Rosemary And Thyme (ITV Crime, Felicity Kendal, Pam Ferris)

Rosemary and Thyme mixed gardening tips (the series was filmed at some of the most beautiful gardens to be found in Surrey and Hampshire) and murder investigations. The crime drama starred Felicity Kendal as plant biologist Rosemary Boxer and Pam Ferris as ex policewoman Laura Thyme.

Episode One And No Birds Sing sets up the shows structure with Rosemary and Laura teaming up after a sudden death at a beautiful country house, other episodes see them solving the death of a pop star, a murder at a language school and dealing with death at a health spa.

Rosemary and Thyme is great fun, easy on the eye and easy on the brain too, it doesn’t take itself too seriously (the criminals are never that difficult to spot). Also Kendal and Ferris work well together and the characters they play are certainly more interested in the gardens they are working on than sleuthing but find that murder just follows them around.

There are also some quality guest stars appearing too including the likes of Abigail Cruttenden, Eamon Boland, Michael Cochrane and Kate Gartside.

Also worthy of mention is the beautiful rendering of the theme tune (yes of course it’s Scarborough Fair) performed by the world class guiatrist John Williams. Definitely a case of Murder Most Floral.

The third season fizzled out somewhat, despite being preceded by a Christmas special the series finished its 2006 run after four of six planned episodes, the final two only being shown well over a year later.

Cast: Felicity Kendal as Rosemary Boxer; Laura Thyme as Pam Ferris

Producer: Brian Eastman / Theme Music: John Williams / Music: Christopher Gunning / Story Consultant: Peter Lovesey

UK / ITV-1 Carnival / 22×60 minute episodes / Broadcast from 31 August 2003 – 6 August 2007

• The Outcast (BBC Drama, Greg Wise, Nathaniel Parker)

• Helen West (ITV Crime Drama, Amanda Burton)

• Love on a Branch Line (BBC-1 1994, Michael Maloney, Abigail Cruttenden)

• P’tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982, John Albasiny, Abigail Cruttenden)

• Theory of Everything, The (Working Title 2014, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones)

• Charlotte Gray (2001, Cate Blanchett, Michael Gambon)

• Doctors and Nurses (BBC-1 2004, Adrian Edmondson, Madhav Sharma)

• Hamlet at Elsinore (BBC 1964, Christopher Plummer, Robert Shaw)

• A Handful of Thieves (BBC One 1969, Helen Worth, Martin Ratcliffe)

• Hands Across the Sea (BBC, 1938, Nadine March, Nicholas Phipps)

• My Son Reuben (Thames 1975, Bernard Spear, Lila Kaye,)

• The Franchise Affair (BBC 1962, Rosalie Crutchley, Michael Aldridge)

• The Galactic Garden

• The Sentimental Agent (ATV 1963)