Renee Studebaker, former garden and food writer for the Austin American Statesman, currently writes about the intersection of gardening, food and life on her blog Renee’s New Blog. She learned to love the flavors of all fresh produce thanks to summers she spent on her grandmother’s Arkansas farm, although at first she wasn’t particularly enamored of the work involved in getting that food to the table.

Fennel is a gorgeous Mediterranean perennial herb that does well in winter and early spring gardens in moderate climates. Garden and food blogger, Renee Studebaker, is in love with fennel, and her affection for the plant has made her a bit of an expert in growing it in the Central Texas area.