PARSLEY PLUS

I grew up in central Scotland, but as far as vegetables were concerned, in central Europe. My Hungarian father was the gardener and cook in our household, so kohl rabi and celeriac were everyday crops, and – despite my Scottish mother’s continuing resistance – garlic was mandatory. Another perfectly ordinary crop was Hamburg parsley.

British tastes have caught up in the intervening 40 years, but while other ‘continental’ crops have become familiar, Hamburg parsley remains obscure – even among gardeners. Quite why is a mystery.

Edible roots and leaves make it a dual-purpose crop which – once safely germinated – is easy to grow. Rugged hardiness lets you harvest it for six months of the