Reportedly season providing herb (5)
I believe the answer is:
thyme
'herb' is the definition.
(thyme is a kind of herb)
'reportedly season' is the wordplay.
'reportedly' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'season' becomes 'time' (both can mean a period).
'time' sounds like 'THYME'.
'providing' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for thyme that I've seen before include "Aromatic plant" , "A herb; sounds like prison sentence" , "Shrub - herb" , "Aromatic ingredient" , "Herb used in cooking as seasoning" .)