What Is Happening in the BBG Herb Garden and Kitchen This Week (Sept. 30)?

By Barbara F. Smith

Early autumn looked lovely in the Herb Gardens on this first day of October, with bits of bright color in the changing foliage. Today’s herb of note is fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), which appears in the Herb Display Garden near the Center House in both the bronze and green varieties (pictured).

Native to the Mediterranean region, fennel is a short-lived herbaceous perennial that can grow to a height of six feet, topped with small, delicate flower umbels. The base of the leafstalk forms a bulb, and the foliage is feathery. When purchasing fennel plants, you’ll find at least two types – “vulgare” (also called officinale), commonly known as wild fennel, and “dulce" (also called sweet fennel or Florence fennel). This latter type is preferred for culinary purposes.

Fennel’s abundant flowers are popular with pollinators. Swallowtail butterflies choose fennel (and other members of the Umbelliferae family like dill or lovage) as their host plants by laying their eggs on the plants and their caterpillars feeding on the leaves. Fennel’s scent is unmistakable – rather like anise or licorice with a sweet note. The plant self-sows freely, so to avoid that happening, snip the heads off soon after flowering.

Ancient Greeks called fennel “marathon” – perhaps after a village about 25 miles from Athens where fennel grew wild. In 490 B.C.E., Athenians defeated Persians there. Before the battle, a Greek soldier carrying a stalk of fennel ran 120 miles in two days to recruit soldiers from Sparta, an effort that failed. But outnumbered Athenians did win the battle, and another long-distance runner took news of the victory from Marathon to Athens – about 25 miles away. Modern marathon races take their name from these events!

In the kitchen, fennel stalks may be used as a substitute for celery in soups or stews and the fronds may be used instead of dill in salads or garnishes. Fennel leaves can serve as a base for poaching fish or as a garnish, and its seeds are used in Italian sausages. Some Indian restaurants in the US offer fennel seeds at the end of a meal. Fennel essential oil is used in confectionery and liqueurs such as anisette and it is also used in perfume and cosmetics.

As a medicinal herb in history, fennel was used either to suppress appetite or promote it. It was used to draw out fevers, aid digestion, and counteract sleeplessness and colds; it has mild laxative qualities. The flowers and fennel leaves can be used to make yellow and brown dyes for wool.

In herbal news this week, the Perennial Plant Association has chosen Mountain Mint (Pycanthemum muticum) as its plant of the year for 2025, citing its value for attracting pollinators  (photograph included). This plant may be seen in the Herb Display Gardens near the Center House.  Mountain mint is a tough and adaptable perennial native with no serious disease issues; and due to its aromatic foliage, it is unpalatable to deer and rabbits. The Horticulture Research Manager at the Mt. Cuba Center says it’s a “fantastic plant. . .If you are looking to attract pollinators en masse to your garden, look no further than Pycnanthemum muticum. It is invaluable to gardeners thanks to its beauty, vigor, adaptability, and disease and herbivore resistance.”

In the Kitchen, the Herb Associates focused on preparing various teas and jellies. Grape Rosemary Jelly and Lemon Balm Jelly provided wonderful scents and color contrasts. Tea varieties sorted into bags included Peppermint, Spearmint, Apple mint, and “Lemon Lovers’ Tea” – composed of lemon verbena, lemon balm and lemon grass-dried leaves. Finally, a batch of Mulling Spices were blended and sorted into bags – just the item to add to cider for a nice Autumn beverage, or to add a welcoming fragrance to your kitchen.

Thanks were sent to the Herb Associates for a variety of herbal jellies packaged in small portions (pictured) that were offered as favors at a recent wedding reception. The Kitchen Crew was delighted to have a role in such a happy occasion. Herb Associates Products make great gifts, whether to family and friends or as a takeaway from a corporate event where some local mementos of a meeting or conference is desired. Keep that in mind!

We hope to see you at the upcoming Harvest Festival — we have our products in front of the Center House.  All proceeds benefit the Garden.