Bishop's Weed comes from the sun-baked margins of the Mediterranean and the Nile Delta, where its Greek name, meaning simply "sand," describes the dry, gritty ground it calls home. In the garden it asks for something similar: full sun or dappled shade, well-drained moist soil, and room to grow 3 to 4 feet tall without crowding. Sow seed directly in spring once frost is past, allow 18 inches between plants, and resist the urge to transplant — it sulks when moved.

From early summer through autumn the densely packed umbels open white, resembling Queen Anne's Lace but with a tidier, more architectural quality that makes it indispensable as a cut flower. Stems can last up to ten days in the vase. Birds find the dried seedheads attractive through fall and winter, which is the argument for leaving a few stems to stand. Deadhead the rest after flowering to prevent the enthusiastic self-seeding that has made it invasive in some warmer climates. It carries an RHS Award of Garden Merit, and though toxic to dogs, cats, and horses, it is otherwise trouble-free in the cottage, cutting, or pollinator garden.