Arctium lappa can be found growing wild across Europe, Scandinavia, and the Mediterranean, as well as other locations around the world. In the UK, Arctium lappa is more commonly known as Greater Burdock, but I’m sure that this plant has a range of common names, as it’s a native plant of so many countries.
This is an edible and medicinal plant that is grown or foraged for food and medicine.
Achillea millefolium is a herbaceous perennial that produces lovely ferny, scented foliage and large flat flower heads; each flower is made up of numerous individual florets. This is a wildflower of the UK, as well as many countries in Europe and Asia. Plants have spread further afield to colonise other countries and continents, after Achillea millefolium was used as an arable feed and escaped from gardens.
Origanum onites is one of my favourite plants; its a pretty little thing with a long flowering period; plants bloom over the summer months. This is a superb plant for a wildlife garden. Origanum onites plants produce an abundance of these sweet, dainty flowers that are adored by bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and moths. Commonly known as marjoram, Origanum onites is a culinary and medicinal herb with aromatic leaves that will enhance a wide variety of culinary dishes.
Echium vulgare is a hardy biennial with hairy stems; plants produce pretty pink buds, which open as sky-blue coloured flowers. This is a superb plant for a wildlife garden, as whilst it’s blooming, Echium vulgare is a veritable bee magnet!
This is a UK native plant that can also be found growing naturally in the wild in other European countries. Echium vulgare thrives in areas that are out in the open and warmed by the sunshine.
Peas (also known as Pisum sativum) are annual vegetables from the Fabaceae or Leguminosae (Legume) family. These climbing plants produce pods filled with peas. The peas are often the focus for gardeners and cooks, but don’t miss out on the extent of the gourmet delights that peas offer us – as all parts of pea plants are edible – the shoots, leaves, pea pods, and the peas themselves – they’re delicious!
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Cupani’ is often referred to as the original sweet pea, as its appearance is very similar indeed to the sweet pea form that was discovered by a Sicilian monk named Francis Cupani, back in the 1690s. Modern sweet pea cultivars descend from this old, but very special and much loved sweet pea.
Lathyrus odoratus ‘Cupani’ produces slightly smaller sized blooms than the similar looking Lathyrus odoratus ‘Matucana’.
