For those of you who regularly read my gardening columns it probably feels like I've extolled the virtues of quite a few vege and herb garden 'must haves' in the last few years.

If I had to name my top three must haves (lettuce, basil and courgettes in case you're wondering), fennel wouldn't be in the list.

But it would feature in my 'really nice to have' list. It's an incredibly versatile plant, which adds flavor to any stir-fry, pie, roast dish, dip and more.

While I tend to eat fennel like I would a leek, peel off the harder outer layers and slice up the white base of the plant to use in pies, salads or stir-fries, you can in fact eat the whole plant. The seeds can be used to spice up dishes and the leaves for garnishes.

The only downside to this herb masquerading as a vegetable is that it requires a bit of space to grow. But if you can grow tomatoes, you can grow fennel. They like the same type of conditions (sunny, dry and well-drained) but unlike tomatoes only grow to about as high as your knees. Fennel also grows nicely next to parsley, mint and thyme for the same reason.

Grab some fennel seedlings from your local supermarket, Bunnings or The Warehouse. Alternatively, purchase them from our online shop and have them delivered direct to your door.

Once you've got your seedlings and found a suitable spot in your garden, simply dig a little hole and plant.

In around eight to 10 weeks, depending on the weather where you are, your flavoursome fennel will be ready to sample. Remember simply throw any parts of the plant you don't use into your compost.