Kim Stoddart explains why she always grows an ample array and chooses her top five all-time favourites
If I was told I could only grow one type of plant it would be truly awful and so difficult to choose, but I would definitely select something herby. As well as the wide array of delectable food-enhancing flavours on offer, and many reputed health benefits afforded therein, many herbs are low-maintenance and fantastic for wildlife to boot. I grow many different varieties across my gardens, and I will always find room for more at every opportunity because they are such good companions to grow.
Just some of the ways I grow herbs include a dedicated gravel-come-rockery outside my polytunnels which helps to draw pollinators to the plants growing within. I also grow coriander and parsley in my polytunnels and makeshift coldframes on my raised beds, so that I can have all-weather access to their foodenhancing delights, as well as widerchoices earlier and later in the year.
I also grow them mixed in with other plantings around my vegetable garden, in-between shrubs and flowers in beds, and also on my kitchen windowsill (in pots or cut sprigs kept fresh and ready for use in water. When I was designing a community garden near to me last year, with the brief of growing lots of easy to pick edibles for the local food bank, I used flowering herbs such as marjoram and thyme to quickly attract pollinators, which worked even better than I hoped.
So, you don’t need a dedicated herb garden or space to grow some of these fantastic plants. They are great as ground cover, helping to keep moisture in the soil; can boost biodiversity and therefore aid natural pest control, and the sight and scents always lift the spirits, whatever the weather.
Fennel
Bronze fennel Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’ is a delightful ornamental perennial which grows well in borders and looks good among flowers. Its pretty blooms are much-loved by ladybirds and lacewings, bees, butterflies and hoverflies and the resulting seed-heads provide food for birds.
I personally prefer Florence fennel to eat as I love using the fresh aniseedscented bulbs and foliage in salads or added to lentil dhals. I also find that under cover they will grow back year after year if given the opportunity to do so. This plant is drought-tolerant when established and I find the flower heads an absolute joy and use them readily for cut flowers during summer and autumn. The plants are also easy to save seed from. I simply can’t imagine not having fennel in my life.
Start with plug plants or grow from seed. I grow some under cover and mixed into gaps within my vegetable garden. Sue Bradley also gets excited about the wider potential for fennel on page 37. You really can’t have too much!
Thyme
