It’s a shore thing

The Sea Garden is a tiny border against the east facing wall of an extension tacked on to our house. There are distant views of the sea and soon after moving in we made it pretty by adding seaside plants, shingle mulches and shells. Two things went wrong. Plants like sea statice, seakale and, to an extent, sea holly need good drainage and on clay soil, during wet winters, they eventually rotted away. Then we had to dig a channel quickly to repair some leaking pipes and the border more or less disappeared.
While working at a gardening show last year I had a mad moment and bought an ornamental octopus made of wire and beads. Everyone else in the family says it’s ghastly, but I like it and will use it to provide a little much-needed inspiration for the resurrection of my Sea Garden.

 
Getting the all-clear
This is a good time of the year to get the clearing done, so we took down the dead stem from what had been a 20ft (6m) high cordyline, removed old foliage from a montbretia (the robust and fiery Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’) and dealt with the big weeds. I haven’t seen any signs of chalara (ash dieback disease) near the garden and ash seedlings germinate here wherever they can. We weed them out while still small but sometimes miss the awkward ones whose roots find a safe anchor beneath some concrete and are impossible to grub out.
From autumn to winter is ideal for cutting down unwanted saplings and applying a glyphosate-based stump killer to the freshly cut surfaces. (You need to get on with this quickly before sap starts to rise.) The instructions usually tell you to make a cross in the surface, apply the product and then cover with polythene to keep the rain off.
Our enormous and venerable Swiss cheese plant thoroughly enjoyed the house plant programme of the Great British Plant Revival shown on Chanel Four just before Christmas. He(strictly it) loved the orchids and streptocarpus but wondered why no plants were shown growing inside their homes – they were all in greenhouses, polytunnels or even outdoors.
He would like to add how much he likes living in our sitting room listening to conversations, watching TV and hanging out with his pals Medinilla and Adiantum. He’s doing his best to join in with family life and has even sent out aerial roots to act as tiebacks for the curtains.

 
DEALING WITH LARGE WEEDS
 

1.    ASH SAPLINGS
Grub out unwanted ash saplings or treat freshly cut surfaces with a glyphosate-based stump killer
 

2.    UNWANTED IVY
Ivy can be highly invasive and requires constant pulling back or weeding out to keep it in check

3.    BOTHERSOME BRAMBLES

Brambles are removed by
digging their roots out using a
spade with a V-shaped blade

Feed the Birds in Garden

Well-wooden gardens offer perching places for bird calling in for food or water Seed

     As the cold of winter bites and plant growth slows down, the natural food resources for birds diminish. This results in migration and temporary relocations for many of our feathered friends, which means there is always an influx of birds to gardens where artificial feeding and watering stations are kindly provided. Debate always rages on this subject, as to whether it is beneficial or detrimental to the birds in the long run. 

Birds visiting an ornate feeding house

    Whatever the answer, gardeners continue to provide food and water for birds as the human population expands and diminishes the natural habitats of all forms of wildlife.
A little practical advice on feeding birds in the garden includes positioning feeders where the birds feel safe and comfortable. Also keep them off the ground if domestic pets are a threat. While birds would usually prefer to feed on the floor, this is not always possible. They need twiggy branches in dose proximity to alight upon during arrival and departure. Secluded and protected areas are usually preferred to exposed positions where birds of prey can strike.

     There are different types of artificial bird feeders for the various diets that birds require. Seed is the most common and easiest form of garden bird feeding. Fruit, insect and nectar feeders are a little more specialized and required more care and attention than simply scattering some seed or grain in the garden.

Sunbirds flock to flowering aloes, especially during the lean winter months

Seed
Seed-eaters (doves, sparrows, canaries, weavers, manikins, widowbirds, bishops, whydahs,  waxbills, firefinches). 

These birds visit garden frequently and readily to feed on the different seeds and grains placed in bird feeders or simply sprinkled on the ground.

Large seeds like sunflowers attract thick-billed weavers to the garden, while smaller seed attract a wide variety of smaller birds. Large birds like doves and flocks of weavers oftenchase the smaller species away by simply dominating the feeding territory. The smaller birds therefore often prefer to use smaller feeders that only allow one or two small birds to alight upon the feeding perches at a time. This prevents the larger types from sing the feeding station, and gives the manikins, waxbills and firefinches the chance to feed in peace.

Growing grass seed in a meadow-type planting also assist an attractive habitat for seed  eaters, although this may entail sacrificing part of the manicured lawn areas that tend to

be somewhat sterile from a bird’s perspective. The winter annual grass (Poa annua) that

is often viewed as a weed always attract the smaller bird species to the ample seeds that
set the cooler months. 

Fruit
Fruit –eaters (bulbuls, mousebirds, barbets)

Fruit feeder are generally simple metal spikes attached to wooden logs or more sophisticated structures in the garden. Fresh fruit like apples, bananas, pears, and orangesegments are skewered onto the spike. Birds feed on the fresh fruit, but usually ignoreolder fruit that has started to shrivel or ferment, so fresh food needs to be set out on a daily basis. Garden that a frequented by monkeys have the fruit pilfered by these scavenging mammals, chasing the birds away.

Fruit and berry-producing plants attract these birds to the garden. However, many exotic plants are spread far and wide by birds that have eaten their fruit, leading to their classification as alien invader species. Be aware of this fact when planting fruiting plants.

Birds visit winter flowering shrubs for nectar

 Insect and Nectar
Insect-eaters (thrushes, chats, rock thrushes, robin chat)
Artificial feeders filled with sugar supplement attract birds that feed on nectar. Due care  needs to be taken in preparing the ‘sugar water’ and the subject needs to be thoroughly researched to use these feeders effectively.

Certain plants that bloom in winter with nectar rich flower are important for supporting  bird life during this time of famine. Aloes are the most significant group of plants in the  local garden environment during winter, providing nectar and food to numerous birds  including see, fruit, and insect-eater. Often starling, orioles, rock thrushes and weavers  are seen feeding on aloe flowers.

Ornate fountains can also serve as practical

Water
Water in the garden
In the summer-rainfall regions a regularly supply of fresh, potable water is vital for garden bird life. Often more birds can be seen at the watering points than at feeding 
stations. Fill them up with clean water regularly, almost on a daily basis, and the birds
will reward  you with their undivided support. There are numerous bird baths, waterbasins an ponds that fit the bill. Flowing water and artificial water features also serve a practical purpose in supplying drinking water to our feathered friends.
Give thought to lesser life forms during the winter months and provide food, water and shelter for them until spring returns with its bounty.

A rustic bird feeder hangs as a feature from a tree branch

Metal spikes secure fruit o a large log that also sports seeds and grains to attract a wide range of bird.

This wood and Perspex feeder keeps the seed dry, dispensing food as it is consumed to reduce wastage.

An attractive metal bird feeder. You can use old plough for this purpose.

A supply of water is just as important as food

Black-collared barbets visit fruit feeders during winter.

Rhamnus prinoides produces masses of berries that are feasted upon by fruit-eaters

Additional ornamentation adorns a fruit feeder

A dark-capped bulbul feeding on a banana placed on a metal spike in the garden

A cape white-eye at a nectar dispenser

Weavers on an Aloe ferox

A nectar feeder hangs in a likely spot.

Traditional rock grindstones make perfect, natural bird baths.

A bird bath in a shaded secluded setting

Made For The Shade

Embrace the dark side with a spectacular display of perennials perfect for those low-light spots in your landscape

When you’re made for the shade, you must gobble up every drop of sunlight. How better to do this than by unfurling broad leaves to catch the rays? 

Hosta cultivars range from those with massive leaves of green, blue or variegated to those with teensy leaves such as the whimsically named ‘Blue Mouse Ears’. All thrive with plenty of moisture in summer. They are extremely cold hardy, making them perfect for dramatic container plantings. Tubular flowers arise on tall stalks in summer some are even lily scented. These perennials die back in fall, so tuck bulbs around them for late-winter interest.

Reward each plant with a layer of compost in October and March, water deeply when summer arrives in force (with a soaker hose if time is precious) and your shade garden will shine year after year.

 Pig Squeek

Pig squeak and I didn’t make that up is the rather old-fashioned common name for Bergenia, another easy-to-grow, large-leaf perennial. Spring flowers of pink, red or white nestle among its leaves. Add Bergenia to containers for textural contrast; some cultivars have bronze foliage in winter, which is particularly eye-catching in the season’s soft light. And if you rub the leaves, guess what? They squeak!

 

Bear's  breeches

Bear’s breeches (Acanthus) also shows off large, glossy leaves, along with vertical flower spikes that add height to the shade garden, an element sometimes difficult to incorporate. In mild winters, bear’s breeches is evergreen, adding winter foliage. 

Brunnera Macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ has silver, heart-shaped leaves with green veining. In early spring it produces spraysof tiny blue flowers. Related to forget-me-nots, this hardy  perennial is much better behaved. It looks great blooming with yellow daffodils and purple hellebores. Give it plenty of compost and extra water during dry spells.

Primroses and their relatives are noted for their gorgeous flowers. In early spring you’ll seeflocks of the rainbow-hued types in garden centers and even grocery stores. I find that these little nuggets of color struggle in the garden when summer arrives. My solution is to grow a few in containers that I keep in the shade andstand in saucers of water when it gets very hot. Pampered, they reward me with blooms for months each year.

Primula Pulverlenta

For the garden, search out the less common primulas, such as the candelabra types with their twirling tiers of flowers. Of the several species in this category, I like Primula pulverulenta, its flowers come in rich tones and its stems and leaves are covered with white flecks that remind me of icing sugar. In general, species primulas are easy to grow from seed. They are sensational planted in large swathes in the filtered light of deciduous trees. Rich soil and plenty of water keeps them happy, so if you have a shady, damp area, this group of perennials is for you.

Deer fern

To create an attractive shade garden, add plants with finely cut leaves. The many species of ferns fill this role with grace and ease. I wouldn’t be without our modest B.C.-native Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant). Its long evergreen fronds are cut to the central midrib, creating a feather-like quality. A bulkier evergreen fern, our native sword fern (Polystichum munitum, matures into a substantial clump, perfect for screening a building foundation where it doesn’t mind shade and a little summer drought once established. This is just a small sampling of perennials for shade. Not only will you be amused by their wizardly names (in honour of mice, bears, pigs and deer, not to mention swords and candlesticks!), you’ll be captured by their beauty. Arrange round leaves with pointed leaves, variegated foliage with bronze, and glossy with dull for a year-round magical display.

The Kindest Cut Flowers

The Kindest Cut Flowers - Roses

This beautiful display of roses is one of the rewards of winter pruning, along with good soil enrichment, watering and fertilizing. This cape garden features a wonderful selection of bush and climbing roses, including the tall pink ‘Queen Elizabeth’, the lower-growing floribunda ‘Bridal Pink’ and the floribunda ‘Orange Bunny’. Other roses that would produce the same effect are ‘Adele Searll’ and ‘Clever Gretel’, instead of ‘Orange Bunny’ 

Wherever roses are grown, you can be sure that winter pruning is always a major topic in magazines and newsletters, with plenty of tips and advice, dos, don'ts and details.
I recently received the newsletter from The American Rose Society, probably the largest of all rose societies, and their approach to pruning is exactly the same as ours: keep it simple, don't worry about inner or outer eyes or the angle of cuts, and, most important of all. Know "that you cannot hurt a plant, much less kill it, by 'underprunlng' or 'overpruning' it".
In California, trials were conducted over a number of years where a third of roses were pruned conventionally, another third with power hedge trimmers and the final third with hand shears in a fast shaping process.
'Year after year" reports the newsletter, 'the two fastest pruning methods yielded better results in terms of growth than the classical method". And the pruning rate was five roses a minute! Watch this space next year we'll show you how to prune your roses with power hedge trimmers!

The Kindest Cut Flowers - Ready to Prune

ROSE PRUNING BASICS

When to prune
In most areas roses can be pruned from mid July until mid August, except in very cold areas where pruning should be delayed until mid-August.

Prune for health and neatness
For roses to thrive, cut out old, diseased or twiggy growth and clean out the centre of the plant so it has room to grow. One also prunes to neaten or shape a bush, or reduce its height or spread.

Know what you want
Light pruning results in smaller blooms in a greater quantity, and a lightly pruned bush will bloom earlier than one that has been pruned hard. Hard pruning results in fewer flowers that are larger and of better quality. Pruning can't change the nature of a rose, like turning a climber into a hybrid tea. So find out how a rose wants to grow and go with the flow when pruning It.

Don't forget the aftercare
This is even more important than the pruning. Replenishing the nutrients in the soil sets up the rose for the next season. After pruning, dig over the soil to a depth of 15-30 cm and mix In the old mulch and plenty of compost.

ROSE PRUNNING STEP-BY-STEP
This illustrated step-by step guide gives three pruning options- light, medium and hard. Chose the option that's best for the rose, your garden or your taste. Getting ready to prune Rose varieties that benefit most from this method of pruning are hybrid teas, floribundas and the bush types of the English and nostalgia roses. Note the stick pushed in next to the rose, marked off at 50 cm and 70 cm. This makes it easy to cut the rose down to The correct height. All you need is a 1 m-long stick. From the bottom, mark off the first 10 cm. That is the depth that the stick is pushed into the ground. From the 10 cm mark, measure off 50 cm and 70 cm.

The Kindest Cut Flowers - Step 1

Step 1 - Preparatory cut
Push the stick into the ground and cut off all the growth level with the top of the stick (which is higher than the 70 cm mark).This makes it easier to look into the bush and identify the older wood, criss-crossing stems and the past season’s basal stems that should be retained. 




Step 2 – Light pruning

The Kindest Cut Flowers -Step 2

The  bush Is not cut down any further. Good quality basal stems are retained and old stems, as well as dead wood, are cut out at the base. Where there is a forked stem, remove one of the tines'. Thin side stems are left or can be cut back to about 20 cm. Light pruning is an option for bushes spaced well apart or where roses are growing in mixed beds and are competing for the light with other plants (herbs, annuals, small shrubs). It is essential that the pruned stems stand 50 cm above the nearby plants. This method encourages the bush to sprout quickly with smaller green leaves that provide essential food for root development. This means more hair roots and better penetration into deeper soil levels containing extra water reserves.

The Kindest Cut Flowers - Step 3

Step 3 - Moderate pruning
For a nearer-looking, better-shaped and well-balanced bush, now reduce the length of the stems to 70 cm. Remove or shorten the remaining side stems and criss-crossing growth and reduce forks to a single tine. Moderate pruning is done if you feel that the roses need more pruning than light pruning but that hard pruning is too severe. It Is the middle ground and probably the most suitable option for most gardens. The rose will produce good quality blooms on a mixture of short and long stems.

The Kindest Cut Flowers -Step 4

 
Step 4 - Hard Pruning
This final option selects 3-4 healthy stems and cuts these down to 50 cm above the ground, removing all remaining side stems and forks.


This option is only recommended for roses that are grown dose together, and where long, pick able stems and exhibition class blooms are required. With this pruning it is essential to:

The Kindest Cut Flowers - Roses

The Kindest Cut Flowers - Roses

-  The three upper eyes should sprout after pruning.
-  Correctness of upper cut is not important

Just Leave It On Top

Just Leave It On Top

To mulch is to spread a layer of insulating material over the soil and around plants, to cover, decorate, prevent and project

Mulching your plants helps to save water and reduce the time you need to spend on tedious maintenance tasks like weeding.

But an added benefit of mulching with natural materials (which were in the post regarded as mere garden refuse) is that in time you will turn problematic garden soil into super soil' - nutrient-rich and easy to cultivate in, alive with aerating beneficial micro organisms, and with much better moisture-retention capabilities.

There are generally four types of mulch that one can use for different applications:

Just Leave It On Top

Organic mulches

Good examples of organic mulches are coarse compost, leaf mould, wood chips, grass cuttings and straw. These mulches should be replenished frequently as they are broken down by soil organisms like earthworms and by cultivation when the soil is prepared for new plantings. The main value of organic mulches is the continuous enhancement of the soil structure to sustain healthier plant growth - especially when dealing with day, sandy soil and surface capping.

Where to apply

The ideal places to use organic mulches are in mixed borders that are seasonally changed with spring- or summer-flowering bulbs and bedding plants, and also in mixed shrub beds that ate densely planted.

Just Leave It On Top

Inorganic mulches
Gravel, river pebbles, cut stone and colorful stone chips are examples of inorganic mulches of a more permanent nature. These materials are mostly used as a decorative layer to round off an eye-catching specimen plant or strong fecal point. The biggest advantage of a fairly thick layer of inorganic mulch is that it goes a long way to keeping the soil moist for longer, cutting out the need for frequent irrigation.

Where to apply
One would use inorganic mulching materials (some of which arc unfortunately quite expensive) in areas of the garden that have low to medium water requirements, such as a rock or succulent garden.

Just Leave It On Top

Sheet mulching
Sheet mulches such as geotextile fabric let through water and air, but create a barrier that smothers weeds by keeping them in the dark and also protect the soil from wind-borne weed seeds. They are a necessity when creating a new gravel garden that contains lots of plants, in large and newly developed flowerbeds, and in vegetable gardens where weeds such as onion weed and oxalis are a major problem. After preparing the soil well with compost and bonemeal and levelling it off prior to planting lay the mulch matting over the soil, securing the edges with stones or anchoring it with blue wire pins. When It Is time to plant simply cut a cross in the matting, plant through the hole and tuck the flaps back to fit snugly around the plant’s stem. Ordinary black plastic sheeting can also be used but is not ideal around plants use it only to oppress weeds underneath solid paving or gravelled areas without plants.

Where to lay a sheet
Use sheet mulching wherever you have never planted before, but are now planning a new flowerbed, veggie garden or hedge Geotextile fabric is a practical measure, but not o decorative one, After planting, with all your beauties cosily tucked in, you might want to hide the sheet mulch while waiting for the plants to mature. Do this with a decorative layered another type of mulch such as bark chips or bark nuggets.

Just Leave It On Top

Living mulches
Dense swathes of tough groundcovers like vygies, plectranthus, gazanias, arctotis or fast- spreading succulents like sedums, crassulas and echeverias, have the advantage of suppressing the germination of weeds while supplying glowing color and texture at ground level. They also keep the root systems of other plants cool and shaded. A disadvantage is that a living mulch, just like other plants, needs regular watering, fertilizing and a certain amount of maintenance like division or cutting back, to keep it lush and healthy. But, if you choose the plants well and keep rooting your own cuttings, this can be a cheap option to cover large expanses of soil quite quickly.

Where to plant a living mulch
Windy gardens where organic mulches like bark nuggets keep blowing away, steep banks where soil erosion is always a problem and pavement gardens are ideal places to use plants as your mulching option.

Just Leave It On Top

General mulching tips
• You should always apply a little mulch straight after planting anything during  the year. But the best times for mulching on a bigger scale are autumn or late spring. Before mulching you will have to irrigate very well after removing all weeds, digging in compost for new plants and applying a balanced fertilizer. You are then ready to spread your protective layer of mulch about 5-8 cm thick.
• Never allow any organic mulch such as compost or leaf mould to lie close to the stems of plants it is warm and will cause rot.
•’Raw' or uncomposted plant material such as grass clippings or fresh prunings processed in a garden chipper can be used in thin and repetitive layers of 3-5 cm at any time if you have the material available. If your garden is regularly fertilized with balanced organic or chemical fertilizers during the growing seasons, the old 'bogeyman' story that they will rob your soil of nitrogen while breaking down should be disregarded.

Just Leave It On Top

Decorative mulching
Because mulching is also used as a decorative layer by landscaping professionals, especially in newly designed gardens or around young plants that have not yet grown into their full potential, there is a wide range of ready- to-use mulches available from nurseries and hardware stores. This includes commercial mulch (which is normally composted bark), rooibos tea mulch (with a lovely smell and rich color! or coarse bark nuggets. Whereas the first two break down relatively quickly, the latter, a more expensive product, will take at least four years to break down and lends a very neat and rounded off look.
Depending on the area where you live, other pretty mulching materials derived from the agricultural sector can also be obtained and used. Peach pips, pecan shells, peanut shells and chipper processed grapevine clippings can all be used.
Gravel in different grades and shades is always a good option to create an interesting floor pattern, while at the same time keeping the roots of neighbouring plants moist and cool.
For container gardening (yes, plants in containers also need mulching) one is spoilt for choice, with white marble chips and splinters, red jasper stones and smooth river pebbles in different sizes and shades of brown, white or grey. I have even dollied up some of my houseplants with pine cones, shredded coir or dried florist's moss (very organic-looking) or glass marbles (very elegant!  these mulches have often saved lives when I forgot to water plants!

Cheap options
 • Straw the bales are available at agricultural co-ops and can be spread about 10 cm thick. Straw mulch is handy in vegetable gardens to keep ripening produce at ground level clean and disease-free. It can also be laid in pathways between plants to enable you cleaner and easier access to them.
• Pine needles are ideal for acid-loving plants like azaleas.
• Coffee grounds and tea leaves can be used to mulch acid loving plants in containers. Newspapers, cardboard cartons and old carpet underlay are not pretty, but can be very effective in keeping soil from drying out, preventing fertilizers from leaching too fast, and keeping weeds down in veggie gardens. Soil blanketed by them for a while becomes soft and easy to work with.

Dry Leaf

Never on dry soil
There is no point in spreading an insulating mulch layer on dry soil, as it would hinder the moisture from reaching the plants, which means they will require more water than usual. 

The purpose of mulching is to:
• Aid water preservation
• Aid heat retention in winter
• Aid root shading in summer
• Control weeds
• Prevent soil erosion

Ballon Milkweed

Ballon Milkweed

The balloon milkweed or balmelkbossie (Gomphocarpus physocarpus, previously known as Asclepias physocarpa) belongs to the large family Apocynaceae, which has a worldwide distribution but occurs mainly in the tropics and subtropics and comprises trees, shrubs, succulents, herbs and trailing vines. In South Africa, familiar garden plants belonging to this family include frangipani (Plumeria) from Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean, oleander (Nerium oleander) from north-west Africa, the Mediterranean, Arabia and southern Asia, and the winter-flowering impala lily (Adenium multiflorum) from northern South Africa and southern tropical Africa, which is often grown as a container subject. Most members of this family produce milky latex when injured, which Is poisonous if ingested.
Occurring widely in all provinces of South Africa except the Free State, Northern Cape and Gauteng, the balloon milkweed is often found in grassland in seasonally wet areas and in disturbed sites along roadsides, and its distribution ranges north to Kenya in tropical East Africa. It forms a slender deciduous shrub with a solitary narrow trunk that branches well above the base. It has narrow, lance shaped leaves produced in opposite pairs, and hanging clusters of star-shaped cream flowers produced on long flower stalks. After flowering, the developing fruits transform into dozens of large, light green inflated balloons that become reddish with age and are covered in soft spines. When ripe, the balloons split lengthwise, releasing a multitude of aerodynamic seeds, each with long silky hairs that enable the seed to float in air currents, landing some distance away from the mother plant.
The balloon milkweed has beautiful ornamental fruits and is a quick-growing, easily cultivated but short lived plant, providing interesting contrast In the garden. It is usually treated as an annual but can lost for two years if kept lightly pruned after flowering and well watered in summer. It grows 0.5-2 m high and is ideal for large rock gardens, placed towards the back of herbaceous borders or along a fence. It likes full sun and is not very fussy as to soil type as long as it is well drained, but performs best in well-composted media. The plant is a sought-after food supply for the large, brownish-orange African monarch butterfly, which feeds on its nectar and lays it's eggs on the leaves, which arc then consumed by the caterpillars. Due to the poisonous leaves, stems and fruits it is important not to grow this plant where young children may come Into contact with it.

Ballon Milkweed

Propagation is from seed sown in deep seed trays in a well drained sowing medium in spring or early summer. Germination takes place within 2-3 weeks and once seedlings are large enough to handle (about 10 cm high) they should be dug up carefully and planted out directly into open ground and kept well watered until established. Flowering can take place at any time of year but is mainly in summer and autumn. If harvested when still green (before they start splitting), fruiting branches of the balloon milkweed make interesting additions to both fresh and dried flower arrangements.

Amazing Fennel

amazing Fennel

This incredible edible is the perfect fix for the seedy side of your garden where nothing else dares to grow

Sometimes as a gardener of edibles I’m a bit of an egomaniac. I want to grow what feeds my family, but secretly I want the garden to look jaw-droppingly gorgeous too. And if it does, even when it’s no thanks to me, I’ll take the credit with no reservations whatsoever.
Each year’s food garden has both its dynamic and dodgy moments, but there is invariably a particular high spot July through September when bronze fennel blazes upward, a mass of ferny garden architecture culminating in mustard yellow crowns of blossoms followed by star-like webs of green and yellow seeds. Uninvited, yet entirely welcome, this self-seeding plant has found its way into dusty corners of the yard where previously nothing dared to grow. And despite last year’s record-breaking drought, it didn’t wince despite virtually never being watered.
In fact, bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’) is so hardy and prolific that it can be a bit of a problem in some gardens and even considered an invasive down south. And this may be due partly to the fact that in outlying areas even the deer don’t eat it. With regard to my Pacific Northwest garden, my response to concerns about any overzealousness is similar to what I say about parsley, kale and other eager edibles: if it’s overrunning the garden, you’re just not eating enough of it.
And who knew that this magnesium-rich, digestionenhancing mega-plant is so healthy and useful in the kitchen? I’ve used it for tea, drenching the foliage with hot water and sipping the licorice-laced liquid that follows. And I love chewing on the breath-freshening green and brown seeds. Once I put my mind to making good use of this plant, I found there was an almost unlimited list of how to savor this gift from the garden:
• Use seeds in breads and cakes.
• Add seeds and chopped fronds to salmon cakes.
• Finely chop the fronds over seafood and summer salads.
• Infuse oil with the foliage for a gourmet drizzle.
• Chop fronds over roasting potatoes or vegetables.
• Add fronds, seeds or stalk to fish stock.
• Grind the fronds with oil, salt and garlic into a pesto to slather over seafood or vegetables.
• Saute seeds with free-range turkey sausage to add to a tomato-based pasta sauce.

Amazing Fennel - seeds

OTHER SAVOURY SEEDS

LOVAGE: I’ve talked before about this garden superstar, edible from root to leaves to seeds. It tastes like celery and is a fabulous befriender of beneficial insects who flock to it. What I haven’t mentioned yet though is that its abundant umbels of seeds taste just like celery seed and are a tasty addition to pickles, nasturtium capers, artisan breads, crackers, fish and roasted free-range chicken.

CORIANDER: Let your cilantro go to seed and then crush the seeds to add to your Asian and Indian recipes.

MUSTARD: Allow a few of your mustard greens to go to seed and then gather them up for a spicy addition to pickles or a powdered punch for dressings. For a less chewy approach, all seeds can be minced in a clean coffee grinder, or ground the old-fashioned way – with a mortar and pestle (and kids love to do this). And when gathering seeds, simply cut the top end of the stalks and drop them face down into a paper bag. Store in your basement or garage to dry slowly and then shake the bag and pluck off the stubborn remaining seeds a few weeks later. 

Amazing Fennel Soup

BLAZE OF GLORY (Clockwise from left) Bronze fennel is a versatile, prolific edible that is easy to grow. The licorice-tasting seeds can be strewn over bread dough while the fronds add flavor to hearty winter soups.