trouble. But once in a while Parsley does come up with a good idea, such as the time he persuaded Pashana Bedhi to use his snake charming skills to float Sage and his nest back in the tree. "I'm a very friendly Lion called Parsley with a tail for doing jobs of every kind but I mustn't treat it roughly or too harshly for it's such a useful thing to have behind" His songs are: "I'm a very friendly Lion called Parsley I am always very glad to see you wave but please don't shout or speak to me too harshly because I'm not particularly brave" "I'm a very friendly Lion called Parsley I really don't like climbing things at all so please don't shout or speak to me too harshly I am sure you wouldn't want to see me fall" "I'm a very friendly Lion called Parsley I'm supposed to pull this rope and ring the bell though I try to pull it gently never harshly I'm afraid that I'm not doing very well" "For today I'm known as Doctor Parsley because the Chives have aches and pains and chills if I treat them very gently never harshly they will very soon be cured of all their ills"   "If you take advice from Doctor Parsley you take camomile for colds and tooth ache too if you find your skin is itching rather harshly then some marigolds the very thing for you" "I'm a very friendly Lion called <sniff> <sniff> but sometimes I feel very very <sniff> so please don't shout or speak to me too <sniff> <sniff> for I'm sure you wouldn't want to see me <sniff>" Dill the Dog "I'm Dill the dog, I'm a dog called Dill"  Dill as a rather scruffy little dog.  He never seems to be tired (a bit hyperactive) and is always running around, most of the time in circles trying to catch his tail.  His owner is Sir Basil and he lives in a kennel in the garden. Both him and Parsley are always getting in trouble. Parsley is his best friend, oh and bones. His songs are: "I'm Dill the dog, I'm a dog called Dill I'm rather small and furry and I'm often in a hurry" "I'm Dill the dog, I'm a dog called Dill Though my tail I'd love to get I have never caught it yet"   Sir Basil "I am Sir Basil, the King of the Herbs, and I'm very often in trouble"  Sir Basil owns the estate that herb garden is in (together with Lady Rosemary).  He likes to hunt, shoot or fish, so is mostly seen about with a shotgun or a fishing rod.  But he doesn't always notice what's going on around him and things 'happen to him'. Such as the time he got in trouble for accidentally shooting Parsley's tail off. Also it is very easy to play tricks on him. If something happens to someone else, then he isn't the right person to be around, as he is the most unsympathetic person - 'You've only got yourself to blame' he keeps saying. Also he likes everyone else to do his work for him. His songs are: "I am Sir Basil, the King of the Herbs and I'm very often in trouble I'm not very good at sorting things out and often I get in a muddle" "I am Sir Basil, the King of the Herbs and I'm Hunting and Shooting and Fishing But when there is any hard work to be done You'll notice I'm generally missing" Lady Rosemary "My name is Lady Rosemary"  She is Sir Basil's wife and is a bit of a busy-body and is the one in the driving seat in their marriage. If Sir Basil is in trouble, he goes straight to Lady Rosemary for help and she takes control of the situation. She is always ordering everybody around and I'm surprised if she has many friends. She seems to have the herb rosemary in her hat (then again, it could be flowers). "My name is Lady Rosemary you will find you can't fool me I have eyes both sharp and quick to help me see through every trick" "My name is Lady Rosemary I am tall and willowy Though my manner may seem cold I really have a heart of gold"   Bayleaf "I'm Bayleaf the Gardener"  Bayleaf is the gardener hired by Sir Basil and Lady Rosemary to look after the garden. He is a fountain of all knowledge concerning herbs. If he is cornered to do something he doesn't want to do, then he will always suggest someone else (and nearly everyone agrees on the person he picks!). He is never around when Sir Basil wants him and always seems to enjoy any misfortune that Sir Basil get in (as he always seems to make some sarcastic comment that no one else picks up on). He even dropped a rock on Sir Basil's toes by accident (or was it?). He also speaks with a strong English country accent and wears a Bay Leaf in his hat. "I'm Bayleaf the Gardener I work from early dawn you'll find me sweeping up the leaves and tidying the lawn" Constable Knapweed "I am Constable Knapweed and I keep Law and Order"  Constable Knapweed is a policeman, who always seems to be patrolling the Herb Garden.  Why he patrols this all the time, I don't know.  Maybe he's been employed by Sir Basil and Lady Rosemary (sounds like he's on the take to me). He seems to want to arrest people all the time even when they are obviously innocent and makes up lots of stupid rules to book people (he gives the police a bad name). His songs are: "I am Constable Knapweed and I keep Law and Order I watch to see that all is well along the garden border" Sage "I'm a rather fat feathery owl called Sage"  Sage is a rather grumpy owl. He doesn't do much, apart from sleep in his nest. No wonder he is grumpy, as he was forced by Sir Basil / Lady Rosemary / Bayleaf to hatch an egg (which gave him cramp). Also he lost his nest when Sir Basil shot it out of the tree, so you can tell that they get on. Well, they did try to get Sage and his nest back in the tree, but no one thought of climbing up the tree and putting them back, Oh, no. Instead they tried to shoot him up there with a see-saw (very sensible). Eventually Pashana Bedhi used his snake charming skills to get them back up the tree! Sage doesn't own much, apart from an Umbrella to keep him dry, as he hates the rain, and a case (for what, I don't know). His songs are: "I'm a rather fat feathery owl called Sage I'm not at all happy in fact in a rage It's bad enough having ones home all upset But to make matters worse all my feathers are wet" "I'm a rather fat feathery owl called Sage Let me tell you I've never set foot in a cage To be truthful I've not got the slightest desire To be covered in wood, held together by wire" "I'm a rather fat feathery owl called Sage Let me tell you I've never yet earned any wage and truthfully I've always found it was best to sit up this tree in my second hand nest" "I'm a rather fat feathery owl called Sage I've had to sit still for simply an age to be truthful I'm not fond of hatching out eggs there is so little room I get cramp in my legs" Pashana Bedhi "I am Pashana Bedhi, very good snake charmer"  Pashana Bedhi is an Indian snake charmer. He wears traditional Indian clothes, which is surprising as the weather in Britain is a bit too cold (but then again, it is a magic garden). He wears a turban and sleeps on a bed of nails. He left his Magic Whistle Pipe lying around and Parsley got revenge of Sir Basil / Lady Rosemary / Bayleaf and whistled them into a nearby tree.   Mr Onion Mr Onion is the father of the chives.  He has so many children, that he has decided to teach them all himself.  He speaks to his children like a Sergeant Major - barking out orders!! (bossy devil!). Mrs Onion Mrs Onion is the mother of the chives.  The always seems to be crying, mostly because she is an Onion (the smell makes her cry!!). The Chives "Because there are so many chives all looking like each other" The Chives are ordered around like soldiers by Mr Onion.  They have a unique way of counting, by standing up and lying down when they add and subtract. Their songs are: "Because there are so many chives all looking like each other it makes it even hard to tell a sister from a brother" Tarragon "I'm Tarragon the Dragon, I'd better make it clear" Tarragon is a dragon, who appeared when Bayleaf spilled plant food on the Tarragon Plant, which grew to the size of a beanstalk.  At the top of the enormous Tarragon Plant was an egg in a nest (found by Parsley).  Sage was forced to sit on the egg and Tarragon the Dragon hatched from it. Tarragon likes to set things on fire. He burnt Constable Knapweed's notebook, Sage's Umbrella and Sir Basil's Shotgun handle. But again Parsley came to the rescue and brought out Belladonna's Broomstick. Try as he might, Tarragon couldn't set fire to the broomstick and he got so upset about this, that he cried and put his own fire out. Lady Rosemary and Sir Basil decided to give him a home and he lives in a box in their house. His songs are: "I'm Tarragon the Dragon, I'd better make it clear that nothings safe when I'm about things seem to disappear" Belladonna "Belladonna is my name, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha" Belladonna is an evil witch, who is also known as Deadly Nightshade and she is very poisonous.  She appears in a flash that sends the sky dark for a moment. She does look like your typical witch - Black Hat, Hook Nose, Cauldron She tried to change everyone in the herb garden to weeds, by getting them all to drink her homemade wine. Parsley knew it wasn't good stuff and tried to make sure the others didn't drink any, but she turned him into a weed. Also Lady Rosemary and Sir Basil drank the wine and turned into weeds. But Dill could smell a witch and could see through her disguise, as the herb Dill is used to ward off witches. Belladonna was scared of Dill and tried to make an escape on her broomstick. But she doesn't know the difference between a normal broom and a witches broomstick and boy, did she crash! After all this excitement, Bayleaf accidentally used the broom to turn the others back into their old selves. Her songs are: "Belladonna is my name, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha I'm the deadly nightshade flower I shall never be content, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha till all the herbs are in my power, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha Miss Jessop "I'm a very neat herb and my name is Miss Jessop" This is a herb, that you don't want to be around.  She is so bossy and complains about everything.  She even complains that there is dust on the flowers! She upset so many people that Bayleaf grew her a husband to get rid of her.  Good King Henry "Good King Henry stands before you, such a Royal and Regal figure" Good King Henry was grown by Bayleaf to be the husband that Miss Jessop could boss around (poor man!). Bayleaf put too much plant food on the plant, so he grew too fat in the greenhouse and couldn't get out.  So Parsley made the greenhouse into a carriage and wheeled him to Miss Jessop (thanks to Belladonna's magic). Signor Solidago "My name, we say is Signor Solidago" He is an Italian singer, that gives singing lessons.  But he doesn't seem to do very well when teaching Sage and Parsley! Aunt Mint "My name is Aunty Mint" Aunt Mint is famous for her knitting skills and given half a chance she would try to knit your anything. It takes her no time at all to make something, she volunteered to knit all the Chives a jumper when they caught a cold. The trouble is she fell asleep and Dill played with the balls of wool and when she woke up she found she was wrapped up in the wool (naughty dog!). But she blamed Parsley who was walking by at the time. Her songs are: "My name is Aunty Mint if you should see me sitting they'll think I'm doing nothing for I'm busy with my knitting" "My name is Aunty Mint I fear that I'm in trouble for someone's messed up all my wool and got it in a muddle" "My name is Aunty Mint I'm always very busy I often have so much to knit it makes me feel quite dizzy" The Herbs Images (click to enlarge) The Herbs T-Shirts - NONE The Herbs DVDs Region 2 (Europe) - The Herbs DVDs Region 1 (USA) - NONE The Herbs Episodes Series 1 (1968)  1. Parsley's Tail 2. Sage's Nest Blows Down 3. Belladonna the Witch 4. Tarragon and the Eggs 5. The Chives Catch Colds 6. Pashana Bedhi the Snake Charmer 7. Miss Jessop Tidies Up 8. Parsley and the Circus Lion 9. Sage's Singing Lesson 10. Strawberry Picking 11. Sir Basil's Fishing Expedition 12. The Show 13. Parsley's Birthday Party The Herbs Video Intro NO VIDEO...YET © JedisParadise.com Toys & Gifts T-Shirts Bargain DVDs