Parsley is one of the preferred foods of the swallowtail butterfly larvae, along with fennel.
I have a 6 or 7 year old perpetual parsley patch under my butterfly bush and another patch 2 or 3 years old in my cutting garden. This was accomplished by allowing some of the second year plants (it is a biennial) to go to seed and they replant for the next years first year plants on their own.
It makes a lovely ground cover and provides food for the caterpillars, rabbits and me. It is winter hardy and although it will lie down and look dead in a deep freeze it perks up again with a bit of a warm day. I harvest and use it year round.
Normally parsley is considered difficult to propagate because germination of the seeds takes so long but in this manner I let Mother Nature take care of it all.
Update: 6/15/03
Parsley essence by
sneff is THE BEST. I made it but I'm no chef so I don't have
sea salt or
fish sauce. I used canned broth and Morton's salt but my own freshly picked parsley and it is good enough to eat with a spoon! I'll get fish sauce and try that but let me tell you, this stuff is good even the simple way.
I froze it in a zip lock bag (not having a restaurant full of patrons to serve it to) laid flat so I can break off bits as needed to use in the deep dark winter! See freezing fresh herbs.
It is a lovely forest green.