Classic Gardening Magazine
Gardening as it ought to be
The asparagus has landed
A month ago I was sampling the olive pruner's asparagus feast in northern Italy.
Now the asparagus dawn has crept up to England, and our six week season is in full swing.
As a bit of an asparagus fan, perhaps I should follow the harvest north. I guess it'll be landing in Iceland in a month or so.
But for now, I'm enjoying having asparagus on my doorstep, if not in my back garden.
Asparagus was one of my early experiments, in my first garden in Reading. There, the rich river silt - the Thames was at the end of our our road - meant pretty much anything I planted sprouted. I bought asparagus seed - who in their right mind would do that - and in the second year had my first shoots.
By the time we left we had a great bed, but we've never been able to repeat that early success.
Yesterday I rustled up an asparagus and lemon spaghetti from Waitrose. But it was bland, not a patch on the dish I'd had in Italy. So here are some recipes you might try.
A month ago I was sampling the olive pruner's asparagus feast in northern Italy.
Now the asparagus dawn has crept up to England, and our six week season is in full swing.
As a bit of an asparagus fan, perhaps I should follow the harvest north. I guess it'll be landing in Iceland in a month or so.
But for now, I'm enjoying having asparagus on my doorstep, if not in my back garden.
Asparagus was one of my early experiments, in my first garden in Reading. There, the rich river silt - the Thames was at the end of our our road - meant pretty much anything I planted sprouted. I bought asparagus seed - who in their right mind would do that - and in the second year had my first shoots.
By the time we left we had a great bed, but we've never been able to repeat that early success.
Yesterday I rustled up an asparagus and lemon spaghetti from Waitrose. But it was bland, not a patch on the dish I'd had in Italy. So here are some recipes you might try.
