Eye Candy

Plant of the Week – Chaerophyllum hirsutum ‘Roseum’ (Hairy Chervil).

Eye Candy Credentials

At the moment the hedgerows are frothing with white flowering cow parsley and a black leaved cultivar is sometimes found in gardens.  This delicate pink umbel is related but is much sturdier and flowers for far longer.  The leaves are held flat and are deeply cut and almost fern like.  They are a beautiful shade of apple green, slightly hairy and scented.  The flowers are a delicate pink and can last for up to three months.  It reminds me of pink champagne for some reason.  Perhaps because it is light, frothy and really rather delightful.

How to Grow

Chaerophyllum needs rich, moist, well drained soil and will be happy in the sun or partial shade.  The only attention it needs is in the autumn when any tatty foliage should be cut back and then given a good mulch of compost.  Very easy.

Looks Good With

Astrantia ‘Buckland’, Aconitum napellus, Deschampsia cespitosa, Camassia.

 

Technical Stuff

Chaerophyllum hirsutum ‘Roseum’ is a hardy herbaceous perennial which is native to meadows, hedgerows and open woodland from Spain and France to South West Russia.  The flowers are technically known as compound umbels, which means that they radiate from the top of a single stem and look a little like an exploding firework.  It grows to about 60 cm high with a spread of about 30 cm and will flower from April to June.