Sparrows, Beans and Edible Flowers

What’s on the show today?

Dr Holly Parsons talks about a bird that seems to have disappeared in Widlife in Focus, growing soybeans that you can eat straight of the vine in Vegetable Heroes. Five senses-today’s it’s all about sight in Design Elements and all about edible flowers in the Talking Flowers segment with Mercedes.

WILDLIFE IN FOCUS

Common House Sparrow

Did you know that the House Sparrow is actually a finch?

But when was the last time you saw a house sparrow?
Can’t remember or do you have plenty in your district?

Funny how there were plenty of house sparrows around and then suddenly you realise, yeah, I haven’t seen one or even heard one for years.”
Maybe that’s a good thing?
Let’s find out .
I'm talking with Dr Holly Parsons from www.birdsinbackyards.net

The male House Sparrow has a black face, and black throat that extends down the chest during the mating season. Otherwise, Sparrows are a combination of black, grey and brown; easily missed.

Sparrows eat seeds, insects, fruit, berries and food scraps, which is quite a flexible diet.
Yet, Sparrows have seen a worldwide decline in the last decade.
In fact House sparrow numbers have declined so dramatically in recent years that the species is now included on the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List.

House Sparrow in the former nest of a House Martin

A recent study in open-access journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution found that compared to sparrows living in the country, urban-dwelling sparrows showed clear signs of stress linked to the toxic effects of air pollution and an unhealthy diet.
Maybe one factor. Another is competition for habitat and nesting sites; changes in the amount of insects when they're feeding their young.
If you have any questions about house sparrows either for me or for Holly why not email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Soybeans: Edamame Soybeans.

Did you know that Soy Beans are an ancient crop?
In fact soy beans were first domesticated by Chinese farmers around 1100 BC and by the first century AD, soybeans were grown in Japan and many other countries.

Ever though of where soy sauce comes from?
Yep, soy beans.

Are you wondering “aren’t soybeans more of a commercial crop, so why would I want to grow soybeans.?”
Yes it’s true, soybean crops are grown for their oil production, but we can eat the beans just the same.

The bushy, green soybean plant is a legume related to peas, groundnuts (peanuts) and alfalfa.
Growing soybeans as a green manure crop will benefit the soil because the plant will add lots of nitrogen to the soil.
Not enough gardeners realise that growing a green manure crop  benefits that are really amazing.

• In fact in the early 1900’s, American cotton grows were advised to “rotate” their crops in a three-year plan so that peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes or other plants would add nitrogen and minerals to the soil for two seasons, and then the third year farmers planted cotton. 
• To the surprise of many farmers, this produced a far better cotton crop than they had seen for many years! 

Today, though, we’re growing green soybeans or Edamame soybeans.

• Edamame soybeans are different varieties than the types grown as a dry field crop for making tofu, soybean oil or other soy products. 
• Edamame varieties are harvested while they are still green, before the pods dry, much like shelling peas. 
• So what’s the difference between soybean and edamame soybeans? 
• The difference between soybeans and edamame is in the level of maturity when the beans are harvested. 
• Soybeans are mature, while edamame are picked while the beans are still young and soft. 

How To Grow

• Edamame does well in many different soil types, but make sure the spot is well drained with plenty of mature compost worked in. 
• Soybeans are a warm-season crop, so plant the seeds when it's time to transplant tomatoes, or when the soil temperature is at least 16 C degrees. 
• Choose a sunny spot, and add some organic fertiliser into the soil before planting. 
• Sow eight to 10 seeds for every 30cm in the row, at a depth of 2 – 2 ½ cms. Edamame plants can get rather bushy, so space your rows at least 1 ½ m apart. 
• All soybeans, including edamame, are legumes that host beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria on their roots. 
• To take advantage of this natural nitrogen production, you can dust your seeds before planting with a bacterial innoculant for soybeans (available from most seed catalogues that offer edamame.) 

Can I Grow Them In A Pot? `

Soybeans don’t grow very high and usually don’t need staking or support .
In fact they grow from ½ - 1 metre tall so this makes them ideal for growing them in all sorts of containers.
Great to grow if you don’t have much space in your backyard.

When to Pick them?
You can pick the fuzzy lime green pods when they feel well filled with seeds, but are still bright green.

They should be more than 5 cm long at this stage.
Store them in the fridge or you can blanch them whole or shelled then freeze them.
Most varieties produce all at once so unless you’re going to cook them all at once, I suggest you stagger the planting every few weeks.

One Thing to Note:Edamame Is Poisonous When Raw. 

Although a lot of plants are definitely safe to eat even when they’re raw, soybeans specifically the edamame variety isn’t one of them.

How to Eat Edamame

• Boil the pods in salted water, about five to six minutes until tender. 
• Or, steam your edamame by placing a couple of cm of water in a pot and bringing it to the boil. 
• Place the edamame in a steam basket or colander and cover the pot for five to ten minutes. 
• Once cooled enough, raise the edamame pod to your lips, squeeze the bean out of its pod, and pop it directly into the mouth! 
• That’s the Japanese way of eating them. 
• Enjoy as a healthy snack. 
• Or, add shelled and cooked edamame to salads, rice, pasta, and other dishes; it adds flavour, a bright green colour, and low-fat protein. 

Why are they good for you?

Edamame is a gluten-free and low calorie bean that contains no amount of cholesterol and is an excellent source of vitamins protein, iron and calcium.
It’s the only vegetable that contains all nine essential amino acids.
THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Five Senses Gardening: Sight in Garden Design.

Gardeners tend to busy themselves with tasks that need doing in the garden, often forgetting to revel in the sight that their garden is providing.
Taking stock of what’s in flower is important not only for the feel good moment it brings, but helps us to relax and really enjoy our environment.

The Seeability Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2008: How Macular Degeneration Affects Vision:

What can we do when designing a garden for the sense of sight.
Let’s find out about what, why and how.
I'm talking with Chris Poulton, Sydney Convenor for the Australian Institute of Horticulture and an experienced horticultural lecturer and consultant.

Take Chris’s suggestion and carry around with you the colour chart or colour wheel, so that when you’re buying a new plant, it fits in with what you want your garden to really feel and look like.

If you have any questions about five senses gardening or have a suggestion either for me or for Chris why not write in or email me at www.realworldgardener.com

TALKING FLOWERS:

Edible Flowers

Why Eat Flowers: Did you know that Romans used edible flowers such as mallows, roses and violets in a lot of their dishes?

You’ve probably heard of and even eaten capers, but did you know capers (Capparis spinosa) are the flower buds of a Mediterranean evergreen shrub and have been used to flavour foods and sauces for over 2,000 years?
Edible flowers such as daylilies and chrysanthemums have been used by the Chinese and Greeks for centuries.

Which Flowers?

• Nobody says you should tuck into a plate of flowers, because that would be too much. 
• If you suffer from hayfever, then give eating flowers a big miss as well. 
• Never eat flowers bought at a flower shop or nursery as these may have been treated with harmful chemical 
• Another warning, not all flowers are edible, and some are poisonous if you can’t identify the flower, then don’t eat it.

Which Flowers Are Safe?

Ms Calendula	Ms Carnation	Ms Clover
Ms Cornflower	Ms Dandelions	Ms English Daisy
Mr Gladioli	Ms Hibiscus	Ms Honeysuckle
Ms Lilac	Ms Marigold	Ms Nasturtiums
Ms Pansy	Mr & Mrs. Peony	Ms Queen’s Ann Lace
Ms Rose	Ms Geraniums	Ms Snapdragon
Mr Tulip (petals)	Ms Sunflower	Ms Violets
Ms Poppy (seeds)	Ms Chrysanthemum	Ms Borage

I'm talking with Mercedes Sarmini.from www.flowersbymercedes.com.au
Recorded live during studio broadcast of Real World Gardener Wednesday 5pm for 2rrr 88.5 fm Sydney

Having a Shearing Time with Flowers

TOOL TIME

Shears and Hedge Shears

Do you use a whipper snipper for just about every edging job in your garden?
Are you happy with the results?

Whether you are pruning a Knot  Garden or just a few shrubs you need to know what works best.

Knot Garden-Hatfield House photo M. Cannon

Whipper snippers aren’t so good for areas where you’ve got lots of low growing plants that have crept over your lawn.
If these plants get whippered snippered back, not only does it look ugly, but sometimes these plants don’t recover that well if ever.
The same with electric trimmers. They tend to tear the branches.
So what’s the alternative?
Hedge shears, Grass shears, Topiary shears. Straight blades or wavy blades.
Which is best to use for you?
Let’s find out about hedge and grass shears. I'm talking with Tony Mattson, General Manager of www.cutabovetools.com.au

The old saying goes "you get what you pay for" so by investing in quality tools, you’re likely to have less fatigue, fewer breakdowns and longer tool life.

When choosing the type of hedge shears you want, think about how much you'll use them, where you'll use them, who will be using them, and, of course, how much you can spend on them.Wavy and straight blades are interchangeable in their use.

The wavy blades hold the stem of what your cutting rather than pushing it out. 

Wavy blades are no harder to sharpen than straight blades, with various sharpening devices to accommodate them.

There's also no difference in weight between wavy and straight blades. 

The weight is mainly in the length of the handles.

Hedge shears should not be used to cut twigs or branches bigger than a ladies fingers.

Grass Shears

Bigger plant material than that, and the blades will be bowed out which is pretty hard to fix.
There’s no need to use your hedge shears to cut your lawn edges; for that your need grass shears or edging shears because these are perfect for lawn edges.

If you have any questions hedge shears, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

VEGETABLE HEROES

Edible Flowers

Have you ever thought of eating the flowers of some of your plants but decided you didn’t know if they were safe?

Why would you eat flowers anyway? Did you know that flowers that are edible are featuring in some of Australia’s top restaurants, including those of violas, baby’s breath, fennel, coriander, peas, rocket and Borage?
Some explanation can be found from the history of edible flowers which can be traced back thousands of years.
Romans used edible flowers such as mallows, roses and violets in a lot of their dishes.
You’ve probably heard of and even eaten capers, but did you know capers (Capparis spinosa) are the flower buds of a Mediterranean evergreen shrub and have been used to flavour foods and sauces for over 2,000 years? 

Edible flowers such as daylilies and chrysanthemums have been used by the Chinese and Greeks for centuries.
In a fifteenth century book of recipes is a list of herbs considered necessary for the garden and include borage flowers, daisies, violets to be used in soup, violets for sauce and gilly flowers (that’s clove pinks to you and me) for drinks."

Seems like eating flowers is nothing new

Which Flowers?

Nobody says you should tuck into a plate of flowers, because that would be too much.
If you suffer from hayfever, then give eating flowers a big miss as well.
Never eat flowers bought at a flower shop or nursery as these may have been treated with harmful chemical
Another warning, not all flowers are edible, and some are poisonous if you can’t identify the flower, then don’t eat it.
Then there are some that aren’t poisonous, but don’t taste nice.
Stick to the ones you can identify from the ones that are mentioned in this segment.

Which flowers are safe?

Well, I’ll talk you through a number of flowers some you might know already.
Back to that question of why are restaurants adding flowers to their dishes?..
Is there something that you eat that’s a tad boring that needs an extra bit of zing and colour?
Ever thought of tossing Nasturtium and Calendula petals into a fresh garden salad, or top a parfait with a couple of violets or heartsease?
Everyone’s heard of stuffed zucchini flowers, and maybe Nasturtium flowers as well. They’re easy to identify.

But what do they taste like?
Nasturtium flowers are sweet with a peppery flavour.
Zucchini flowers taste sweet, with a honey nectar flavour.

What about any others?
Calendula or Pot Marigold tastes a bit like Saffron-spicy tangy and peppery.
Flowers of the herb Rocket are much less peppery than the leaves, but the propeller shaped flowers are delicate, so handle these carefully.

Violets and heartsease taste like sweet nectar and suit desert dishes.

Borage is another one that many people might know already-those bright blue flowers on the blue-green stalks with large leaves that are a bit rasp like to touch. Borage flowers tastes a little like mild cucumbers.

Borage flowers

Pea flowers –guess what, they taste like peas.
What should you do when collecting the flowers and how do you use them in your dishes?
First of all, unless the flavour suits the dish, then there’s no point to adding the flower, so good chefs say.
Take note all you budding Masterchefs.
Looking pretty isn’t enough, it has to enhance the food.
You might use pea flowers with other green flavours, and of course the flowers that taste of sweet nectar are used to lift the flavours of sweet dishes.
Those with peppery or spicey flavours go well in salads.

Less peppery than the leaves.

How to pick your flowers.
Pick your flowers just before you’re about to use them if at all possible.
Check them carefully for bugs, but don’t wash them, because the petals are fairly delicate.
Store them in the fridge in a plastic container covered with a damp paper towel while you’re preparing dinner, or lunch.
Just as you’re about to serve the meal, add the flowers as a final touch.
Sweet flowers can be combined with tea or frozen into ice cubes.
Ground dried petals can be mixed into biscuit pastry or pancake batter for something different.
Some flowers in your vegetable garden you don’t want to pick because they’ll grow into veggies that you want.
So just be selective.
There are others that you need to pick even if you’re not going to eat them because the leaves of these plants become bitter, these are greens including spinach, kale, mustard, bok choi, broccoli, and lettuces,radish and for herbs, basil, coriander, thyme, and mint.

Why are edible flowers good for you?
The flowers contain a portion of the same nutrients that the plant they came from has. Simple as that.
Finally, remember if you’re not sure, to check with a reference book, your garden centre or nursery, before eating a flower to make sure it’s safe to eat.

LIVING PLANET

How To Look After Your Worm Farm? Getting Started.

Still not convinced about worm farms?
Well did you know that in one worm, there is around 474, 075 million bacteria ?
These bacteria do an incredibly important job – mainly making minerals available to your plants.
From the reference “Earthworms in Australia’, by David Murphy,
When compared to the parent soil (the original soil), worm castings (the worm’s poo) have approximately:

7 times the available phosphorous: 6 times the available nitrogen
3 times the available magnesium: 2 times the available carbon
1.5 times the available calcium
So which worms go best in worm farms?
Let’s find out. I'm talking with Sophie Goulding, environment project officer with a local council.

Worms like to be kept moist and covered because they're Sensitive to light.
Keep your worm farm in a shady spot so that they don't overheat and on hot days, give them a sprinkle of water.

worms hate light.

The worms don’t create the minerals out of thin air but change their form from insoluble to soluble by digesting them.
That’s reason enough to get into worm farming.

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Crucifix Orchid.
Epidendrum ibaguense

For some people, orchid growing successfully eludes them but there’s a reason why.
Most supermarket chains sell the gorgeous and enticing moth orchid, but they’re not for beginners.
If you’ve failed with a moth orchid, (Phalaenopsis  spp.) you need to go for something tough and easy that you can practically throw onto the ground and it will grow.
Let’s find out about this plant.I'm talking with the plant panel- Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner. www.thegreengallery.com.au

Crucifix orchids are constantly in flower and don’t have any trouble clinging to rock, as their roots work their way into tiny crevices and cracks.

Epidendrum ibaguense

Crucifix orchids have tough, leathery leaves along reed-like stems, which can be up to 1.2m long. The clusters of starry flowers appear at the end of each stem and come in red, orange, yellow, purple, white and salmon.

This is the perfect orchid for beginners as they’re incredibly tough and can be grown in any free-draining mix in pots or the garden, or simply tucked into a rockery.

Eat Flowers and Broccoli Not Beetles

PLANT DOCTOR

Green Leaf Beetle Paropsides calypso

One of the most planted hedges these days is the Lilly Pilly hedge.
So what happens when you have heaps of the same plants?

Green Leaf Beetle photo Martin Lagerway

Not surprisingly, pests that like that particular plant will also multiply without the help of any production nursery.
We’ve already seen an explosion in the pimple psyillid that causes those little bumps in the leaves of Lilly Pillies, but now, enter another destructor.
Let’s find out more about this pest of Lilly Pillies.
I'm talking with Steve Falcioni, General Manager of eco organic garden. www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au


The Green Leaf Beetle itself is 5mm long, bright green and shiny.
Not just a pest, but a native pest found originally in the north-east of New South Wales and that now has found an abundance of food in our gardens and has been known to defoliate a row of plants almost overnight.

Lilly Pilly Hedge

It firsts starts off as only the edges of the leaves being chewed out and in some cases progresses to the central mid-rib of the leaf.
Then when plants are inspected there’s no sign of what did the eating because the beetle has gone underground or perhaps even flown to another tasty Lilly Pilly hedge.
You can try inspecting your hedges for the juvenile or larvae of the Green Leaf Beetle that are pale green and glossy, 2 cm long and look similar to a stretched out curl grub.
overseas, Neem oil is registered for use on beetles, so from an organic perspective, this may prove worthwhile.
If you have any questions about the Green Leaf Beetle or have some information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

VEGETABLE HEROES

Broccoli, Brassica oleracea var Italica or botrytis cymosa?
The answer to the question which vegetable has more vitamin C than an orange? Broccoli of course.
Would you have guessed that Broccoli heads are actually groups of flower buds that are almost ready to flower?
Each group of buds is called a floret.
There’s some confusion as to where exactly name broccoli come

s from.
Some say it’s from the Latin word brachium, which means "arm" or "branch," other’s that it’s from the Italian word broccolo, which means "cabbage sprout."
Broccoli is of course in the Brassicaceae family of vegetables along with cauliflower, cabbages, Brussels sprouts, turnips and many of the Asian greens.
Did you know that most members of the Brassica Family, are related to a wild cabbage grown centuries ago?
Apparently Romans grew and loved to eat Broccoli way back in 23 to 79 BCE.
During the 8th century BCE, the Etruscans migrated from what is now Turkey to Italy, settling in Tuscany of course, and bringing with them their Broccoli seeds.
Why should you grow Broccoli if it’s available all year round in your supermarket?
Firstly, supermarket Broccoli has probably been sprayed for all manner of pests whether or not the pests visited the Broccoli plant.
Secondly, supermarket Broccoli stems are pretty tough to eat, when they’re supposed to be tender.
Why, because that type of Broccoli transports better?
Homegrown Broccoli, especially the heirloom varieties, also re-shoot after your cut of the central Broccoli stem.
Plus, Broccoli is pretty easy to grow.
 Just keep an eye out for bugs during warmer months, but there’s plenty of organic ways of controlling them.
Finally, to taste great, broccoli has to be properly cared for and must also be picked at the right time.
If you just buy broccoli at the green grocer’s, the broccoli may look great but the taste may not be up to scratch.
How so? They may have been picked before becoming fully-mature.
Or they may have been picked at the right time but then stored too long
With home-grown broccoli, you can also be sure how it has been grown:
You know exactly where it has come from, what you used to grow and protect it, unlike those sold in supermarkets and even in farmer’s markets.
Sowing
Broccoli can be sown now in all but the hottest and coldest of climates, but does need a cool winter to get to maturity.
Temperate and cool climates suit Broccoli best with a temperature range of 15⁰C to 25⁰C. 
The ideal time for cool temperate districts has just past, but maybe you can squeeze a few seedlings in a see how you go.
However  Autumn is ideal for arid, temperate and sub tropical districts
Let me know if you successfully grow Broccoli during the warmer months in those districts.
Broccoli types
Broccoli comes in many shapes and varieties but is grouped into five major strains: sprouting, broccolini, purple, Romanseco, and Chinese varieties. 

De Cicco Broccoli

Today, I’m concentrating on the common or garden variety which is actually the sprouting variety.

Try these varieties
Di Cicco is a classic Italian style broccoli which is deep green in colour and has a sweet flavour that might help to get kids into eating it.
Green Sprouting is a Calabrese style broccoli with bluish green coloured heads and a deep earthy taste.
Waltham 29 is a great all-rounder plus there’s purple sprouting Broccoli, which is well, purple and sprouting- attractive and tasty.
All of these varieties will provide months of continual harvest and can even be considered as a perennial plant if you can manage to deal with the influx of cabbage moths that come around as the weather warms up.
How to grow Broccoli?
Broccoli is not too choosy about the site it grows in but prefers to be in full sun, but will tolerate partial shade with no problems.
Growing in too much shade will reduce the size of the Broccoli head.
The ideal soil is a reasonably heavy (not pure clay) which is rich in nutrients and has been well-dug.
Like all brassicas, Broccoli needs a minimum soil pH of 6; but really prefers a pH of 7.
Add lime if you need to raise the soil pH.
Broccoli is what’s called a heavy feeder, so do add plenty of blood and bone, and decomposed manures by the bucket load before you start.
Sow your Broccoli seed about 1 ½ cm deep, and space the seedlings about 40cm apart so they don’t crowd each other.
Once a fortnight feed your broccoli with a liquid fertilizer; seaweed, manure tea, nettle tea etc.
When your Broccoli is growing always make sure that the beds are free from competitive weeds by hand weeding regularly.
TIP:
Don’t plant or sow Broccoli in your veggie bed if you’ve grown it before in the past 3 years.
You may get a disease called Club Root that causes you Broccoli plant to wilt regardless of how much water you give it.
Remember the acronym. LRLC-Legumes, root veg, leafy then Cucurbits, Brassicas.
Harvest broccoli heads when they have reached maximum size, are still compact, and before the buds loosen, open into flowers, or turn yellow. It will be about 70-100 days or 2 ½ -4 months, when your Broccoli will be ready if you plant it now.
When do you pick your Broccoli?

Broccoli

You’ve got to time it just right, and that’s when the cluster of tight buds in the central head is well formed and before the individual flowers start to open.
Make a sloping cut (this allows water to run off), leaving a stem that's about 10 cm long.
That way you’ve left a reasonable amount of the plant intact to produce smaller sideshoots or "florets," which you can pick as well.
Great for stir fries.
At this stage, don’t stop feeding and watering the remaining broccoli stem otherwise your plants will go to seed and you won’t get any side shoots.
Why is Broccoli good for you?
Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C of an orange.
Did you know that just 100g of Broccoli has two day’s supply of vitamin C (don’t overcook  or you’ll lose some).
Broccoli also a good source of dietary fibre, potassium, vitamin E, folate and beta carotene
100g broccoli has 120kJ.
Broccoli also contains magnesium and as much calcium as whole milk.
Great for preventing colds. Don’t underestimate the power of broccoli!
AND THAT WAS YOUR VEGETABLE HERO FOR TODAY?

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Tropical Coastal Gardens

Coastal Garden photo Peter Nixon

Tropical gardens seem to fit, hand in glove in coastal areas, because when we think of the beach, we might like to imagine that we’re in an exotic location with the lushness of a tropical oasis.
Think big leaves, colourful foliage and lots of flowers.
Let’s find out how to create this near the coast…I'm talking with Louise McDaid, Garden Designer.



Paradisus photo Peter Nixon

Coastal gardens are affected by salt laden winds and sandy, nutrient poor soils so it's not necessarily easy to get them to work. Salt laden winds cause leaf burn on plants.
So, it’s important to remember that windbreaks, either planted or built form, and creating microclimates will help establish large leaved plants that might not thrive or do that well to start off with, but with a bit of planning.
Windbreak plants suggestions: Acacia, Lagunaria patersonii or Norfolk Island Hibiscus, Sheoaks or Casuarinas, Callistemons or bottlebrush,Vitex and Metrosideros or NZ Christmas bush.
 I’m sure you can get that tropical look for your coastal garden.
Close planting is the key, and layering with different plants at different levels or plants of different heights.
If you have any questions about creating tropical gardens drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com

PLANT OF THE WEEK

EDIBLE FLOWERS
Have you wondered about a sure fire way to add a touch of elegance, colour and flavour to your recipes, perhaps to impress your friends when they come over for dinner?
Perhaps you want just a fun way  to add a bit of whimsy to get little ones to eat their food?

Edible flowers photo M Cannon

Flowers belong to plants that have fruits and those that have vegetables. So can be classed as both, also because you can eat some flowers of both.

Edible flowers sounds like it could be good but is it?
Why would you eat flowers anyway and what flowers can you eat?Let’s find out which ones are so good.…
I'm talking with the plant panel were Karen Smith, editor of Hort Journal www.hortjournal.com.au  and Jeremy Critchley, The Green Gallery wholesale nursery owner.
www.thegreengallery.com.au

Why are some of Australia’s top restaurants, demanding flowers of violas, fennel, coriander, peas, rocket and Borage?
Edible flowers have been in diets for thousands of years.
Did you know that Romans used edible flowers such as mallows, roses and violets in a lot of their dishes?
You’ve probably heard of and even eaten capers, but did you know capers (Capparis spinosa) are the flower buds of an Mediterranean evergreen shrub and have been used to flavour foods and sauces for over 2,000 years?

Don’t eat flowers from non-organic sources such as florists, supermarkets, nurseries, gardens, or roadsides as they may contain pesticide residue.
 Another tip is to add flowers gradually to your diet.
Edible flowers:
Some of the flowers we mentioned are calendula, roses and sunflowers ( for their petals) , violas, pansies, marigold, nasturtium, dianthus, freesia, stocks and cornflowers, daylilies, and chrysanthemums.
Most of the herb flowers are edible and may have the taste of the herb itself – chives, garlic, leeks , basil, rocket, borage, chervil, coriander, fennel, ginger, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme.
there are many more that haven't been mentioned.



Eat It with Flowers

REAL WORLD GARDENER Wed. 5pm 2RRR 88.5fm Sydney, streaming live at www.2rrr.org.au and Across Australia on the Community Radio Network. www.realworldgardener.com
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Wildlife in Focus

with ecologist Sue Stevens
In Spanish, Chova De Alas Blancas, in Italian Gracchio Australiano Alibianche, in German Drosselkrähe.
What am I talking about? The White Winged Chough....

Podcast Powered By Podbean

As Sue mentioned, white-winged choughs usually have four adults that are deployed to feed one young, because the beetle grubs they eat are so difficult to find. But they will also kidnap young from another family, enticing them away by spreading their wings like a toreador's cloak. The youngster is fed for the first season, then recruited into the feeding team in the next year. The result is a bigger "family", that can raise more young.
If you’ve seen this bird, perhaps in Callum Brae woodland around Canberra, or just around your neck of the woods, send in a photo, or mention where you’ve seen it, all info to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

Vegetable Heroes:

• Flowers belong to plants that have fruits and those that have vegetables. So can be classed as both, also because you can eat some flowers of both.
• Edible flowers sounds like it could be good but is it?
• Why would you eat flowers anyway?
• Why are some of Australia’s top restaurants, demanding flowers of violas, fennel, coriander, peas, rocket and Borage?
• Some explanation can be found from the history of edible flowers which can be traced back thousands of years.
• Romans used edible flowers such as mallows, roses and violets in a lot of their dishes.
• You’ve probably heard of and even eaten capers, but did you know capers (Capparis spinosa) are the flower buds of an Mediterranean evergreen shrub and have been used to flavour foods and sauces for over 2,000 years?
• And believe it or not, but Dandelions were one of the bitter herbs referred to in the Old Testament of the bible.
• Edible flowers such as daylilies and chrysanthemums have been used by the Chinese and Greeks for centuries.
• In a fifteenth century book of recipes in a list of herbs considered necessary for the garden are borage flowers, daisies, violets to be used in soup, violets for sauce and gilly flowers (that’s clove pinks to you and me) for drinks."
• Seems like eating flowers is nothing new.
• Nobody says you should tuck into a plate of flowers, that would be too much.
• If you suffer from hayfever, then give eating flowers a big miss as well.
• Never eat flowers bought at a flower shop or nursery as these may have been treated with harmful chemical.
• Another warning, not all flowers are edible, and some are poisonous if you can’t identify the flower, then don’t eat it.
• Then there are some  that aren’t poisonous, but don’t taste nice.
• Stick to the ones you can identify from the ones that are mentioned in this segment.
• Which flowers are safe? Well, I’ll talk you through a number of flowers some you might know already.
• Back to that question of why are restaurants adding flowers to their dishes?.. Is there something that you eat that’s a tad boring that needs an extra bit of zing and colour?
• Ever thought of tossing Nasturtium and Calendula petals into a fresh garden salad, or top a parfait with a couple of violets or heartsease?
• Everyone’s heard of stuffed zucchini flowers, and maybe Nasturtium flowers as well. They’re easy to identify. But what do they taste like?
• Nasturtium flowers are sweet with a peppery flavour. Zucchini flowers taste sweet, with a honey nectar flavour.
• What about any others?
• Calendula or Pot Marigold tastes a bit like Saffron-spicy tangy and peppery.
• Flowers of the herb Rocket are much less peppery than the leaves, but the propeller shaped flowers are delicate, so handle these carefully.
• Violets and heartsease taste like sweet nectar and suit desert dishes.
• Borage is another one that many people might know already-those bright blue flowers on the blue-green stalks with large leaves that are a bit rasp like to touch. Borage flowers tastes a little like mild cucumbers.
• Pea flowers –guess what, they taste like peas.
• What should you do when collecting the flowers and how do you use them in your dishes.
• First of all, unless the flavour suits the dish, then there’s no point to adding the flower, so good chefs say. Take note all you budding Masterchefs.
• Looking pretty isn’t enough, it has to enhance the food.
• You might use pea flowers with other green flavours, and of course the flowers that taste of sweet nectar are used to lift the flavours of sweet dishes.
• Those with peppery or spicey flavours go well in salads.
• Pick your flowers just before you’re about to use them if at all possible.
• Check them carefully for bugs, but don’t wash them, because the petals are fairly delicate.
• Store them in the fridge in a plastic container covered with a damp paper towel while you’re preparing dinner, or lunch.
• Just as you’re about to serve the meal, add the flowers as a final touch.
• Sweet flowers can be combined with tea or frozen into ice cubes. Ground dried petals can be mixed into biscuit pastry or pancake batter for something different.
• Some flowers in your vegetable garden you don’t want to pick because they’ll grow in veggies that you want. So just be selective.
• There are others that you need to pick even if you’re not going to eat them because the leaves of these plants become bitter, these are -greens including spinach, kale, mustard, bok choi, broccoli, and lettuces, radish and for herbs, basil, coriander, thyme, and mint.
• Why are edible flowers good for you?
• The flowers contain a portion of the same nutrients that the plant they came from has. Simple as that.
• Finally, remember if you’re not sure, to check with a reference book, your garden centre or nursery, before eating a flower to make sure it’s safe to eat.

Design Elements:

with Landscape Designer Louise McDaid
Updating your garden with foliage:
Do flowers play the starring role in your garden, while the greenery gets relegated to backstage?The greenery, or foliage if you like, are the mainstay of gardens and garden design because they’re there all year when the flowers fade. Think of the delicate fronds of ferns or the fountain like effects of many types of ornamental grasses. The leaves of these plants don’t just serve as a lovely background for flowers, because they have their own attraction. There are some really beautiful foliaged plants that could be used as a dominant feature alongside your flowers. Remember, foliage will carry your garden through all seasons, long after the flowers have faded away. If doesn’t hurt the pocket to update your garden in this series, because we’re not doing the crazy make-over.

 

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There should be plenty of ideas to get you thinking about updating the foliage in your garden.

Plant of the Week:

Agastache Plants, Varieties and Species
Would you like a mass of flowers to lift your garden after all relentless days of heat? How about Agastache? Sounds terrible, but it should be as familiar as say Salvia or Geranium because it’s so useful in the garden. Each one has a scent of it’s own and is attractive to bees and butterflies.Most species of Agastache grow upright from 50cm to 2 metres tall. Plants known as Korean Mint and Licorice Mint are actually members of the Agastache family, so you might know them already.
They all grow easily in a sunny or part shaded position with an occasional watering but can tough it out in dry conditions.
Being in the mint family, the leaf tips of quite a few can be used in teas, and Sweet Hyssop flowers can be eaten as well.
Agastache are a must buy for the dry garden, a clump forming perennial growing from rhizomes. Agastache will grow to 1m +
If you grow herbs, a lot of different herbs, you probably already grow Hyssop which is one of the common names of Agastache.
Perhaps you have a herb garden and hadn’t considered this particular herb because you’ve never seen it in your local nursery. It’s a must have for the herb garden, and you can order it from many plant catalogues in Victoria and NSW.
In the Lamiaceae of mint family, most Agastache have serrated oval scented leaves.
Some you can use to make herbal teas.
Agastache flowers from late spring and mainly in summer with masses of bottlebrush like flowers that are attractive to bees butterflies beneficial insects and perhaps even birds.
The best thing about this perennial is that it adds colour to the summer garden which quite often has started to wind down in the colour stakes.
 A drought tolerant perennial plant that have great flowers, agastache are originally from the United States as well as some species from China, most garden species are from the US. Great plants for attracting bees, butterflies, beneficial insects and even birds, all love the tall flower spikes of Agastache.
Species and cultivars including A mexicana or Mexican Giant Hysop can be cut back after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers.
Some of the best species and cultivars include : Agastache rugosa (Korean Mint), Agastache Foeniculum (Anise Hyssop) or Licorice Mint and Agastache aurantiacus or 'Apricot Humming Bird Mint'.
Flowering from mid summer through to autumn Agastache mexicana is attractive to birds and bees and is an easy to care for plant. A humus rich moist but well drained soil is best, however Agastache mexicana comes into its own during dry spells when it will happily keep going with very little water.
Lots of new cultivars are becoming available including
 Agastache “Orange”A fabulous summer flowering Agastache with masses of apricot/orange flowers with highly fragrant silver foliage with sweet mint smell.
'Coming early 2012' A fabulous summer flowering Agastache with masses of apricot/orange flowers with highly fragrant silver foliage with sweet mint smell.
Agastache ‘Salmon Pink’:-Flowering prolifically in late spring, summer and autumn.
Both of these flower in late spring, summer and autumn. Grow 1m high x 1m wide
These Agastache quickly develops into a full bush. Ideal for sunny borders, clustered in perennial borders or combination patio containers. Is frost and drought resistant, tolerates hot dry or wet summers. Attract bees and other beneficial insects to your garden with this plant.
**Agastache ‘Sweet Lili’A lovely new Agastache with masses of rose/pink flowers over the warmer months with a lovely sweet mint smell. SIZE:-1m high x 50cm wide
Has upright spikes of tubular, 2 lipped flowers.
The scented leaves may be used to make herbal tea. Flowers in late spring, summer and autumn.
Looks beautiful in a mixed perennial planting with Salvia 'African Sky' and Gaura 'So White' as they all flower at the same time, have similar growth habits and enjoy similar growing conditions.
All of these types of Agastache  just need you to  remove spent flowers, fertilise when planting and you can cut back in early spring.
The also like a full sun position and well drained soil
 Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ Blue Fortune is a summer flowering perennial and a proven performer in gardens. It is easy to grow and drought tolerant after establishment. FLOWERING:-Masses of blue flower spires appear in Summer; Agastache' blue fortune' which will reach over 1m.x 50cm
Pruning:-Trim lightly after main flowering flush is finished for extended blooming. Cut back to approx 25cm in early spring to make way for new growth.
To sum up: In general Agastache like the same growing conditions; full to half day of sun, a lean (infertile soil) with fast drainage and not too much supplemental watering once established.
You can grow some varieties in pots-about 25-30cm in diameter.
Generally, these plants are very low care and flower without too much trouble.
Flowers won’t appear if the plants have been given too much nitrogen rich fertilizer or compost during the growing season. This causes lush, green growth with few flowers. Is it possible these plants were over fertilized?
Crowding are too much water doesn’t prevent flowering with these plants.
If you do grow Agastache and they haven’t flower for you, don’t cut down the stems of the non-bloomers; wait until mid-spring. Watch the plants carefully during the growing season. If they lack vigour and/or don’t set flowers by mid-summer, you may want to replace the plants with fresh plants or volunteer seedlings that will invariably show up in your garden next spring.

Buy online  or mail order from-

www.perennialle.com.au;www.lambley.com.au;

www.parkersperennials.com.au www.tesselaar.net.au www.frogmoregardens.com.au