SPARROW GRASS

Asparagus label

Common name: Asparagus

Botanical name: Asparagus officinalis

Family: Asparagaceae (formerly Liliaceae)

Aspect & soil: Sun to part shade; well-drained soil

Best climate: Cool, Mediterranean, temperate, subtropical

Habit: Herbaceous perennial

Propagation: Crowns, seed, potted plants

Difficulty: Moderate

Each spring, delicious spears of asparagus appear in my garden — but it’s a mixed blessing. Unfortunately, the previous gardener ignored the first rule of asparagus planting: give them a dedicated bed. As a result, they’re growing in a garden bed, fighting for space and attention between a large clump of acanthus and garden perennials.

Every year I resolve to clear out the other plants and every year I forget so the annual spot-the-asparagus hunt goes on.

The reason for