Despite the record warm May here at 63.4N with temperatures up to 30C and drought like conditions (forest fire warnings on the news every day), my now 23 […]
Forest Gardening / Perennial vegetables
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The 2021 Selfies with a 20-year old Udo
This year’s udo (Aralia cordata) selfie pictures, probably the highest ever with a flowering spike way above my head. I harvested about 1/3 of the shoots in the […]
Blanching / Cellar vegetables / Food / Perennial vegetable shoots
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Japanese Sansai in March
Almost exactly 5 years ago this week I was on a study tour to Japan to look at Sansai production. I’m doing a webinar talk about the trip […]
Ferns / Food / Perennial vegetables
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Green Ostrich Pasta
I noticed yesterday that the ostrich ferns (strutseving) in the forest garden had put on a spurt despite the cold weather and were almost past the harvesting stage. […]
Ferns / Perennial vegetables
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Dried ostrich ferns
Dried ostrich ferns (strutseving), Matteuccia struthiopteris Post Views: 114
walks
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KVANN’s Annual Meeting Weekend: Day 4; Ostrich Fern hike along the Homla
On the 4th day of the Norwegian Seed Savers weekend (6th May 2019), the traditional spring walk along the Homla river and canyon was on the programme with […]
Onions
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Status of the Granvin victory onion location
In June 2009, I was shown the only naturalised stand of victory onion (Allium victorialis) in south western Norway (away from Lofoten Islands – Vestvågøy – and Bodø […]
Food / Foraging / Perennial vegetables
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Belated happy birthday to me
The first veggie food I ate was macaroni cheese and chips at Edwin Jones (now Debenhams) in Southampton, a treat when we Mum took us shopping back in […]
Foraging / walks
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Homla walk May 2018
Pictures from this week’s 5 hour (botanist pace) walk along the spectacular Homla canyon, the start about 14 km from home! Post Views: 117
Article
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2002 Norwegian Article on Ostrich Fern
An article in Norwegian about my first experiences with ostrich fern (strutseving). From the magazine of the Norwegian Useful Plants Society, Våre Nyttevekster (Our Useful Plants). Link to […]
Talks
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Perennial vegetables and edimentals for cities
This week I gave a couple of talks for the first time on the subject of “Perennials: Attractive and climate friendly city vegetables” ….covering everywhere from roof gardens […]
Ferns
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30 point ostrich!
On the way up the mountain at Alvastien Telste I found a particularly fertile ostrich fern with 30 fertile fronds! This is the edible wild plant equivalent of […]
walks
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Homla ostrich fern tour; 17th May 2017
Yet another wondrous walk along the Homla canyon in Malvik , this time with Berit Børte, Marit By and Ane Mari Aakernes Post Views: 139
Forest Gardening / Perennial vegetables
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In the forest garden on 16th May 2017
Just a few pictures of udo, ostrich fern, devil’s walking stick, giant bellflower today in the forest garden.. Post Views: 131
Book / Edimentals
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Tor Smaaland’s “Your Dream Garden” from 2004
The first time my garden was featured in a book was in former Norwegian TV gardener and gardener for the King, Tor Smaaland’s 2004 book “Din drømmehage”. The […]
walks / wild flowers
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Alys’ Pool
Almost exactly 6 years ago (is it really that long ago?) I was delighted to have a visit from BBC gardening presenter and Guardian writer Alys Fowler. After […]
Ferns / Food
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Ostrich Fern pie
Ostrich fern pie was the culinary high this week…made with cooked ostrich fern, Allium scorodoprasum, garlic, chili and standard quiche ingredients and a 100% whole grain barley / rye […]
Fruit / Grafting
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Bonus Day 4 Permaveggies grafting course
It wasn’t planned at all (the best things aren’t), but our Swedish guests Christian Odberger and Dante Hellstrøm stayed over until Monday evening to dig up a few […]
Ferns / Perennials
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Permaveggies Course Day 3: Ostrich fern tour along the Homla
As usual, the highlight of these weekends is the incredible walk along the river Homla just 20 minutes from home with large quantities of Ostrich Fern along the […]
Ferns / Winter shoots
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Forced ostrich wings…
The Norwegian name for ostrich fern is strutseving (ostrich wing) and fiddleheads are now appearing in my kitchen window, two months before they will be out in the […]