Glad I’m not a bird today…
Monthly Archives: January 2018
Storm “Cora”
3 videos and a few pictures documenting today’s storm which was named “Cora”, today’s entertaiment ![]()
THE NEW EDIMENTALS SEED TRADE LIST FOR 2017-2018
7th January 2018
Welcome to my new seed trade list for 2017-18.
15, 16 and 17 in brackets indicates the harvesting year for the seed. Concerning seed quantity: as I don’t have many plants of each species, seed quantity is limited in most cases. Therefore, for some species you may only get a few seeds. Many species are harvested in my garden. Others are surplus from trade and purchase. OUT: Means out of stock.
NB! Cultivars do not always come true. I offer them anyway, but no guarantees to what you will get!
Botanical Name (year of harvest)
NB! Traditional vegetables are at the end of the list with (mostly) common English names first.
NOTE: I don’t sell seed and I won’t be doing many trades this winter due to a busy schedule. I am mainly interested in uncommong hardy perennials, but I may also be interested in annuals.
Aconitum heterophyllum (15)
Aconitum lycoctonum (15)
Adenostyles alpina (17)
Agastache foeniculum (17)
Agastache rugosa “Golden Jubilee” (15)
Alcea nudiflora (16)
Allium albidum (16)
Allium altissimum (16) Uncertain ID
Allium amphibolum (16)
Allium angulosum (16)
Allium atroviolaceum (15)
Allium brevistylum (16)
Allium caeruleum (16)
Allium caesium Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16)
Allium carolinianum (16)
Allium cernuum mix (17)
Allium cernuum “Dark Scape” (17)
Allium cernuum ‘Dwarf White” (15)
Allium cernuum “OR KA A” (Wild oregon) (15)
Allium cernuum ‘Pink Giant’ (17)
Allium cernuum ‘White Max’ (17)
Allium darwasicum (16)
Allium daghestanicum (16)
Allium decipiens ssp. quercetorum? (17)
Allium denudatum (16)
Allium dictyoprasum (16)
Allium drummondii (16)
Allium douglasii (16)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Aprelsky” (15)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Mongolia” (15)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Nedre Gjetsiden” (15) (Norwegian turf roof heirloom onion)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Nerøygarden” (15) (Norwegian turf roof heirloom onion)
Allium fistulosum Ex-“Sve” (15) (Norwegian turf roof heirloom onion)
Allium flavum “Blue Leaf” (17)
Allium hymenorrhizum (17, 16)
Allium insubricum (16)
Allium jesdianum ssp angustitepalum (16)
Allium leucanthum (16)
Allium narcissiflorum (17)
Allium nutans (16) ALL1245 (IPK)
Allium nutans “Caroline” (14)
Allium nutans “Isabelle” (16)
Allium nutans “Lena” (17)
Allium nutans / flavescens hybrid? (Kazakhstan) (white flowers) (17, 16)
Allium ovalifolium var. leuconeurum (17)
Allium pallasii (16)
Allium petraeum Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16)
Allium przewalskianum Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16) 4 accessions from China!
Allium “Purple King” (15)
Allium “Purple Sensation” (17)
Allium ramosum (15)
Allium robustum Ex-Kazakhstan(16)
Allium rotundum (Allium scorodoprasum ssp jajlae) (16) 2 accessions
Allium rubens Ex-Kazakhstan (16)
Allium sarawschanicum (16)
Allium schoenoprasoides Ex-Kazakhstan (16)
Allium schoenoprasum v. alpinum “Album”(14)
Allium schoenoprasum v. alvarense(16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Black Pedicels” (17, 16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Black Isle Blush” (15)
Allium schoenoprasum “Flower Goddess” (15) (Chinese seed)
Allium schoenoprasum “Grolau” (16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Hylau Sprint” (16)
Allium schoenoprasum “Major” (15)
Allium schoenoprasum “Middleman” (16)
Allium schoenoprasum var. yezomonticola (16)
Allium senescens “SSHB” (16) (own selection)
Allium senescens x nutans hybrids (Ex-Mark McDonough) (16)
Allium senescens x nutans “Broad leaf” (Ex-Mark McDonough) (16)
Allium splendens (16)
Allium stipitatum “Album” (16)
Allium stipitatum “Goliat” (17)
Allium strictum (17)
Allium tuberosum(16)
Allium tuberosum(16) from Finland
Allium victorialis ‘Ex-Granvin, SW Norway’ (17)
Allium victorialis ‘Ex-Hopen, Norway’ (17)
Allium victorialis ‘Ex-Lofoten’ (17, 16)
Allium victorialis ‘Ex-Røst’ (17)
Allium victorialis (received as A. ochotense from IPK Gatersleben)(16)
Allium victorialis ‘from Gatersleben TAX6100’ (16)
Angelica archangelica ssp archangelica v. Majorum “Vossakvann” (17) (Voss Angelica) (from only 1 plant)
Angelica archangelica ssp archangelica(17) Wild collected, Alta, Norway
Angelica gigas (17)
Angelica sylvestris “Vicar’s Mead” (17)
Aquilegia caerulea (15)
Arabis alpina (16)
Aralia californica (17)
Aralia cordata (17, 16, 15)
Aralia elata (16)
Artemisia genipi (15)
Atriplex hortensis rubra (17, 16)
Barbarea vulgaris (15)
Basella alba “Green” (16)
Basella alba “Red” (16)
Blitum foliosum (16)
Camassia leichtlinii “Pink” (15)
Campanula alliarifolia (17)
Campanula cervicaria (17)
Campanula glomerata “Alba”(17)
Campanula latifolia “Purple Throat” (16)
Campanula persicifolia “White Double” (15)
Campanula punctata hondoensis (16)
Campanula trachelium (16)
Capsella bursa-pastoris
Caragana arborescens (16)
Carex “Majken” (15)
Carica papaya (16) from Amazonas
Carum carvi “Pink flowered” (16)
Carum carvi “Polaris” (17); old variety used in Aquavit production
Caucalis platycarpos (16)
Centaurea macrocephala (15)
Chaenomeles cathayensis (15)
Chaerophyllum bulbosum (17)
Chenopodium album (15)
Chenopodium bonus-henricus (14) 4 accessions
Chenopodium foliosum (14)
Cirsium canum (17)
Cirsium erisithales (17, 16)
Cirsium heterophyllum (17)Wild, Malvik
Cirsium tuberosum (17)
Cleome gynandra (16) Kenya
Clintonia borealis (17)
Codonopsis bulleyana (15)
Codonopsis cardiophylla (15)
Codonopsis clematidea (15)
Codonopsis lanceolata (15) Chinese seed
Codonopsis pilosula (15)
Codonopsis rotundifolia “Grandiflora” (15)
Codonopsis tangshen (15)
Codonopsis viridiflora (15)
Coelopleurum rupestre (16)
Crambe maritima (17)
Crataegus rotundifolius (17)
Cryptotaenia canadensis (17)
Dianthus albus (17)
Dianthus barbatus “Sooty” (15)
Dianthus oschotenicus (15)
Dipsacus japonicus (16)
Disporum smithii (16)
Dracocephalum integrifolium (16)
Fagopyrum tataricum (15)
Fedia cornucopiae (16)
Geranium macrorrhizum “Czakor” (15)
Geranium thunbergii (16)
Globularia cordifolia (15)
Hablitzia tamnoides (Mixed) (17)
Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (15)
Hosta “Frances Williams” (H. sieboldiana “blood”)
Hosta “Urui” (17)
Hypericum perforatum (17)
Ipomoea aquatica (17)
Laser trilobum (17)
Lathyrus tuberosus (17)
Lavatera arborea variegata (17)
Leonurus cardiaca (17)
Leucanthemum x superbum “Marconi” (16)
Levisticum officinale (17)
Ligularia fischeri (17, 16, 15)
Lilium martagon mix (16)
Lilium martagon Ex-“Nanossa Bouteri” (17)
Lychnis coronaria (15)
Malva alcea (15)
Malva moschata (17)
Malva verticillata (16)
Marrubium vulgare (16)
Medicago sativa (15)
Mentha asiatica Ex-Kyrgyzstan (16)
Mertensia ciliata (17)
Mertensia paniculata (16)
Mertensia pterocarpa var. yezoensis (16)
Molopospermum peloponnesiacum (16)
Myrrhis odorata “Smooth” (17) (hairless selection)
Nepeta x fassenii “Six Hills Giant” (3 seeds)
Nigella sativa (17)
Onopordon acanthium (15)
Oplopanax horridus (17, 16)
Oxyria digyna (16)
Papaver somniferum “Mix” (16)
Parasenecio maximowiczianum (16)
Peltaria alliacea (16)
Phlomis tuberosa (17)
Physalis pruinosa “Aunt Molly’s” (16)
Phyteuma nigra (16)
Phyteuma orbiculare (17)
Phytolacca americana (16)
Phytolacca americana “Sunny Side Up” (14)
Pinus armandii (15)
Plantago antarctica (16)
Podophyllum emodi (17)
Polygonatum multiflorum var ramossissima (16)
Polygonatum pubescens (16)
Polygonum divaricatum (17)
Prenanthes purpurea (17)
Primula veris “Red Strain” (16)
Prunella vulgaris “Pagoda” (17)
Pycnanthemum muticum (15)
Pycnanthemum pilosum (15)
Rheum australe (15)
Rheum “Cally Giant” (15)
Rheum ribes (15)
Rhodiola rosea (17)
Ribes americanum (16)
Ribes petraeum biebersteinii (16)
Rubus occidentalis “Black Hawk” (17, 16)
Rubus occidentalis “Bristol” (17)
Rubus spp. (Red stems (16)
Rumex acetosa “Belleville” (17, 16)
Rumex acetosa “Krupolistny” (17)
Rumex nepalensis (16)
Rumex patientia (17)
Rumex sanguineus (17)
Rumex scutatus (16)
Sanguisorba canadensis (17)
Sanguisorba minor (17)
Sanguisorba officinalis (17)
Sanguisorba officinalis “Tanna” (17)
Sanguisorba stipulata (17)
Sanguisorba tenuifolia “Purpurea” (17)
Sideritis syriaca (17)
Silene conoidea (15)
Silene dioica “Purple Prince” (15)
Silene vulgaris rosea (17)
Sium sisarum (17) (Skirret)
Solanum melongena “Open Ophelia”
Solanum nigrum
Sonchus kirkii (17)
Sonchus oleraceus “Giant Oregon” (15)
Sonchus palustris (17)
Stachys recta (15)
Streptopus amplexifolius (17)
Taraxacum ceratophorum (16)
Taraxacum officinale “Improved” (16, 15)
Taraxacum officinale “Lyonell” (16)
Taraxacum officinale “Moss-leaved” (17, 16)
Taraxacum officinale ‘Pissenlit Coeur Plein Ameliore’ (16)
Taraxacum officinale “Vert de Montmagny Ameliore” (16)
Taraxacum pseudoroseum (16)
Taraxacum rubifolium (17) (Red-leaved dandelion)
Taraxacum spp. (16) (Izu peninsula, Japan)
Taraxacum spp. “Vennafjellet” (15)
Thlaspi arvense (17)
Tigridia pavoniana (17)
Tricyrtis spp. (17)
Urtica ferox (15)
Valeriana officinalis (17)
Veratrum californicum (16)
Viola crassa (16)
Viola x wittrockii “Schweitzer Riesen” (15)
Withania somnifera (16)
Zanthoxylum spp. (16)
Zizia aurea (17)
Vegetables
Bean ”Armenian Asparagus Bean” (14)
Bean ”Turkish Beans from Geitmyra” (14)
Broccolini (17)
Broccoli Raab (Cima de rapa) “Dietrich’s” (15) (Flowering turnip tops)
Broccoli Raab (Cima de rapa) “Foglia d’ulivo” (16) (Flowering turnip tops)
Broccoli Raab (Cima de rapa) “Sessantina” (16) (Flowering turnip tops)
Burdock (15) (5 different Japanese varieties) (15)
Celery “Kintsai”
Celery “Red stem”
Chervil (17)
Chicory “Barba di Cappuccino” (15)
Chicory “Bianca” (15)
Chicory “Castelfranco variegata” (15)
Chicory “Catalogna gigante di Chioggia” (15)
Chicory “Catalogna Pugliese” (16)
Chicory “Cespo di Molfetta” (15)
Chicory “Di Chiavari” (15)
Chicory “De taglio bionda a foglie larghe” (16)
Chicory “Greco” (16)
Chicory “Palla rossa precoce” (14)
Chicory “Orchidea Rossa” (13)
Chicory “Selvatico da Campo” (15)
Chicory “Selvatico da Campo Rossa” (16)
Chicory “Variegata di lusia (precoce)” (15)
Pepper “Sibirsche Hauspaprika” (16)
Chinese Cabbage “Heading” (14) (Japanese seed)
Chinese Lxeris (15)
Chopsuey Greens (Chrysanthemum coronarium) “Double” (17)
Chopsuey Greens (Chrysanthemum coronarium) Japanese variety (15) (3 varieties)
Endive (16)
Green onion “Piazcheh” (16) (Iranian, prob. Allium fistulosum)
Kale ‘Branchu de L’Embarras’
Kale “Couve Galega” (15) (2 accessions)
Kale “Thousand Head” (14)
Kale “Daubenton / Late purple Sprouting brocolli” (17, 16) (F2)
Kale “Daubenton x unknown (Italy)” (16)
Kale “OP perennial grex, strongly perennial” (16)
Kohlrabi “Azur Star”
Lamb’s Lettuce “Baron” (16)
Leaf Beet “Lucullus” (17)
Leaf Beet “Perpetual Spinach” (17)
Leek “Blue Green Autumn” (16)
Leek “Hilari” (16)
Leek “Lancia” (15)
Leek “Musselburgh” (15)
Leek “Navarra” (16)
Leek “Primor” (16)
Lettuce “Berlinsk Gul” (15)
Lettuce “Cocarde” (17)
Lettuce “Lollo Bionda” (17)
Lettuce “Oakleaf”
Lettuce “Odessa” (15)
Lettuce “Red Salad Bowl” (16)
Lettuce “Ruby Gem” (16)
Lettuce “Senorita” (17)
Lettuce “Summer Bibb” (16)
Lettuce “Senorita” (17)
Onion “Robelja” (16)
Oriental Greens ‘Choy Sum Purple’ (15)
Oriental Greens ‘Choy Sum Purple Flowering’ (15)
Oriental Greens ‘Early Mibuna’ (14)
Oriental Greens ‘Frilly’ (13)
Oriental Greens ‘Green Wave” (13)
Oriental Greens ‘Kekkya Takana” (14)
Oriental Greens ‘Misome’ (14)
Oriental Greens ‘Mispoona’ (16)
Oriental Greens “Red Mizuna” (14)
Oriental Greens “Red Streaked Mizuna” (14)
Oriental Greens “Southern Giant” (13)
Oriental Greens “Swollen Stem Tsai Tsai Round” (12)
Oriental Greens “Wtatsai” (15)
Oriental Greens “Xue li Hong” (14)
Parsnip (17)
Pea “Salmon Flowered” (17, 16)
Pepper “Sibirsche Hauspaprika” (16)
Purslane (16)
Quinoa “Stephe” (16)
Radish (leaf variety) (16) (Japanese seed)
Radish “Daikon Sasha” (15) (Russian)
Radish “China Rose” (14)
Radish “Minowase” (15)
Radish “Rosa” (15)
Radish “Runder Schwarzer Winter” (16)
Rocket (Diplotaxis) “Rustic Arugula”
Rocket (Diplotaxis) “Rustic Style”
Rocket (Diplotaxis) “Wasabia Arugula”
Scorzonera Ex- “Lange Jan” (17)
Shungiku (Chrysanthemum Greens) “Garland Round leaved” (13)
Shungiku (Chrysanthemum Greens) (15)
Sorrel (7 Russian varieties) (14)
Spring onion “Ramrod” (14)
Spring onion “White Lisbon” (14)
Spring onion (Allium fistulosum) (15) (7 Japanese varieties)
Tomato ”Hundreds and Thousands” (16)
Tomato “Matt’s Wild Cherry” (16)
Tomato “Moonglow”(15)
Water spinach (15) (Ipomoea aquatica)
Birds in the garden 6th January 2018
1. Fieldfare (gråtrost) on apple in snow #1
2. Fieldfare (gråtrost) on apple in snow #2
3. European robin in snow
4. I’ve never seen European robin actually on the bird feeder, normally picking up crumbs below! (Female bullfinch / dompap takes over at the end)
More birds in the garden; 5th January 2018
1. Blackbird (svarttrost) and great spotted woodpecker (flaggspett)
2. Bullfinches (male and female; dompap) on plum buds (not too happy with this), there were 8 birds altogether….hopefully they won’t do too much damage… :(
3. Fieldfare (gråtrost) on apple
Beacon (Camas) Hill, Victoria BC
After the Indigenous Plant Walk the day before, my Airbnb hostess Kelly Kerr invited to show me around the Beacon Hill Park, a 200 acre mix of both natural areas, formal flower beds, but above all else the site is of great cultural significance to the Lekwungen People (now known as Esquimalt Nation and Songhees Nation). In fact, the City of Victoria has adopted 2017 as a Year of Reconciliation, and a traditional longhouse will be built on a hilltop site! When the British arrived they wrongly assumed that the open meadow landscape was “natural” and unused. In fact, the Lekwungen had cultivated and maintained these shrub-free grasslands for centuries. The meadows were worked to grow camas which was their most important root crop, as well as other edible wild plants. Both common and great camas (Camassia quamash and Camassia leichtlinii) were used. This habitat was reminiscent to the English of the ideal 19th century parkland landscape that they recognised from home and was instrumental in Victoria being founded at this site!
The Beacon Hill area was apparently “one of the most productive camas territories on Vancouver Island,” The Lekwungen people both harvested bulbs for their own use and also traded with other west coast peoples. Thankfully, it is now likely that these productive and butterfly rich grasslands will be gradually restored. The album of pictures were taken in the park and along the adjacent shoreline where native families would arrive in the past for the harvest. They would harvest the bulbs in summer when the seed heads were ripe. Only the largest bulbs were harvested and the others replanted. Invasion by shrubs was minimised by regular burning. Each family had its own designated area. The practice of farming natural areas in this way was commonly practiced around the world by native peoples.
The first shooting stars (Dodecatheon)
Lomatium utriculatum
Indigenous plant walk in Victoria BC
On 1st April 2017, I visited the Compost Education Centre in Victoria BC, Canada, where I’d enrolled on an indigenous plant walk around the grounds, lead by Ashley Cooper (Tsartlip First Nation) and is working to revitalize important cultural knowledge and practices in her community and beyond.
The centre has a small garden, but it is packed with many traditional and indigenous useful plants. It is a non-profit organization providing courses and workshops on organic gardening and composting in the Greater Victoria area (see https://www.compost.bc.ca). Here are a few pictures and a couple of videos of Ashley talking about camas and stinging nettle!
The coastal peoples harvested and semi-cultivated the wild stands of camas, both Great camas (Camassia leichtlinii) which was commonest around Victoria and common camas (C. quamash). In Victoria, Beacon Hill (see separate post) was an important site as were small offshore islands, where soils weren’t deep over rock and hence easier to harvest (my garden is perfect in that respect!). The beds were divided into individual plots maintained over the generations by different families.
Camas is said to have often been the only source of carbohydrate in the past for these coastal peoples who mostly ate fish and meat. Each year, the plots were cleared of stones and were burned to maintain the meadows. The bulbs were steamed in earth pits to convert the inulin to easier digested carbohydrates.
Surroundings around the site of the 2018 Nordic Permaculture Festival
English: It has been announced that this year’s big permaculture event in the Nordic countries, the Nordic Permaculture Festival will be arranged in and around the fantastic village of Jondal at the Hardanger Academy for Peace, Development and Environment (see http://www.hardangerakademiet.no). Jondal is situated on the Hardanger Fjord just a half hour’s drive from the Folgefonna Glacier!
Norsk: Det er annonsert at årets store begivenhet innenfor Permakultur i Norden, den Nordiske Permakultur Festivalen blir arrangert i og omkring fantastiske Jondal ved Hardangerakademiet (Nordisk senter for fred, utvikling og miljø) http://www.hardangerakademiet.no Jondal ligger ved Hardangerfjorden bare en kort halvtimers kjøretur fra isbreen Folgefonna!
- Jondal and the Hardanger Academy http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=15769 and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155675715275860.1073743090.655215859&type=1&l=2167a8fdb9
- Jondal to the Folgefonna Glacier http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=15802 and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155676046740860.1073743091.655215859&type=1&l=50f30c1216
- Baroniet Rosendal http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=15680 and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155673512105860.1073743088.655215859&type=1&l=fc7f04d154
- Alvastien Telste Permaculture LAND centre, the dramatic approach road http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=7383
- Alvastien Telste’s multi-layered Food Forest http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=15840 and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155677575765860.1073743093.655215859&type=1&l=7f02fe93db
- Perennialen III: Alvastien Telste – from fjord to shieling (a walk from Alvastien Telste up the steep slopes, “steeped” in history, to the mountain farm (shieling) http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=13351 and https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155323283065860.1073743002.655215859&type=1&l=67e61f41d5
- Perennialen I in early May 2015 at Alvastien Telste. See the slide show here: http://www.edimentals.com/pictures/picture.php?/1468/category/30&slideshow
- Eirik and Hege’s treehouse! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155689776475860.1073743101.655215859&type=1&l=8b9a3e6711
- My visit to Vidar-Rune Synnevåg in Stussvik (Ølve) in connection with Perennialen I in May 2015: http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?page_id=1175
My return visit in late September 2016 http://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=7585
Moonset and rise in only 7-8 hours
Alvastien Telste’s Multi-layered Food Forest
On the second day of Perennialen III, in early August 2017, we were joined by Rebecca Smith of Norway’s second LAND centre on Byrknesøy on the coast north of Bergen! Since I last met Rebecca here during Perennialen I, Eirik Lillebøe Wiken’s food forest which basically surrounds the house, both above and below all the way down to the fjord on steep ground, has grown well and is becoming more established. The diversity has also increased. These pictures are from our food forest tour together including a stop on the shoreline where we could only imagine the wild food forest also in the fjord, this is truly a food forest with many layers :)


















































































































































