Possibly coinciding with harvesting of same herbs.

But, at least for me, actually hearing the tune often releases the worm. So thank you.

Rosemary and Thyme on TV tonight so it is playing in my head too.

Heck of an album!

Scarborough Faire was an actual agricultural and craftstman fair, which originated in Medieval England in the mid 1200's. Merchants from all over Europe, Scandinavia and the Byzantine Empire traded and sold their goods at the 45-day event. Just as in modern times, there were food vendors, entertainment and curious pleasure-seekers. Fairs and harvest celebrations are a part of every culture and are as much a part of modern life as they were at the dawn of recorded history. Our singer is asking a friend who is attending the fair to seek out a girl who he was once romantically involved with and let her know he still has feelings for her.

These plants weren't chosen by the songwriter just because they rhyme well and have a pleasing cadence in the song, they have specific meanings that tell a deeper story than what is on the surface. This was a time when flowers and herbs were significant in the lives of medieval folk and they believed that they contained mystical properties that could influence emotions and feelings.

https://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/4394/