Graham Porter’s gardening: the beauty of chives

Mar 13 2010 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IF YOU have been out in the garden over the last few days, you might have noticed that the clump of chives (Allium schoenoprasum) that you thought might have died in the cold winter has finally woken up.

These are one of the more versatile herbs for our gardens, with foliage and those soft purple flowers being both ornamental and edible in summer salads and chopped and mixed in with cold new potato salad or in a stir fry.

Later in the summer, when the foliage gets a little tatty, give the clump a severe haircut and it will start up again.

Lift and divide your clump now and plant the divisions in several different well-drained, sunny micro-climates in your garden to lengthen the season of usefulness and interest.

Put some in a small container now that you can bring in during next winter for forcing – fresh Chive foliage adds another dimension to winter soups.

Whilst you are circulating around the various plant sales during our long awaited summer look out for the flat leaved Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum) with a mild garlic flavour and white flowers from August onwards.

It can be used in the same way as our ordinary chives but gives you that gentle garlic kick, rather like our native wild garlic (Allium ursinum) which is also showing itself now.