English Gardens, Trees, and Blue Tongues

What’s On The Show Today?

What makes an English landscape garden in the garden history segment, it’s really a flower head, but we eat it as a veggie in Vegetable Heroes,a shrub that’s native but looks exotic in plant of the week; plus tree selection in the 4 part series or trees in Design Elements with Arboricultural Consultant and garden designer Glenice Davies.

GARDEN HISTORY

English Landscapes and How They Changed Australian Gardens.

Why did the first settlers try and emulate the English garden in such different conditions is easy enough to answer?

Stowe, England photo M. Cannon

They wanted a home away from home, much like peoples from other nations choosing to have quite different gardens.
In Today’s garden history segment we look at those first English influences and why they’re still relevant today.
I'm talking with Stuart Read, committee member of the National Garden History Society of Australia., which you can join or attend one of their meetings by the way.
Let’s find out..

PLAY: English Landscape Garden in Oz_27th June
David Jaques has written a book on English landscapes that Stuart recommends.

When Australia was being settled the "beautiful" or English "landscape" style was dominating garden design as it had started to do from the 1700's.

This was basically faked up landscapes that were intended to look like the real thing.

Funnily enough, 220 years later, they do look like the r"real thing," because the trees have grown into what the landscaper had intended.

Landscapers like Capability Brown started this revolution in garden design as seen in the photographs of Stowe, where he first started the trend.

Stowe, England, photo M Cannon

The most famous landscapers of that time were Capability Brown, along with Charles Bridgeman, William Kent, and later Humphrey Repton.
If you have any questions either for me or Stuart, you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

VEGETABLE HEROES

Broccoli is Good For You Greg!Do you know someone who just won't eat Broccoli?

No reason, just can't come at this very green vegetable.

Here's some facts that might change their mind.

Ever wondered which vegetable has more vitamin C than an orange? 

Broccoli, Brassica oleracea var Italica or botrytis cymosa?

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.

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?

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 you’ve cut off 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-

• In tropical districts plant out seedlings until the end of July. 
• For sub-tropical districts you can plant all year round. 
• In Temperate districts, it was the end of May, but maybe you can try anyway. 
• In cool temperate districts 
• Temperate and cool climates suit Broccoli best with a temperature range of 150C to 250C. 
• The ideal time for cool temperate districts has just passed also so not until October, 
• However for arid, districts, you have until the end of July. 

Broccoli types

Broccoli comes in many shapes and varieties but is grouped into five major strains: sprouting, broccolini, purple, Romanseco, and Chinese varieties.

Today, I’m concentrating on the common or garden variety which is actually the sprouting variety.
Now you probably thought that was what those little shoots of Broccoli are called but you would be wrong.
Those little guys are called Broccolini.
Broccoli seeds are easy enough to get at supermarkets, garden centres and online seed suppliers of course.

Try these broccoli 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.

Broccoli di Cicco

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.

When do you pick your Broccoli?
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. 

Here's how you should cut the stems

• Make a sloping cut (this allows water to run off), picking a piece that's about 10 cm long. 
• That way you’ve left a reasonable amount of the plant intact to produce smaller side-shoots 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.
TIP: If your Broccoli plants starts to flower it’ll going into seed production and you won’t get any more 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
Broccoli also contains magnesium and as much calcium as whole milk.
One cup of broccoli boosts the immune system with a large dose of beta-carotene.
Great for preventing colds. Don’t underestimate the power of broccoli!

AND THAT WAS OUR VEGETABLE HERO SEGMENT FOR TODAY!

PLANT OF THE WEEK

Melastoma affine: Native Lasiandra: Blue Tongue

If you’re into your gardening and love the colour purple for flowers and perhaps fruits or foliage, then this little gem might surprise you.

The reason is that it’s native to Australia but looks just like it’s exotic cousin from South America.
Let’s find out about it.
I'm talking with Karen Smith editor of www.hortjournal.com.au

Because this plant is indigenous to Australia, there are pollinators that can visit this plant successfully, unlike the Tibouchina which it resembles.

Here's how they do it.

Funnily enough, Melastoma produces no nectar - giving pollinators large amounts of pollen instead, which must be extracted through pores on the anthers.

The flowers are pollinated in the wild by carpenter bees - the Giant Carpenter Bee and the Metallic Green Carpenter Bee - they grab hold of the stamen (the bit that holds the pollen) and give it a good shake.

Introduced Honey Bees can't 'buzz pollinate' - they don't have the ability or technique to vibrate their wings while clasping the stamen.

So, they can only gather pollen if it has been already released onto the petals.

That’s why you’ll never see fruits on a Tibouchina but will, on a Native Lasiandra.
Worth getting for that reason alone.
If you have a question either for me or the plant panel why not drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Tree Selection

This series is about arboriculture and managing trees.
Perhaps some people are put off trees because they can drop heaps of leaves and sometimes a branch or two, or fall over in storms.
But there’s a reason for that.

"For the trees in a landscape to grow, thrive and survive the test of time, many factors need to be considered when you are choosing the trees for your garden. "

Westonbirt arboretum, England photo M/ Cannon

Probably something we already know, and that is trees are an essential part of our landscape and according to the CSIRO, trees will clean air and are the lungs of the planet. 

Let’s find out who to call? 

I'm talking to Arboriculture Consultant and Landscape Designer, Glenice Davies.


When choosing trees you need to consider what you want out of a tree?

•  evergreen or deciduous?
• shape and habit
• how big will it grow?
• size of the roots.
• flowering and/or fruiting?
• life span
• what maintenance is involved?

Cloud pruned trees, England. photo M. Cannon

Research shows that people experience more deaths from heart disease and respiratory diseases in urban areas where the tree had been removed than from those urban areas where trees were still allowed to grow.
Still want to get rid of those trees?

If you have any questions about tree selection or have a suggestion why not write in or email me at www.realworldgardener.com

Amalgamating Herbs and Spices What!

Spice it Up

Amalgamating Spices

Do you just use Parsley, Sage and Thyme in your cooking? Maybe a bayleaf in the winter months? What about all the other herbs? What do you use Coriander for, or Tarragon? Can you use them together or will you spoil the dinner?  L
Let’s find out how to mix up our herbs and spices without getting into trouble.
I'm talking with Ian Hemphill form www.herbies.com.au

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Ian Hemphill's motto is, "there are no herbs you can’t try in your cooking."

Just remember, most fresh herbs are added in the last five minutes of cooking, otherwise they lose their flavour, and most dried herbs are added at the start.

We’d love to see photos of any unusual herbs you’ve got growing in your garden, just send it in to. realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR P.O. Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675, and I’ll post a CD in return.

Vegetable Heroes:

Chicory! Cichorium intybus

There are actually two types and uses of Cichorium intybus, both of which I consider a vegetable. There’s the leafy type and the one where the tap root is used more.

But let’s begin with some interesting facts.
Chicory comes from the daisy or Asteraceae family, and like dandelion, chicory has been grown since ancient times as a pot herb.
Chicory originated somewhere in Europe probably in the Mediterranean region (where the plant is native).
The variety Cichorium intybus var sativum. was used in coffee substitutes and additives where the roots were baked and ground.
Chicory as a coffee substitute was used during the Great Depression in the 1930s and during World War II in Continental Europe.
If you’ve ever drunk a coffee substitute, like Caro, then you’ve drunk roasted chicory root.
Some beer brewers use roasted chicory to add flavour to stouts.
The principle ingredients of chicory root are two polysaccharide, inulin and fructose.
When roasted, inulin is converted to oxymethylfurfurol, a compound with a coffee-like aroma.
Did you know that the first person to grow and process chicory in Australasia was Edwin William Trent (1839 - 1883).
Eddy or Edwin, operated a steam coffee mill in Nelson in New Zealand, and later moved to Christchurch where he established the first steam coffee mill in Australasia in1863.
Coke fired furnaces in kilns produced hot drying air to pass up through the chicory roots which had been cut into small cubes and laid on floors of perforated tiles through which the hot air passed.
The steaming chicory had to be turned every two hours and five tons of green root were needed to produce one ton of kiln-dried root.
After the drying process was over, the chicory was taken to where the roasting and grinding was done and the chicory blended with expensive coffee imported from the West Indies, South America and Africa to make the coffee and chicory essence.
Did you also know that Chicory, or Cichorium intybus, was cultivated on Phillip Island for nearly 100 years from the 1870s?
If you’ve visited Philip Island you’ll see some unusual small brick towers dotted about the island.
These are chicory kilns, once used in drying chicory dock – a parsnip-like underground root of the Chicory plant that was grown widely in Phillip Island’s rich volcanic soil.
Are you thinking, I’m not going to bother drying and roasting the chicory root, what on earth do I need to grow this ahem, vegetable?
Well, have you heard of radicchio? Maybe you’ve even eaten it?
Common chicory includes chicory types such as radicchio, puntarelle, and Belgian endive.

Yes, radicchio, with its slightly bitter taste, is the young fresh tops of the Chicory plant.
You can buy seeds of Chicory “Red Dandelion: this plant has red stems with deeply cut frilly deep green leaves. As a microgreen or ‘baby leaf’ this variety adds great flavour to salads and it is a colourful addition to any mesclun mix. As a cooked green it is one of the few red leafy vegetables that retains the crimson colour when cooked.
Chicory ‘Red Palla Rossa’ syn. radicchio is a small heading chicory, 8 - 10 cm across .The bright red, very tight heads have prominent white midribs. It has a slightly bitter, tart taste. As a ‘baby leaf’ they add great flavour to salads. It is one of the few red leafy vegetables that retains the red colour when cooked.
There’s also the coffee chicory plant or Chicory Coffee 'Magdeburg' which also has the same botanical name of Cichorium intybus.

These varieties are available from www.diggers.com.au
Also, chicory is available from
www.theitaliangardener.com.au
 www.newgipps.com.au
www.greenharvest.com.au

This Coffee  Chicory is also a frost  hardy plant but with a long taproot. topped by a a whorl of oblong, broadly toothed, milky-sapped leaves.
The flowers are on top of 1 ½ metre tall,  zig-zagging flowering stems with a few sparsely placed leaves and lots of sky-blue to purple flowers.
Flowering is in spring and summer and the 50 cent-sized flowers open at the beginning of the day but close as the heat becomes intense.
Coffee Chicory plants flower for several months and the flower looks quite a lot like a purply-blue dandelion flower.
Like dandelion, the seeds are spread by wind. Also, like dandelion, the leaves are concentrated in a whorl, just above the soil surface.
Roots can be dried, roasted and ground for a coffee substitute. Leaves and young roots can be cooked as vegetables.
This coffee Chicory is a hardy vegetable and frost tolerant. It is a useful cool season crop to add interest to winter salads.
To grow the leafy Chicory,
Sub-tropical areas, April to June is the time to sow;
Temperate areas March until May;
 Arid areas June to August, and Cool temperate districts, sow late summer to mid-autumn.
In all cases sow directly where they are to grow.
So to grow Chicory prefers you need a well drained, deep soil.
Chicory will also grow on heavier soils as long as they’re not likely to get waterlogged for extended periods.
If you’re wondering where to buy the seeds of coffee chicory, there are some stores that sell them if they carry an Italian seed line otherwise online seed suppliers do so as well.
Are you wondering if Chicory is just as weedy as Dandelions?
It’s unlikely to become a weed since plants tend be short lived.
Until the 1960s, before instant coffee was invented, coffee and chicory essence was a popular alternative to using roasted coffee beans.
Do you remember that thick black liquid with a very distinctive attractive aroma and sold in squarish bottles with a blue label?
It was often drunk with sweetened condensed milk. I remember my dad drinking this before heading to work in the morning.
Why is Chicory, or Cichoricum intybus good for you?
Drinking Chicory teas on a regular basis helps to rid your system of excess water and uric acid build-up, without depleting potassium and other minerals.
One of the major functions of chicory is to increase the body’s ability to absorb calcium.
Chicory is good for digestion, the circulatory system and the blood.
 

 Design Elements

with Landscape Designer Louise McDaid
 

Is you’re garden a thing of envy from all who pass by, or are there elements in your garden that are, well, boring?

Are there too many or too few plants in the garden?

Is it all just same shade of green?

Sometimes changing your garden can create something that when you look at your kitchen window, you can say, “Yeah, that’s relaxing, I’m just going out for a little look.”

Let’s find out what can help up put in the wow factor into our garden?

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Did you know that there’s a town called Boring in Oregan USA? 

What's more, the local garden centre is called Boring Square Garden Centre?

I hope you haven’t got that problem.

So even if you’re garden isn’t all the boring, you can still revamp some part of the garden to make it more fun to be in.T

here were lots of excellent tips with Louise then and you can hear that segment again to refresh your ideas.

Plant of theWeek:

New Varieties of Tibouchina!

 

If you’ve never considered particular plants, was it because you’re climate was just a bit too cold for or your soil type the wrong type?
The old name Lassiandra or Tibouchina has been for that shrub with those dazzling purple flowers, and you could only grow it if you had the right soil and the right climate.
But wait, now, if you got the wrong soil and the wrong climate, there’s a cultivar just for you.
There’s a Tibouchina now meet every garden need. 
NEW VARIETIES RELEASED AS FANTASY FLOWERS. All are hybrids developed by Terry Keogh, a Brisbane nurseryman.
All these hybrids are grown in full sun or part shade, on moist well drained soils nad generally don’t need any pruning.

T. Groovy Baby, 60 x 80cm with large purple flowers, dense and compact. Cold tolerant as far south as Melbourne and even Hobart. Don’t let this plant dry out when experienced extended periods of heat.
T. Allure, 1 x 2 m, full sun/part shade, large lilac flowers in autumn and Spring, grows into a neat dome shape, not cold tolerant.
T. Peace Baby, only 60cm x 80cm  with large white flowers. Compact, will grow in in tropical and cool temperate zones as far south as Hobart. Great in pots.

T. Illusion-2.5ms 2.5m, with multi-coloured flowers. and suits all climactic zones. Protect from heavy frosts.
T. Imagine.mid sized at 1.5 x 1.5m, purple flowers with a white eye, flowering the most in Autumn and Spring. Protect from heavy frosts.

Lovely Tibouchinas are a perfect addition to the garden that's aspires to plants with soft green velvety leaves.
Plant them in a sensory garden.
A well clother Tibouchina in flower is always spectacular, and the flowers last for weeks.
For a design element, team the lower growing varieties with low Bromeliad species such as Neoregelias, and sprinkle some Euphorbia :Diamond Frost" amongst the mix.

Some say the larger shrubs or small trees tend to be brittle in windy areas, but I would say they're similar to the branch strength of Angel Trumpets, or Brugmansia species.
My  recent experience has been that winds over 100kmph will caused branches to be broken off the tree, but otherwise they've managed to hang in there during smaller wind gusts.
 
Prune Tibouchinas as soon after flowering as you can muster, usually around Autumn. Otherwise the longer you delay it, the more likelihood that you’ll be pruning off flowering wood.
 If you can grow Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and Camellias, you can now grow these new Tibouchinas.
 
Also, if your plants develop yellow leaves, it could be leaf burn from too alkaline soil or your plant has dried out too much.
There’s now a Tibouchina for every climate range in Australia.