Sweet cicely vs fennel

[Robert B]

So I’m thinking of growing sweet cicely in the herb patch but I also have quite a few fennel plants, is it still worth growing sweet cicely or are the plants just to similar?

Thanks!

 

[Tetters]

I reckon that might be something only you can decide. It's going to look just like a load of cow parsley if you do, and of course you already have fennel for your fish. I think I would probably decide to grow some purple fennel to go by the green one, and save space for something quite different, but of course if you have a massive space to fill up, you may prefer cicely. I would consider how much of it I might actually use, and might stick an apple tree there instead. Were you thinking of kitchen use, or more ornamental purpose?

 

[Robert B]

I reckon that might be something only you can decide. It's going to look just like a load of cow parsley if you do, and of course you already have fennel for your fish. I think I would probably decide to grow some purple fennel to go by the green one, and save space for something quite different, but of course if you have a massive space to fill up, you may prefer cicely. I would consider how much of it I might actually use, and might stick an apple tree there instead. Were you thinking of kitchen use, or more ornamental purpose?

Mainly as an ornamental for the sweet cicely. As it looks like cow parsley I dunno if it would look good in the ornamental patch however. But I would use the seed to stop it spreading everywhere

 

[Tetters]

As an ornamental, and if you could add something like blue Thalictrum as well as the green and purple ferny leaf of Fennel, that patch could look absolutely stunning, especially when the Fennel also flowers.