Annabel Langbein – Gardening

Artichokes

Eaten by rampaging Romans and philosophising Greeks in the first centuries AD, artichokes are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in the world.

Asparagus

As soon as the first spears of asparagus start to arrive, you know summer is not far away. One of nature’s culinary marvels, asparagus makes its presence felt just as winter palates begin to crave fresh, crisp flavours.

Avocados

If you are a greedy person like me, then I'm sure you will already know the gustatory pleasures of a perfect avocado. Split and consume with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon juice, some olive oil, salt and ground black pepper.

Brassicas

This vegetable family, which covers broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts and all the Chinese cabbages, is potent in vital antioxidants and phytochemicals, providing protective nutrition against a number of diseases including types of cancer.

Capsicums

A garden star, the crisp, glossy capsicum or bell pepper must be harvested before the first frost. Green capsicums are actually unripe red capsicums – same fruit but less time ripening on the vine.

Feijoas

Dewy mornings and cold nights bring summer to an end as the glorious season of autumn comes to reign, bringing with it a Kiwi classic - the sweet, aromatic feijoa.

Herbs

A stroll around my herb garden often provides the inspiration for dinner. The bright, zingy flavours of parsley, coriander, basil and mint enliven so many dishes while perennials such as rosemary and oregano deliver sun-baked tastes of the Mediterranean.

Kale

Kale is a star in the kitchen, where it's a power pack of good nutrition, and in the garden, where it's one of the hardiest of the leafy green vegetables.

Leeks and other Alliums

Leeks are members of the allium family, sharing their lineage with those other kitchen stalwarts, onions, garlic and shallots.

Lemons

I use lemons more than any other flavour in my food. Their juice provides a gentle acid balance, neither too biting nor too fragrant, that brightens a dish, while the zest delivers depth and a piquant flavour.

Microgreens

If you don’t have space for a vegetable garden, these miniature salad leaves are the answer. You can grow microgreens from the seeds of any salad greens, lettuces or herbs – the trick is to harvest them when they are young.

Potatoes

Potatoes have to be one of the easiest things to grow. Plant them in the late winter or early spring once all risk of frost has passed. It you don’t have room in the garden, try growing them in a pot or sack.

Pumpkin

The golden-fleshed pumpkin provides a welcome injection of colour in winter cooking and is the nutritional powerhouse of the cucurbit family, with very high levels of beta carotene.

Quinces

Autumn may see the end of summer stone fruits, but we are soon compensated with a bounty of later harvest fruits rich in character and taste – including the season’s slightly knobbly golden prize, the quince.

Salad Greens

Salad greens are among the first spring harvests and have a soft green freshness and a sweetness that comes not from the sun but from the earth and their own inherent vegetative essence.

Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas

Snow peas and sugar snap peas are delicious eaten picked straight off the plant. They are so sweet and crisp even the most vegetable-phobic child seems to enjoy them.

Strawberries

Growing your own strawberries has become particularly popular in recent years - and no wonder. It’s so tempting to pluck the plump, ripe berries and eat them straight from the plant while still warm from the sun.

Tamarillos

A wonderful source of vitamin C, tamarillos make their appearance when other fruit can be scarce and adapt to myriad uses – they are delicious stewed, baked, made into jam or chutney and added to crumbles.

Tomatoes

Once you have eaten a ripe, sweet home-grown tomato there’s no going back. My summer garden just wouldn’t be complete without an interesting assortment of tomato plants. I like to experiment each year with different varieties.

Winter Greens

The winter garden can be a slightly gloomy affair, but some hardy leafy plants such as chard, silver beet, chicory, radicchio and spinach survive in most climates and provide welcome colour in winter dishes.

Zucchini

Zucchini (called courgettes in France) are among the easiest vegetables to grow and just keep on producing throughout spring, summer and even early autumn. They adapt to all sorts of cooking – grilled, stir-fried, blanched and grated into fritters.