My introduction to the British murder mystery series Rosemary & Thyme was courtesy of another pair of names, French & Saunders. The two comedians had spoofed the show in one of their Back With a Vengance sketches, with the punch line having the series stars Felicity Kendal and Pam Ferris show up and take their revenge upon the comedians.

You wouldn't think that something as random as that would cause me to seek out the original, but then you don't know my love of British cozy mysteries, and this one seemed like just the right thing to scratch that itch for more. Turns out, my instincts were right.

Rosemary Boxer (Kendal) is a plant pathologist, formerly associated with a university, but now the co-owner of a highly sought-after gardening business. Her business partner, Laura Thyme (Ferris) is a former policewoman with a passion for plants, which comes in handy as the two seem to be constantly stumbling over dead bodies. Somehow managing to always be in the wrong place at the right time, the pair assist the police (whether they want them to or not) in solving the crime of the day.

Each episode can stand on its own, although there is an over-arching story line that shows each of the two main characters struggling with things like family problems and personality flaws. Both characters are given equal screen time, but it is Laura who ends up growing the most over the seasons, particularly as she wrestles with her feelings about her ex-husband and navigates the stormy seas of her relationships with her grown children.

The locations for each episode are varied enough to keep from bleeding together into one massive English garden. And, there are several episodes that take place in more exotic locations such as Spain and Italy. Laura and Rosemary are challenged with all sorts of gardening problems, from restoring gardens based on old plans to creating something new and interesting for a drab municipal park.

Producer Brian Eastman wanted to create an amateur detective series unlike those previously seen. He thought that by making the lead characters gardeners — individuals normally seen only in the background and largely ignored — they could be placed in such a way that they could see or hear things that more visible individuals would not. He also wanted to show middle aged women taking charge of their lives and making them as full as they can be. In both regards, he has succeeded.