Don't just gaze at your garden - eat it!

3:58pm Friday 9th May 2008

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GARDENING today is not just about looking at your blooming plants but eating them too.

"Ever since celebrity chefs began adding leaves and roots to their cooking on television business has improved remarkably," said Kim Hurst, who has been running the Cottage Herbery at Tenbury Wells with her husband Rob for 32 years.

The new found celebrity status of herbs helped their business win a special award for Most Creative Exhibit in the Royal Horticultural Society marquee at Malvern Spring Gardening Show.

Their display of culinary scented medicinal and edible herbs beat off competition from displays by more than 100 of the countries top nurseries.

"People have been eating plants since the beginning of time," said Mrs Hurst, "but everything has taken off since they started to feature in cooking on television.

"Suddenly they have become fashionable. I am not complaining but it is something we have been trying to promote for ages."

As if to prove a point she was appearing on stage during the show to provide herbs used in a cookery demonstration.

Centrepiece of the Cottage Herbery stand was a giant 12ft by 10ft garden trug filled with edible plants.

"You can eat the leaves, roots, buds or seeds," said Mrs Hurst.

"Either cooked or, in most cases, raw. We do a special salad leaf mix that you can eat after you enjoyed looking at it."

As another example she picked out that gardeners the nasturtium.

Cottage Herbery sells a variety called Indian Ruby from which the flowers leaves and seeds are all edible raw, while the seeds are also particularly delicious pickled.

So this summer your barbecue guests shouldn't be too surprised if you ask them to tuck into the hanging baskets too.

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