Thursday, November 03, 2005

WHAT IS IT?

Quite a few people had a guess at naming the 'mystery' plant. I think Sandy was the closest in suggesting a herb, perhaps in the dill family, which it may very well be.

So, what is it .....
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.... It's BRONZE FENNEL - a herb that tastes like aniseed (not sure if that's what they actually extract aniseed from), but I love the feathery leaves, especially in the darker bronze form. The new growth in the centre comes out looking like a foxes tail. The above photo was taken with the camera in the middle of the plant; the one below was actually taken about a month ago so it's grown quite a bit since then. Posted by Picasa


Now, for all those folk bringing cakes, biscuits and bread ..... how do you like your tea? White, black, sugar, lemon ....?

10 comments:

sonia a. mascaro said...

Alice, that's an interesting plant, indeed!
I prefer black with little sugar.
So nice have a cup of tee looking your marvelous garden! Would be a paradise!

Peggy said...

I take my tea anyway I can get it as long as I can drink it while walking around the garden.

andrea said...

Hi Alice! Lovely pics - your garden is such a refreshing burst of summer for us northern-hemisphere folks.

Calidore said...

Ohh aren't you sneaky with the photo. Never seen fennel before, but now I will recognise it.

Tea - white no sugar, am sweet enough...lol. And yes there are photos of my roses coming - just can't work out what Ashley has done with the camera dock - I can't download anything...mutter, mutter.

Erica said...

well, I'd never have guessed! Do you use it for cooking? it's quite a strong flavour - I often see people picking wild fennel along the road, not sure I'd want to eat that though.

Yasmin said...

dear alice, thank you so much for your kind words left on my blog recently. I think of my Mum every day and still have a cry but there is lot's of laughter and happy memeories too. I am going to the UK next week and I am going to show my Aunt how to use the internet (she is going on the QE2 and wants to stay in touch). I just love your site and will share it with her-she will love it too. Thank you again, YaYa

Shell said...

I had no clue and I've grown fennel before! Heh. Now that is a huge plant, and it's grown more? I feel so inadequate when I see your garden photos - my garden looks so blah compared to yours. It's always inspiring though, and have you noticed that I'm running out of ways to tell you how much I enjoy checking in on your beautiful garden?

Alice said...

Erica - no, I don't use the Fennel for cooking, just decoration in the garden. I saw it used as a border in one of the gardens at Diggers in Dromana, Vic. and thought it looked lovely. I don't mind aniseed so sometimes I just pick a few little pieces and eat them as I walk around. Same with Dill, which comes up everywhere, although I do use that in cooking, especially with vegetables.

Shell- don't be discouraged about your garden. If you love plants then your garden will eventually happen. You are busy now establishing your new home and you have lots of other wonderful talents which you also must spend time on.

melissa said...

Oh, I'm definitely coming to your tea party! I'll take it with 2 sugars and maybe, just maybe some cream. Just depends.

Were you going to ask that question I always see in British books where they say "China or Indian"?!!

sueeeus said...

I might have guessed fennel. I have a fennel plant in my garden that grows no matter how little I care for it (that's the best kind of plant for me). Mine is very tall and sort of purplish and smells of anise if you rustle its feathery leaves. It gets covered with aphids so I don't do anything with it other than admire how proliferous it is. As for tea? Cream and 2 sugars, please.