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We coexist with a Nursery and Smallholding in Powys, Mid-Wales near Llandrindod Wells.
All seeds and plants we offer have been grown here and we specialize in edible plants grown without chemicals.
Sub-Tropical Growing
Over the years we have constructed various growing environments, part of our site being a reclaimed Victorian school garden that used to have large metal framed greenhouses, these were sadly beyond repair these have been replaced with smaller greenhouses including a sub tropical greenhouse heated with Air Source heat pumps.
We are able to harvest foods such as Okra, Yams and bananas from the sub tropical greenhouses. We also harvest the leaves of Malabar Spinach and Taro frequently. Taro leaves are stuffed with a curry like paste and steamed to form Patra.
We grow two bamboo's for edible shoots in the heated greenhouse, these are Phyllostachys edulis, or moso bamboo also known as Phyllostachys pubescens and then there is Phyllostachys Heteroclada (Water Bamboo) These both perform well in the heated greenhouse, we have grown hundreds of these from seeds over the years yet find that they do not tolerate our weather well, even in an unheated poly-tunnel, once they were moved into the heated greenhouse they grew very well indeed.
Personally I like to nibble on raw bamboo shoots, yet this is not advised due to possible toxicity and all bamboo shoots are best cooked first.
We are able to harvest fresh ginger and turmeric too. We also grow Moiga ginger and harvest the flowers whilst still green and underground to go with Sushi.
All seeds and plants we offer have been grown here and we specialize in edible plants grown without chemicals.
Sub-Tropical Growing
Over the years we have constructed various growing environments, part of our site being a reclaimed Victorian school garden that used to have large metal framed greenhouses, these were sadly beyond repair these have been replaced with smaller greenhouses including a sub tropical greenhouse heated with Air Source heat pumps.
We are able to harvest foods such as Okra, Yams and bananas from the sub tropical greenhouses. We also harvest the leaves of Malabar Spinach and Taro frequently. Taro leaves are stuffed with a curry like paste and steamed to form Patra.
We grow two bamboo's for edible shoots in the heated greenhouse, these are Phyllostachys edulis, or moso bamboo also known as Phyllostachys pubescens and then there is Phyllostachys Heteroclada (Water Bamboo) These both perform well in the heated greenhouse, we have grown hundreds of these from seeds over the years yet find that they do not tolerate our weather well, even in an unheated poly-tunnel, once they were moved into the heated greenhouse they grew very well indeed.
Personally I like to nibble on raw bamboo shoots, yet this is not advised due to possible toxicity and all bamboo shoots are best cooked first.
We are able to harvest fresh ginger and turmeric too. We also grow Moiga ginger and harvest the flowers whilst still green and underground to go with Sushi.
Below are bananas from one of our plants in the heated greenhouse, 2012-2013
Water and Bog Gardening.
Our water and bog gardens have been formed from a natural water source and is merely an alternative use of patches of ground that were almost always too boggy to do anything else with.
We have a large collection of edible Pond and Bog garden plants, a fraction of which are as follows, Watercress, Chinese Water Chestnut, Brooklime and Watermint. There are many others that we will be offering both seeds and plants of soon.
Watercress may even be grown in the vegetable garden, best given some shade, yet this may be from other plants, most important is water, watercress grows as an aquatic plant so the more water the better.
Chinese water chestnut will reward your efforts only when given sub tropical exposure, a poor uk summer outside may be acceptable inside a poly-tunnel or insulated or plastic greenhouse.
Brooklime will grow in still or moving water, I personally think it is the best looking pond plant, it was
great flowers and rounded leaves.
Watermint may be best used in drinks, there are certainly many recipes out there calling for only this mint, yet at the dinner table it may surpass any other mints ( after eights excepted), yet only personal taste will prevail.
Willow
We grow our own willow for plant supports and the odd living structure or fence. We harvest withies and form these into structures in the winter months, yet if we want to form structures at any other time of year then we simply root some willow cuttings, we have short willow cuttings for sale, once the first sign of roots appear, they should be transferred to a 50 / 50 mix of sand and compost as they have delicate roots.
Between the months of December until March we offer 12" long cuttings that may be simply pushed into the ground.
Bamboo
We grow bamboo for edible shoots and for canes for plant supports, we feel that the best all round bamboo for canes and edible shoots is 'Temple' bamboo, Semiarundinaria fastuosa, it also looks great.
We will have a quantity of Phyllostachys nuda for sale and also a couple of others. We also have some Phyllostachys nigra currently in flower, we hope to harvest and offer its seeds, post viability testing.
Wildlife
The wildlife is left to run riot here, often we have baby rabbits at the back door and once a fox played in the back yard too. Bank Voles are all over the garden areas and the squirrels are often entertaining.
We feel that ivy is best left on trees as a habitat for birds and bats and the ivy fruit provides a valuable food source for many birds.
The most common bat at our site is the Long eared bat and these reside in the roof of the property in large numbers.
We keep on having surprises, the latest and for spring 2012 was the discovery of the Water Shrew, we are certain that these use the land drains that are commonly a meter underground. In 2010 we found we had Palmate newts in one of the ponds.
Our water and bog gardens have been formed from a natural water source and is merely an alternative use of patches of ground that were almost always too boggy to do anything else with.
We have a large collection of edible Pond and Bog garden plants, a fraction of which are as follows, Watercress, Chinese Water Chestnut, Brooklime and Watermint. There are many others that we will be offering both seeds and plants of soon.
Watercress may even be grown in the vegetable garden, best given some shade, yet this may be from other plants, most important is water, watercress grows as an aquatic plant so the more water the better.
Chinese water chestnut will reward your efforts only when given sub tropical exposure, a poor uk summer outside may be acceptable inside a poly-tunnel or insulated or plastic greenhouse.
Brooklime will grow in still or moving water, I personally think it is the best looking pond plant, it was
great flowers and rounded leaves.
Watermint may be best used in drinks, there are certainly many recipes out there calling for only this mint, yet at the dinner table it may surpass any other mints ( after eights excepted), yet only personal taste will prevail.
Willow
We grow our own willow for plant supports and the odd living structure or fence. We harvest withies and form these into structures in the winter months, yet if we want to form structures at any other time of year then we simply root some willow cuttings, we have short willow cuttings for sale, once the first sign of roots appear, they should be transferred to a 50 / 50 mix of sand and compost as they have delicate roots.
Between the months of December until March we offer 12" long cuttings that may be simply pushed into the ground.
Bamboo
We grow bamboo for edible shoots and for canes for plant supports, we feel that the best all round bamboo for canes and edible shoots is 'Temple' bamboo, Semiarundinaria fastuosa, it also looks great.
We will have a quantity of Phyllostachys nuda for sale and also a couple of others. We also have some Phyllostachys nigra currently in flower, we hope to harvest and offer its seeds, post viability testing.
Wildlife
The wildlife is left to run riot here, often we have baby rabbits at the back door and once a fox played in the back yard too. Bank Voles are all over the garden areas and the squirrels are often entertaining.
We feel that ivy is best left on trees as a habitat for birds and bats and the ivy fruit provides a valuable food source for many birds.
The most common bat at our site is the Long eared bat and these reside in the roof of the property in large numbers.
We keep on having surprises, the latest and for spring 2012 was the discovery of the Water Shrew, we are certain that these use the land drains that are commonly a meter underground. In 2010 we found we had Palmate newts in one of the ponds.