Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)

A quiet favourite with a history stretching back to the Romans, Alexanders is a versatile and unassuming vegetable with a mild sweetness. Known as "Black Lovage," this tenacious biennial thrived in forgotten corners of Europe long after it was abandoned by formal gardeners. Now, it offers a reliable, low-maintenance yield to those willing to rediscover its subtle charm.

🌱 Biennial (self-seeding; returns reliably each year)

🌤️ Light: Full sun to partial shade

📏 Garden Size: Mature plants reach 100–180 cm tall, spreading up to 60 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Suitable for container growing (minimum 30 cm diameter, deep container recommended)

🥗 Flavour & Use: The mildly peppery leaves and tender, crunchy stems are delicious raw in salads or cooked in soups and stews. Once likened to asparagus, the stems offer a unique, aromatic sweetness. Dried seeds can be used as a fragrant spice.

💚 Nutrition & Health: Traditionally valued for its ability to aid digestion and reduce inflammation, Alexanders is a powerhouse of essential vitamins and nutrients. It is a rich source of vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.

💪 Resilience: A tough and unassuming survivor, Alexanders is highly resilient to common pests and capable of withstanding periods of drought. Its steadfast nature makes it a reliable choice for any garden, providing a consistent yield even in unpredictable conditions.

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)

Commanding attention with its bold, architectural form, Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) is a statement plant with a dramatic flair. Once a star of Victorian gardens, this perennial close to the globe artichoke has a striking appearance that promises a rewarding challenge. Its graceful foliage and flowers attract pollinators, while its tender, edible stems are a culinary treasure.

🌱 Perennial (dies back in winter and regrows each spring)

🌤️ Light: Full sun

📏 Garden Size: Reaches 90–180 cm tall, spreading 60–90 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Needs a very large container (minimum 45 cm deep and wide)

🥗 Flavour & Use: Cardoon’s flavour is elegantly bitter with a sophisticated, artichoke-like profile. Its stalks are a rewarding challenge to prepare, demanding a few extra steps to remove any bitterness. But for the devoted gardener who appreciates a true test of skill, the tender, elegant flavour of this Victorian favourite is a prize well worth the effort.

💚 Nutrition & Health: Historically prized for its medicinal qualities, Cardoon is an elegant source of nutrition. It is naturally high in fibre, potassium, and magnesium, and was historically used to support digestion and promote heart health.

💪 Resilience: A plant that earns its place, Cardoon offers more than just a harvest; it is a statement piece for the garden. Highly resilient to common pests and capable of withstanding periods of drought, its strong, architectural form provides structure and beauty even in unpredictable conditions. This is a plant that gives you back what you put in, a worthy challenge for any serious gardener.

Sculpit (Silene inflata)

Also known as Bladder Campion, Sculpit is a traditional Italian herb. It is a quiet, culinary secret, treasured for its delicate, nutty flavour and graceful leaves. Often whispered about in small villages, this plant adds an authentic touch to spring dishes like risottos, omelettes, and pasta fillings. It’s a sophisticated addition to any garden, a plant for those in the know.

🌱 Short-lived perennial (may die back in winter but often self-seeds reliably)

🌤️ Light: Full sun to partial shade

📏 Garden Size: Grows 20–80 cm tall, spreading around 30 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Suitable for medium containers (minimum 20–25 cm deep)

🥗 Flavour & Use: The young leaves are tender and delicate, with a mild, nutty taste that is perfect for salads, soups, and sautéed dishes. Their sophisticated flavour shines when added to pasta fillings or used as a substitute for spinach.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A traditional source of vitality, Sculpit contains both vitamins A and C and is rich in antioxidants. Historically, it was used to support immune health and promote overall well-being.

💪 Resilience: An unassuming survivor, Sculpit is surprisingly hardy. It returns reliably each year and can handle a variety of conditions, making it a dependable, low-maintenance choice for gardeners who want to bring a piece of Italy into their home.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Often mistaken for a common weed, Purslane is a quick-growing succulent with a tangy, lemony bite. This low-spreading plant has been used for centuries across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East as both a culinary staple and a traditional medicine. With a history as rich as its nutrient profile, Purslane is an unassuming gem waiting to be rediscovered.

🌱 Annual (does not survive UK winters but self-seeds freely in warm soil)

🌤️ Light: Full sun

📏 Garden Size: Grows up to 40 cm tall, forming mats 45–60 cm across

🪴 Pot Size: Suitable for small to medium containers (minimum 15–20 cm deep)

🥗 Flavour & Use: With a slightly sour and refreshing taste, Purslane is perfect for adding a bright, zesty flavour to a range of dishes. It is delicious raw in salads, blended into smoothies, or cooked into soups and stews.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A true nutritional powerhouse, Purslane is one of the very few vegetables that contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, a key nutrient for heart health. It is also a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, magnesium, and potassium.

💪 Resilience: A tenacious survivor, Purslane is highly resistant to common pests and thrives in warm, dry conditions where other plants might struggle. It’s a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant herb that self-seeds freely, ensuring a consistent and reliable supply for your garden with minimal fuss.

Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album)

An ancient staple found in Neolithic settlements, Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album) is a highly nutritious leafy green that has endured for millennia. Often called "wild spinach," this versatile plant has fed generations of foragers and traditional cooks. Its enduring presence and ability to thrive without fuss make it a living piece of history for any garden.

🌱 Annual (does not survive winter but self-seeds very easily in most UK gardens)

🌤️ Light: Full sun to partial shade

📏 Garden Size: Grows 10–150 cm tall, spreading around 45 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Suitable for medium containers (minimum 30 cm deep)

🥗 Flavour & Use: With a mild and earthy flavour similar to spinach, Lamb's Quarters is an incredibly versatile vegetable. It can be used raw in salads, cooked into soups or stir-fries, or simply sautéed as a side dish, bringing a taste of the wild to any meal.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A true ancient superfood, Lamb's Quarters is packed with essential nutrients. It is exceptionally rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium, iron, and magnesium, making it fantastic for bone health and general vitality.

💪 Resilience: Having survived for thousands of years, this plant is naturally resilient. Lamb's Quarters is highly resistant to common pests and adapts easily to most soil conditions, making it a dependable, low-maintenance choice that thrives where other plants might not.

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

A fragrant herb once sacred to the Druids, Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) was a staple in medieval mead-making and herbal medicine. Its delicate, creamy white flower clusters add both beauty and a subtle almond-like scent to the garden. With a history steeped in ancient rituals and folklore, this plant offers a touch of mystical charm to any modern collection.

🌱 Perennial (dies back in winter and regrows each spring)

🌤️ Light: Full sun to partial shade

📏 Garden Size: Grows 100–200 cm tall, spreading up to 90 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Needs a large container (minimum 30–35 cm deep)

🥗 Flavour & Use: The sweet-scented flowers and leaves can be infused into teas, syrups, and cordials, or used to add a delicate almond or vanilla flavour to desserts and preserves. It's a key ingredient for mead-making enthusiasts.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A true gift from ancient nature, Meadowsweet contains salicylic acid, the natural compound found in aspirin. It was used historically for its powerful ability to relieve headaches, fevers, and inflammation.

💪 Resilience: A consistent and graceful performer, Meadowsweet is highly resistant to common pests and returns reliably each spring, offering a bountiful and beautiful harvest year after year. It thrives with minimal fuss in its preferred moist conditions.

Lemon Sorrel (Rumex acetosa subsp. acetosa)

Lemon Sorrel (The Culinary Brightener)

A sharp, zesty herb with a vibrant citrusy punch, Lemon Sorrel (Rumex acetosa subsp. acetosa) has been a classic in European cooking for centuries. Its bright flavour is a timeless secret for cutting through richness and adding a fresh bite to everything from creamy soups to light spring dishes. It’s a simple plant with a powerful and elegant taste.

🌱 Perennial (dies back in winter and regrows each spring)

🌤️ Light: Full sun to partial shade

📏 Garden Size: Grows around 60 cm tall, spreading up to 30 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Ideal for medium containers (minimum 25–30 cm deep)

🥗 Flavour & Use: The tender leaves add a brilliant, lemony taste to dishes. Perfect for elevating salads, sauces, and seafood. It shines when blended into creamy soups or used as a fresh garnish to add a vibrant finish.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A simple way to invigorate your meals and your body, Lemon Sorrel is high in vitamin C and potassium. It is also rich in antioxidants, making it a fantastic addition for supporting digestion and immunity.

💪 Resilience: A reliable performer, Lemon Sorrel is highly resistant to common pests and returns faithfully each spring. It’s a hardy, low-maintenance herb that will brighten up your garden and your cooking for years to come.

Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)

Once a staple of medieval monastery and kitchen gardens, Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) is an enduring herb that has proven its worth for centuries. Valued for its unique cucumber-fresh leaves and for its use in Tudor knot-gardens, this plant is a living piece of history. It offers carefree, evergreen greens that are perfect for pots or borders and provide a reliable harvest all season long.

🌱 Perennial (hardy; re-sprouts for many years)

🌤️ Light: Full sun to light shade

📏 Garden Size: 30–45 cm tall and wide

🪴 Pot Size: Medium container, ≥ 20–25 cm deep, with sharp drainage

🥗 Flavour & Use: The leaves add a mild, fresh cucumber note that elevates salads, dressings, and summer drinks. It is also a fantastic addition to herbal butters and light soups. Add the leaves fresh just before serving to get the best taste.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A traditional astringent with a history of use in tonics to help staunch bleeding, Salad Burnet is rich in vitamin C and antioxidant tannins. It was once brewed to aid in digestion and promote general wellness.

💪 Resilience: A truly reliable survivor, Salad Burnet is an evergreen that re-sprouts for many years with minimal fuss. It is highly resistant to common pests and holds its own in a variety of conditions, making it an excellent choice for a low-maintenance garden.

Garden Orach (Atriplex hortensis)

Once more popular than spinach and a medieval monastery staple, Garden Orach (Atriplex hortensis) is a vibrant and confident leafy annual. Also known as "mountain spinach," this plant shrugs off summer heat and a variety of conditions, supplying tender, mildly salty leaves that brighten borders with beautiful crimson foliage. It is a bold statement piece and a smart alternative for any garden.

🌱 Annual (sow each spring or return to The Forgotten Garden for fresh stock)

🌤️ Light: Full sun (tolerates light shade)

📏 Garden Size: Stems 60–150 cm tall, clumps 30–45 cm wide

🪴 Pot Size: Medium–large container, at least 25–30 cm deep, with free-draining compost

🥗 Flavour & Use: Young leaves have a fresh, spinach-like flavour with a mild, savoury saltiness that works beautifully in salads. Larger leaves hold their vibrant colour when cooked in sautés, soups, and pies, and can be used in any recipe that calls for spinach, even on hot summer days.

💚 Nutrition & Health: A nutrient-dense powerhouse, Garden Orach is rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as folate and minerals such as iron, potassium, and magnesium. It is a fantastic source of nutrition for supporting immunity, blood health, and bone strength.

💪 Resilience: A truly hardy performer, Garden Orach is highly resistant to common pests and holds its own during the summer heat. This is a dependable choice for any gardener, providing both beautiful, vibrant foliage and a consistent harvest with minimal fuss.