I’d followed KVANN (Norwegian Seed Savers) member Per Hofsli on social media for some time for his interest in nut trees and I’d learned that he was even grafting for sale, not the easiest of genera to graft as the process needs warmth. I was therefore pleased to be given a tour of his garden in Asker (Oslo) on 20th August when I was in Oslo for KVANNs herb seminar at Linderud Gård. Although most are still young trees, it was truly impressive to see all the nut trees in his garden including many varieties of walnuts, heartnuts, buartnuts ( ), chestnut, hazel and almonds. However, most impressive was his amazing collection of fig varieties and my visit was perfectly timed to be able to sample some of the best tasting figs I’ve ever eaten, in particular one (Campaniere) that had a rich honey taste. He grows them in large pots and brings them in for the winter as outside they freeze back to the roots and don’t then manage to ripen by the autumn. There were also a number of varieties of aubergine and a wonderful “family” pear tree, to which he had grafted on 15 varieties!!! I came away with a dwarf walnut created by Lars Westergaard: Mini Multiflora #14, grafted by Per (thanks!), a variety I believe I saw when I visited Westergaard’s nursery in 2016: https://www.edimentals.com/blog/?p=6438 I didn’t take many pictures as it was raining a bit. I hope I will be able to revisit in 10 years to see how this place has developed :)
Per and part of the fig collection
The apricots were unfortunately not ripe….
Walnut with galls caused by one of the walnut gall mites, a tiny, sap-sucking insect that causes blister-like swellings on the upper surface of the leaves. They don’t hurt the trees.
A family pear tree on which Per had grafted several varieties.
Almonds
One of the aubergines
Fig tasting, Campaniere is at the bottom and had an incredible taste!
I made a presentation about my visit to Austria and Arche Noah in June at the “Seed for the future” seminar in Oslo last week! The presentation can be downloaded below. The seminar was organized by the Network for Plant diversity (Nettverk for Plantemangfold) which comprises the following organisations Oikos – Økologisk Norge, Biologisk-Dynamisk Forening, Solhatt Økologisk Hagebruk, Norsk Senter for Økologisk Landbruk (NORSØK), KVANN / Norwegian Seed Savers, Århus Andelsgård and Økologisk Spesialkorn og Sogn Jord- og Hagebruksskole (SJH). The seminar was supported by Landbruksdirektoratet (The Norwegian Agriculture Agency)
A summary of the seminar and all the presentations can be found here http://www.oikos.no/aktuelt/fro-for-framtida
Just before the start of my first course for MAJOBO on Tuesday, I decided to change my first picture to something of local relevance! This is Oslo’s oldest asparagus bed, perhaps as old as 100 years as explained in the following article!
In another one of these resonant moments, who should be amongst the 20 participants than the owner of this very garden, Lars Mjøset :) He walked in just after I took this picture!
Perennial vegetables, Edimentals (plants that are edible and ornamental) and other goings on in The Edible Garden
