Y ou’d have to have been living under a rock (which would have been a cool and sensible place to dwell) to not have felt the intensity of the heatwaves this summer. I’ve yet to meet a plants person who isn’t concerned by the impact of the changing climate on the living things we share the planet with – as well as our fellow humans. If one had any doubts, the sight of parched grasslands and garden plants withering to a crisp should have set those aside.
As I’ve shared in previous columns, this summer I was sparing with what I watered. I emptied the water butts and only used mains water on plants that were likely to survive and provide a harvest. Any sign of floundering and the crops were for the chop – sorry, stunted courgettes! And if you’ve been reading my column for a while, you’ll also know that I turned over one of my annual beds to golden raspberries and tayberries this year in a bid to have more plants that are less needy. So you can imagine my joy when I saw that brilliant gardener Jack Wallington has written a book that delves deep into this low-impact, resilient approach to edible gardening. Perfect timing.
While I’m familiar with many of the crops Jack writes about, there are a good number that I didn’t even realise were edible! For example, I had no idea there were edible varieties of stonecrop (also known as sedum). Its succulent leaves can be picked as and when needed, and have a mild taste that makes them an ideal addition to a well-dressed salad. These plants are easily grown from seed and I can testify to this given how readily they pop up, self-seeded, around my garden, sometimes out of gravel. Leaf cuttings also take readily.
Hostas are not just beautiful ornamental plants for shady borders – they, too, are edible. New shoots that emerge in spring can be sauteed like any spring green, and made more delicious with a dash of soy sauce. If you beat the slugs and snails to their leaves, they can be thinly sliced and added to salads.
I was once gifted some perennial kale cuttings and still kick myself for not doing a better job of rooting them, as I adore a brassica and would be grateful to have one that lasts for a decade. Perennial kale needs the same kind of care as other brassicas – protection from cabbage whites and pigeons, and support when mature – but nothing more. ‘Nine Star’ (a perennial brassica Jack describes as “broccauli”, due to its florets that taste like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower) is similarly resilient.
As well as making space for more water butts and considering what seeds I may not sow next season, I’m going to be making plans to add more resilient crops. I hope you will be too.
