Despite a few sunny days and the welcome appearance of daffodils and early bulbs, it is still very cold. Eighteen inches of snow in Northern Scotland on 31st March as the month ‘goes out like a lion’ and the latest spring in 30 years, confirms a slow start to the gardening year. With the ongoing […]
I have my potatoes chitting in the greenhouse, ready to go out on Good Friday (the traditional day to plant spuds, this year 2nd April). My husband is feeling very pleased with himself because he managed to find a variety called ‘Record’ which a potato expert in Aberdeen once told him was THE very best […]
Nothing surpasses the flavour of home grown tomatoes, and with hundreds of different varieties available to grow from seed, you can indulge a desire to grow just about any type you fancy. Greenhouse tomatoes can be sown as early as January but to do this you need to provide warmth and keep them totally frost […]
These diminutive little plants are some of the prettiest in the herb garden, although being tiny you may have to get close up and personal to appreciate them fully. As with sage, the leaves contain volatile oils which are much more active when the weather is warm and on a still evening the smell can […]
Tarragon is a half-hardy perennial (tender, but grows from year to year) that is very useful in a wide range of dishes and is a great partner for tomatoes, chicken and eggs. An attractive plant it is ideal for a warm sheltered spot in well drained soil, but being half hardy is best grown in […]
There are several popular sages, all with strongly scented leaves and pretty heads of small flowers and all are used as both decorative plants for the flower border and for culinary use. Planted in a warm spot the volatile oils from the foliage will scent the evening air, or use to line a path where […]
Rosemary is a real delight in the flower border as well as the herb garden for its wonderful blue (or white) flowers in March/April and sporadically throughout the summer months. The evergreen decorative narrow foliage is highly attractive, too. Traditionally used with lamb, rosemary is also wonderful with roast veg, fish, potatoes and pulses. Varieties […]
Of all our herbs, parsley is perhaps the most widely grown on the allotment, being useful as a garnish and ingredient in lots of traditional dishes. Being biennial (growing one year, setting seeds and dying the next), it is necessary to grow a fresh supply every year. Varieties Several types of leafy parsley are popular, […]
Mint is instantly identifiable – just brush those leaves to create a waft of glorious mint, peppermint, spearmint or a dozen delicious variations including apple, pineapple, chocolate and lemon. Some are attractive to look at, too; the leaves of pineapple mint have an attractive downy covering to their grey-green foliage while ginger mint has gold […]
Marjoram and its close cousin oregano are pretty plants and well worth growing as an edging in the flower border as well as alongside alpine plants in a rock garden or a container. As well as the delicate leaves, which come in shades of green and gold depending on the variety, the little flowers in […]
Varieties There are two main types, Florence fennel with its green leaves and bronze fennel with beautifully deep-coloured foliage. But of Florence fennel, there are lots of varieties which have been bred for their superior taste, yield or resistance to bolting. Try ‘Mantevano‘ or ‘Montebianco‘, both with large, white crunchy bulbs, ‘Victoria‘ or ‘Amigo F1‘, […]
This parsley-like herb has a distinctive flavour and aroma all its own. Try it with curries and other Asian dishes or add a few leaves to fresh green salads to give them a twist. Of course also an essential ingredient of the ever-popular carrot and coriander soup. Both the leaves and seeds are useful in […]
