Bamboo is a lovely plant to have in your garden – it has attractive, leafy foliage; redolent of an exotic garden somewhere in Asia; and it acts as an excellent screen. However, bamboo does grow very well. And it tends to spread. And… spread a bit more. Eek! You may …

Rhubarb is a fantastic thing to grow – very easy and low maintenance – plus it lends itself very well to all kinds of dishes, from the sweet to the savoury and pretty much everything in between. If you want to know what to make with rhubarb, then read on …

Gin is great on its own – long summer evenings drinking G&T are a wonderful way to pass the time! But how about jazzing up your favourite drink with some added flavours? If you are a fan of rhubarb then you are probably already in love with its delicate flavour …

Rhubarb is a strange plant, there’s no doubt about it – it grows from a “crown” and it is only the stems that we eat. It disappears completely in winter, but returns with a vengeance in the spring and summer (unless grown in a heated greenhouse). If you love rhubarb …

An onion is an onion, right? Wrong, actually. You would be forgiven for thinking that those small, tasty vegetables that are in the vast majority of our food can’t have that many subspecies – but actually there are a huge variety of onions. The Allium family has many different subspecies, …

Pickled shallots are a fantastic, and very easy thing to make. These small onions are sweeter than their standard cousins, and their size makes them ideal to fit into a jar with vinegar. They are delicious, nutritious, and very moreish – what could you love more about a pickled onion! …

Shallots are a great addition to any vegetable patch. Smaller, and considerably sweeter than the slightly harsh taste of a regular onion, they can be added to any dish as an onion substitute, or as part of the recipe in their own right. Shallots are a very rewarding crop to …

Have you ever sat in front of 7 pounds of potatoes, all ready and waiting to be peeled and used in some fancy dish? Then you might know what it’s like to sit in front of a pile of Jerusalem artichokes. These little guys are actually even more daunting than …

So, you planted a few Jerusalem artichokes in your garden or allotment. Great! They grew and grew, and you were very proud. Good on you! They turned into a garden of Triffids, producing more than you could ever imagine yourself using. Congratulations! Welcome to the Jerusalem artichoke growing club. This …

Jerusalem artichokes are one of those “love it or hate it” vegetables. Many people love them for their delicate flavour, their versatility, the health benefits, and the ease of growing them. Other people loathe them because of their taste, their sprawling growth – and the fact that they are very …