Heart of the Garden

I have always been confused about fennel. I had it growing in a border years ago and watched it grow all summer to 6′ tall. I searched the base for the edible bulb, but it didn’t look at all as substantial as the fennel at the farmer’s market. I then realized that the fennel grown for its bulb-like stem is a specific variety. One is a perennial herb (Foeniculum vulgare) grown for its ornamental gorgeousness and also for the culinary use of the leaves and seeds. The other is the shorter Florence fennel (Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce) or finnochio that is grown for its bulb-like stem.

I have the herbaceous perennial bronze fennel popping up in serveal spots around my garden. It self seeds aggressively, but it is not considered invasive in the midatlantic. It’s nodding panicles attract multiple species of butterflies, but it serves as a host for swallowtail larvae. It blooms June – July and like most herbs, it prefers full sun.

It makes a great backdrop to a garden border, but I let it pop up anywhere because it is a great “see-through” plant. It creates a scrim effect because you can see the other plants around it. It also has beautiful feathery foliage that is a nice contrast to plants with broad leaves.

And to add to the meadow fantasy quality of this herb, it also makes fairy dust! You can  collect the fennel pollen for a more concentrated anise flavor and dust your dinner with it. Put the seed heads in a paper bag, and hang upside down in a cool, dry place until dried. Shake the pollen from the heads and store in a spice jar.