Spices

Agastache foeniculum is a perennial herb that tastes as good as it looks and are as popular in the border as they are in the herb garden. They are excellent design plants, exhibiting a strong vertical accent for the perennial border. Bees hold an undisputed attraction for the flowers, the colour, shape and copious amounts of nectar are among their favourites. This is perhaps one of the most gratifying plants you can grow.

‘Mariska’ is a little known but hardy and compact variety of Dill. With starry bright yellow flower heads, abundant foliage and growing to only 60cm, this well behaved smaller dill is an excellent variety for use as a cut flower filler and is a great variety for the kitchen garden, windowsill or container.

Angelica archangelica is a majestic plant that deserves a prominent position at the back of a border or in a wild part of the garden. All parts of the aromatic plant have culinary or medicinal uses, but it is best known for its candied stems, used as a cake decoration.

Anise, Pimpinella anisum is one of the oldest known herbs, famous for its liquorice flavour it has assumed a popular stature for both its culinary uses and in herbal medicine. Use seeds for flavouring cookies, pastries, and confections and the leaves fresh in salads and soups.

Caraway is an incredibly useful plant. The seeds are used as a culinary spice and for medicinal purposes, the leaves can be eaten in salads and the roots cooked as a root vegetable. With feathery, delicate foliage the plant is lovely in the garden border and is a very useful companion plant in the vegetable garden.

Amomum subulatum the cardamon or cardamom plant is native to damp, forested valleys from the eastern Himalayas to central China. It won't yield enough pods for a bountiful crop of the spice, but makes an interesting conversation piece and a satisfying challenge for the adventurous gardener.

Coriander 'Slobolt' is a variety for leaf production that is resistant to bolting and running to seed. It isn't a hard plant to grow and of course, fresh herbs and spices have far better flavours than dried ones. Home grown herbs are infinitely superior, the difference can be quite startling.

Coriander 'Leisure' has been bred specifically for large, flavoursome leaf production, a particularly fine variety of superb quality. Extra slow bolting, it is particularly suited to hot weather regions. It is an excellent herb for slightly shaded areas, is very easy to grow and makes a good window box herb.

Cuminum Cyminum has a richness of history that gives it a special place in the world of spices. Cumin is globally popular and an essential flavouring in many cuisines. Easy to grow, this versatile spice makes a wonderful addition to any herb garden and does wonders in the kitchen.

Dill Bouquet is a popular variety with gardeners. It is an early bloomer that sports large seedheads and dark blue-green foliage. With good flavour it is the best cultivar for seed production. Sweet and aromatic, the flavour is intermediate between anise and caraway.

Dill Dukat is grown primarily for its abundant foliage, producing much more foliage before forming seed than most varieties. It is one of the best for fresh leaf production. Dill is certainly delectable. If ever the term "best if home-grown" were to apply to an item in the kitchen, dill would be it!

The green garden fennel is a handsome and popular perennial, often planted on its own for impact or combined with other flowers in borders. The airy feather foliage is crowned in late summer with large heads of tiny flowers. Both leaves and seeds are useful and seeds may be left to ripen as a crop.

Liquorice has been grown in England since the Dark Ages. The fresh root is bright yellowish brown, soft and pliable, it is harvested in the autumn and is dried for later use. The aroma is strongly reminiscent of anise or fennel. The taste is dominantly sweet, warm and medical.

We have all heard of Nigella Lawson, the British cooking show goddess who advocates the importance of a well-stocked pantry. But the seeds had the name first. Nigella sativa have a spicy, nutty flavour with a crunchy texture, they may be used whole or ground, and develop their flavour best after short toasting.