People are turning to their gardens. After all, it’s only natural!
Spencer & Karen Shaw, from Forest Heart Eco-Nursery in Coral Street Maleny ... “let’s focus on what an abundant garden you can be growing for yourself with your own bush foods, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs”.
by Spencer Shaw, Forest Heart Eco-Nursery
AS the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions ease and life returns to some degree of normality (for now) I’m heartened that many of us have turned to our gardens for emotional and phys- ical sustenance in these trying times.
Backyards and gardens are our own little bit of the natural world that we can grow our own food, share with the local wildlife, preserve endangered species and enjoy the beauty of Australian native plants.
Last but not least, gardening itself is good for us physically, mentally and spiritually.
For now, let’s focus on what an abundant garden you can be growing for yourself by growing your own bush foods, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs.
Harvesting your own produce is fun, healthy and convenient.
There’s nothing quite like popping into the back yard to harvest some fresh produce. For example grab a fresh lime and add tang to a salad or fish. Harvest fresh from your trees the fruit of Blueberry, Grumichama, Jaboticaba, Pomegranate, Oranges, Mandarin, Lemons, Carambola, Figs, Pawpaw, Tamarillo, Avocado or Chocolate Sapote, to name just a few. Closer to ground level you could plant an ever-growing range of herbs and vegetable seedlings that we are now stocking at Forest Heart ecoNursery.
There’s never been a better time to plant out and manage your garden for food and for fun, so remember Don’t Panic, Just Plant It!
Here is my list of Bush Food must haves that you should plant in your yard:
• Midyim (Austromyrtus dulcis) a great low growing shrub/groundcover with attractive weeping foliage and tasty white berries, fresh from the bush – kids love them;
• Lillypilly’s (Syzygium spp.) are edible all edible, if you are hungry enough, but from our local ones the Riberry S. Luehmannii, is not only bountiful, but tastes good raw and even glazed in a sugar syrup;
• DavidsonPlums(Davidsoniaspp.) although not strictly local, are spectacular foliage specimens with their large leaves and beautiful plum-like fruit. However they are a tad sour, but nothing that a few spoons of sugar can’t fix to make a great jam or syrup;
• PlumPine(Podocarpuselatus)alsopro- duce a juicy succulent, plum like fruit with a pleasant pine taste and again, fantastic for jams and syrups.
• NativeTamarinds(Diploglottisspp.& Mischarytera lautereriana): sour but tasty delights. Make great syrups, cordials, jellies.
• NativeherbsinstockincludeNative Celery (Apium prostratum), Pig Face (Carpo- brotus glaucescens) , Native Mint (Mentha sat- ureioides) & Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum).
20 Coral Street, Maleny
www.forestheart.com.au
Call 07 5435 2193