Unusual Plants Growing In My Garden
Hello friends,
Today I wanted to share with you some of the more unusual plants growing in my garden. Either they're plants that are on the edge of being able to grow in Dunedin's climate, or they're plants that I want to do experiments with, in terms of harvesting and processing them.
First up is my Camellia sinensis plant, aka my tea plant, which I've already discussed in a previous blog post where I harvested and processed my own white tea.
Next up is the Wasabi plant I recently bought from my local garden center. The plan is to grow my Wasabi plant for three years, and then harvest the root so I can make my own Wasabi for eating with sushi. Wasabi requires full shade and damp conditions, and I have the perfect spot in my garden to give it a home. It is sensitive to frost, so I've been spraying the leaves with liquid frost cloth this Spring for frost protection. It has only been growing for about a month, and it's already growing strong in its shady spot.
I have also been growing my own pomegranate plant for the past year in a large pot in my patio over the summer, and in my glasshouse during the winter. This pomegranate variety, "Wonderful" by Incredible Edibles, is a deciduous variety which can handle up to -6˚C frosts in winter, which makes it perfect for Dunedin's climate. In it's first year growing, last year, it even managed to flower before winter, but unfortunately it didn't set any fruit. Once the frosts are over this spring I plan to plant it in the south side garden alongside my blueberries and tea plant. I can't wait to harvest my own pomegranate fruit for turning into pomegranate juice in the future.
And finally there is my Marshmallow plant, Althea officinalis, which is the ancient source of making the marshmallow confectionery we know today. The marshmallow plant is a perennial which dies back each year over winter, and it grows again to a height of over 1.8 meters in summer, producing long stalks of white and pink flowers (which is where the marshmallow confectionery these days get their colours from). All parts of the marshmallow plant have medicinal uses, and its dried root is the original source of mucus for making marshmallow sweets.
My marshmallow plant is growing in the garden so that I can one day try making my own marshmallow confectionery from scratch, but I forget to dig it up in winter to harvest the roots. If you want to try growing your own Marshmallow plant, Kings Seeds in New Zealand stocks the seed.
Do you have any unusual plants growing in your garden?
Have a wonderful day
Julie-Ann
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Herb Garden and Patio Tidy Up
Hello friends,
Our herb garden and patio were looking a little weary over the summer, and the plants in the herb garden bed had well and truly bolted and gone to seed, so it was time to give the herb garden and patio a tidy up.
After pulling out all the weary looking plants from the herb garden bed, it was time to head off to the local garden centre. I bought a couple of replacement bags of potting mix, and a range of herb plants that we regularly use.
After topping up the potting mix, and watering it in, it was time to place out all the new herb plants.
I bought coriander, chives, oregano, sage and a parcel plant. I thought the parcel plant was Italian parsley when I bought it, but when I got home I realised I'd bought a new to me herb plant. According to research I had to do "Parcel tastes like a combination of parsley and celery. It is sometimes known as Chinese celery, wild celery or leaf celery. It is often used in salads but can be used in just about any dish."
Luckily the parcel plant will work with our cooking style, so it's a welcome addition to our herb garden.
I then weeded the rest of the patio as well. While I was tidying things up in the herb and patio area, I also fertilised our citrus bushes.
Once all that was done, I gave the patio and herb garden a decent watering after the hot and sunny weather we've been having recently.
It was really good to tidy up that area of the garden, and it'll be fine now until late autumn. It's now a great place to sit in the sun and enjoy on hot sunny summer days.
Have a wonderful day
Julie-Ann
Want to discuss my post? Feel free to chat with me on Instagram or Mastodon or Bluesky.
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