Winter finds me spending considerable time deliberating over how I will transform my garden for summer. The heady scent of damp compost and freshly germinated seedlings will shortly be filling the greenhouse. I can hardly contain my excitement.
Anemanthele lessoniana (in the background) continues to self seed freely through our garden. My big idea for this year is for all my new seed grown plants to sit in containers between the clumps of this grass. I cannot wait to see my 2018 seed raised honka dahlias emerging through the burn’t orange tinted foliage this coming late summer. l
Molina Transparent and giant fennel plants are shortly to be acquired. They will definitely provide height and structural definition to my garden.
I am still working on finalising my must have list. Fiona likes to help out, using her long pointy greyhound nose to show me her favourites. In all honesty I would like to grow the lot !
p.s my next blog will be my definitve list, and why they made it onto it.
Sally Wicks 
Almost the growing season, have some broad bean plants and kale seedlings sheltering in the house at the moment.
Back to sledging before the rain arrives tomorrow afternoon.
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Yes, the growing season is almost here ! Enjoy the snow. 2 broad beans for me this year – red epicure – and Karmazyn. I will save you some.
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People still grow fennel? It used to be an invasive exotic here, but I do not see it so much anymore. It did not do as well in my garden as it does where it does not belong.
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Hi Tony, yes you are right is is quite a self seeder. I quite like using the common fennel, there is a bronze coloured cultivar, it looks great with alliums. The giant fennel in the image was from the winning show garden at Chelsea last year, and will reach around 2.5 m I use it in my own garden, and just remove the unwanted self setters, the colour of the flowers is so vivid, and it is brilliant for seeds for the birds in winter,
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Yes! When I was a kid, much of it was left on the perimeters of the orchards, and the birds loved it. No one minded letting it bolt because there was more than enough for everyone. We could easily afford to let some (or many . . . or MANY) go to seed. We all remember the aroma on warm days. I tried the bronze type, but I still prefer the familiar. It does not color here very well anyway.
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Hi Tony, yes I agree fennel is a great self setter ! At home I like it to self seed around the garden, and thin out when it has self seeded where I don’t want to see it. there is a bronze leaf cultivar -( Foeniculum vulgare purpureum ) which looks brilliant with alliums. I came across giant fennel ( Ferula communis ) last year, and the image is from the winning show garden at Chelsea flower show. It will grow upto 2.5m if not slightly higher ! I really want to plant it at home, it will look fantastic and it is massively wildlife friendly.
As it is so good at self seeding I tend not to use it, in a few of my customers gardens, as I know they would consider it as invasive. Kind regards. Sally
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