Cooking: Delicious sweet and delicate aniseed flavour. Use in salads and with fish to counteract oiliness. Beauty: An infusion used as a compress is excellent for softening rough chapped hands. Pour hot water over the leaves and stems for a cleansing facial steam bath. Nature's Remedy: Reputed use for many ailments, particularly regularising painful and abnormal menstrual periods. It has long been recommended to combat obesity and aid slimming, as an eyewash for sore eyes and as a gentle laxative. Steep 1 tablespoonful of freshly crushed seeds in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey to taste.

Prepare the ground well and rake to a fine tilth before sowing. Sow early spring outdoors where they are to grow, 12mm (½in) deep in rows 38cm (15in) apart.

When large enough to handle thin out to 30cm (12in) apart.

They prefer a sunny site and well drained soil but will grow in most sites and soils.