There’s nothing wrong with basil, parsley and chives, but if you’ve already got enough of those to last forever, why not make room for something a little less usual? These four herbs are easily overlooked and I think that's a shame. They bring something completely different to the herb garden. Seeds for baking, bread, pickles and baked apples. Sweet roots. Edible flowers and leaves. Flavours that have been used in kitchens for generations. And they're not just about what you can harvest. These are plants with a bit of permanence about them. They'll add interest to the garden, support wildlife and come with some fascinating history too. Even if you never quite get around to ‘using’ everything they produce, I think there’s something rather lovely about simply having them growing there. Grow something different and discover another side to the herb garden.. Caraway: grow your own flavouring for cakes, bread, pickles, baked apples & much more. You can use the young leaves in salads too. This biennial has delicate lacy foliage and, once you’ve got it growing, you can look after a few of its seedlings to keep your supply going. (50 seeds) Liquorice: patience needed! Eventually you’ll have a tall plant with ferny foliage, violet or paole blue flowers and, hidden underneath those rather special roots. Harvest them in autumn for their sweet flavour and use them for drinks, sweets and teas, or try flavouring sugar for cakes. (15 seeds) Marshmallow: yes, this really is where marshmallow sweets began! This perennial has edible flowers, leaves and roots and flowers from late summer. Painted Lady butterflies use it as a food plant too, so there's plenty going on here even before you start wondering what you can do with it in the kitchen. (25 seeds) Sweet Cicely: why this herb has fallen out of flavour is a puzzle to me when there’s so much going for it. Lovely with rhubarb and gooseberries, where its natural sweetness can mean you need less added sugar, and you can use it in syrups, salads, soups, stews and omelettes too. Its early flowers are also amongst the first of the season for pollinators. (10 seeds) Traditional herbs with plenty to offer today’s gardens. Perhaps it's time to discover some for yourself?
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