Land cress

Land cress (Barbarea verna) has a similar, but milder taste than watercress, and is easier to grow in a garden. Both its leaves and flowers are edible and can be addded to salads. The leaves are high in Vitamin C and A.

It is native to Europe and has been cultivated here in the UK as a leaf vegetable since the seventeenth centuary. It grows best in moist soil in partial shade. The RHS describes it as a biennial. However mine is still going and sending out new leaves in its second winter, having flowered last summer.

Having left the flowers to go to seed, my initial stock is now surrounded by plenty of seedlings, so whether it is a self seeding biennial or a perennial, once you have a few in the garden, it should keep making an appearance. While in the brassica family, it is not so prone to pest problems as more cultivated brassicas. It can suffer from flea beetle however. A useful salad plant!