Foeniculum vulgare purpureum – 0.35g – Approx 125 seeds

Bronze fennel is one of those herbs that is frequently overlooked, but when you actually grow it and see it in all its beauty, you will question how you ever lived without it.

Sowing it early allows it time to grow tall and look elegant all summer long. What I really love is that it doubles up as an ‘edimental’, so it looks fabulous in your garden borders too.

It brings rich, smoky colour and soft texture wherever you plant it and just adds a certain je ne sais quoi to your space.

Bronze fennel is a simple herb, but it’s more than a little bit special. Let it go to seed and you will soon have your spice cupboard stocked with your very own homegrown fennel seeds.

Sow under cover in small pots or deep modules from March, sowing 1cm deep and thinning to the strongest seedling. Alternatively direct sow from April to June.

Plant in well-drained soil in a sunny position, spacing 30-45cm apart.

Harvest the leaves from summer onwards.Its feathery leaves can be picked as needed to really lift a salad or simple supper with their fresh anise flavour. It’ll bring the bees to the garden too and anything that attracts the bees is always a winner!