Fennel is both beautiful and useful in the kitchen; I have some growing in my garden. Growing, but not flourishing, it amounts to no more than a few weedy stems, despite my efforts with the watering can and occasional doses of fertilizer. That seems to be the problem. On Friday Monty Don explained on ‘Gardeners’ World’ how fennel is adapted to hot, dry Mediterranean conditions and ‘will look good all summer long without a drop of water’. Benign neglect is the answer.
Photo: Shingle Street, July 2017