Alexanders (smyrnium olusatrum)

This plant grows very early, thick and fast on many verges hereabouts, swamping out any competitors. In the autumn it has big black seeds.

I've often wondered about it and did some brief looking into it. I came across this fascinating Food and Agricultural Organisation document on neglected crops. It gives a detailed description of the history and uses of this Mediterranean plant introduced by the Romans that was once preferred to celery.

It has many pseudonyms, one of which is 'Thanet celery', presumably as it grew in abundance on the Isle of Thanet, not far from where the Romans had their initial coastal base for their foray and colonisation of parts of the British Isles.

It does come very early in the post-Christmas winter but I don't think I've ever seen it this advanced in January. You can see why it would have been favoured as an early green leaf and with a high vitamin C content was great for warding off scurvy.

I've never tasted it but the article above says it tastes like myrrh - hence the name 'smyrnium' apparently.

Earlier I spent five hours assisting with John's transfer from Thanet to Kingsdown. He's now back in his familiar room.

The last three visits he has told me about some item of news he 'saw' on TV (even though no TV on the wards) about an item where there was a boat with an Irish crew who were all called 'Fergie'. It obviously tickled him. I can't see anything on the internet about it. Drop me a line if you have come across this, please.

Oh, and btw, on my way back from dropping The Principal at Folkestone at 7.30am I passed 302 queued articulated lorries (some were double trailers) for the ferries. I found it quite hard to drive and count at the same time but they were stationary (even if I wasn't). That's a lorra lorries,