Parsley is biennial--it's growth cycle lasts two years. The first year it sends up the leaves we cook with. The second year, it does return with some leaves, then sends up the tall flowerheads. But, during the first season, if the weather gets really hot and dry, it can 'bolt'--send up the flowerheads, which it sounds like yours did last year. The new growth is probably also some of last year, and unless you deadheaded the seedheads, it might have self sown and you could have some new growth too.

I've also seen in my herb books that second-year parsley is not as good for cooking. Flavor in herbs comes from essential oil content--why some herbs are best harvested before flowering, when the plant pulls energy from leaf in order to produce flowers/seed. Parsley in it's second year is doing split duty--leaves for photosynthesis and growth, and flower/seed production. So the plant isn't putting everything into leaves as it is the first year, and they don't have as good of flavor, and can tend more to bitter. But, that doesn't mean it's unuseable. If it tastes fine to you, then use it! I generally use second-year to freeze for adding to stocks over the winter. And most of what you grow yourself either first or second year will probably taste better than store-bought herb that is generally forced to grow with extra fertilizer, leading to more leaves with less essential oils--therefore less flavor.

1) probably your parsley reseede itself. Thats good. The first two leaves of parsley plant are tiny tong shaped, like most weeds. When the third and fourth come along v grow a bit, you will see ridged edges.

2) about the flavor: It is a matter of taste. To me any fresh parsley is tasty, has aroma and good enough. Even the second year you can control its bolting, by pincing off the shoots. at different staged. those shoots with unripe seeds are even tastier than the leave.

Sounds like I should eat it! Thank you so much!