Garlic: a bulb for all tastes The farm is now world renowned, and grows 60 acres (2.5 million bulbs) a year - mainly 'Solent White," a "long-lasting, all-rounder" developed for the British climate; they also explore 20 new varieties each year, and run an education centre dedicated to garlic. Natasha adores the stronger, purple-tinged varieties such as 'Lautrec" and 'Purple Moldovan," which also have their roots in France, but, having inherited her mother's love of cooking, she embraces the "stinking rose" in every form. "Although it's a staple in our kitchens now, I think that the variation in taste of the different types is still not widely understood," she says. For those who don't subscribe to the 40-clove chicken mentality, or can't wait for the main harvest in July, wet (or green) garlic - coming into season in May - is the perfect choice. It's pulled up before the individual cloves have developed and has a milder flavour than mature garlic. "You can treat it like a spring onion, chopped into stir fries and salads, but it's really wonderful roasted," Natasha says. Just remove the very tops, slice the bulb and stems in half, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. It also makes a pungent pesto, which I drizzle over lamb. Now is also the time to hit the hedgerows, to make the best of what's growing in the wild. Allium ursinum, common wild garlic, is usually found carpeting damp, deciduous woodland or river valleys. The first leaves - a wide, elliptical shape - appear in early spring, with their star-shaped flowers blooming towards the end of the season. Both the leaves and flowers are edible. Natasha recommends stirring it, chopped, into risotto, or spooning it over a bowl of buttery new potatoes. One word of caution, though: the leaves look very similar to lily of the valley, which is poisonous, but it can be identified by rubbing a leaf between your fingers - the scent is unmistakable. Garlic: The Mighty Bulb by Natasha Edwards (£14.99; Kyle Books; photos by Peter Cassidy) The Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, where you can find everything from garlic beer to ice cream, is in its 26th year; Aug 18-19 (01983 741510; garlic-festival.co.uk) Growing your own Farm shops and markets are the best sources for good-quality, long-lasting, flavoursome bulbs, but you could also grow your own. The best time to plant depends on the variety, but as a general rule, garlic should go in before the ground freezes - usually early to mid-autumn - as the garlic needs a "cold shock" to get it going. "As long as your cloves are in the ground any time up to late spring, you should get some results," says Natasha, "although your bulbs may be on the small side." A free-draining but moisture-retentive soil (pH above 6.7) is ideal. Spreading compost before planting can prevent yellowing, poor vigour and small bulbs. To prepare for planting, dig and turn over the topsoil to a spade's depth. Work it down so you have a fine top layer of at least 4cm (1.5in). Garlic will grow in the shade but loves the sun, so ideally choose the sunniest position. If planting in a vegetable garden, select an area that hasn't contained members of the onion family for at least two years, to minimise the risk of disease. Naturally occurring sulphur in garlic can act as a fungicide and pesticide. Plant garlic close to vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage to deter aphids and common pests. When you're ready to plant (and not before), break up the bulb into individual cloves, taking care not to damage them, and discard any unhealthy cloves. Draw out a furrow 3cm-4cm (1in-1.5in) deep. Make sure you plant the cloves root-end down, tip pointing up, and deep enough so they can be covered with 3cm-4cm of loose soil, measured from the clove tip. Place the cloves so that they are just resting in the soil at the bottom of the furrow. Large cloves should be spaced 15cm (6in) apart, small cloves 10cm (4in) apart. When the row is planted, draw the soil over the cloves to cover them completely. If the soil is dry, water sparingly. For growing and harvesting advice, and to buy your bulbs: The Garlic Farm, 01983 865378; thegarlicfarm.co.uk Buying the best Ensure that the bulbs are intact and that no cloves are missing The firmer the cloves, the better. Softness suggests the bulb may have already started to go powdery inside Avoid any bulbs with green shoots at the tips Keep your garlic cool - ambient temperatures encourage sprouting Green garlic pesto recipe 3 large green garlic bulbs, roots removed 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons mixed seeds (pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds) A good handful of fresh basil leaves 150g Parmesan or pecorino, finely grated Sea salt to taste Finely chop the bulbs, stems and leaves Place all the ingredients, except the cheese, in a food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency Stir in the cheese and add salt to taste. Mix in more olive oil if the pesto is too dry  Finely chop the bulbs, stems and leaves  Place all the ingredients, except the cheese, in a food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency  Stir in the cheese and add salt to taste.