Perennial edibles are, in theory, nirvana for the hassle-free gardener. Plants that produce food every year without the need for repeated sowing or planting? Yes please! They’re less effort and can also reduce our environmental impact, by avoiding the single-use plastics in bagged composts and pots.
Fruit are the top perennial edibles – apples, strawberries, rhubarb, you name it, they crop year after year. Then there are herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, chives and fennel.
But with vegetables, the perennial types can be hit and miss, although that hasn’t stopped me from trialling them over the last ten years. Asparagus is my favourite, supplying tasty spears all spring once established.
