Liz Zorab is a well known gardening guru, an award winning video maker and food grower. She is an expert contributor to BBC Wales gardening programmes, a prolific You Tube creator and the author of several books. Her home is Byther Farm at the edge of the Brecon Beacons on a thriving 4.5 acre plot, 275 m above sea level some of which is North-facing, where she is passionate about sustaining biodiversity and is self sufficient in up to 60-70% of the food she eats. The vegetable patch is 250m2 including paths. She is very keen to demystify permaculture and to share her experiences far and wide. Her talk was accompanied by pictures, mostly of her garden, describing how a mixture of plant types can work.
The ‘hidden’ vegetable garden idea shows how anyone can, with whatever size plot, grow food alongside flowers and ornamentals successfully. For instance, Kale is an excellent choice, there are various different types available including the dark leaved Cavolo Nero (Liz starts hers early in the year), all of which will grow up to 10 ft, will look glorious and are evergreen up to December or further depending on the weather. Florence Fennel which is a species of the carrot family, is a beautiful plant, also standing tall if left and produces yellow flowers which are enjoyed by pollinators, particularly lacewings. Growing squash up a trellis will look good and doesn’t take up much lateral space and globe artichokes (green or purple) are wonderful for providing structure and produce beautiful purple flowers which pollinators will love.
Oca (New Zealand Yam) is a root vegetable of Peruvian origin which enjoys the cool damp British climate and will overwinter with some protection from frost. It is smaller than a potato and as yet has no real pests, has a slightly lemony flavour and the growing cycle is very similar to a potato.
If possible a pergola is a good addition where climbers and beans can intermingle, and chard which can put up with some shade could be grown underneath. If left it will grow up to head height and will look spectacular in the many rainbow colours available now. Herbs like Rosemary are generally hardy and can be used in so many ways – there are different types available, horizontal, upright and cascading. With the pretty blue flowers, they smell and look wonderful and if left will produce a shrub. Salsify, a biennial, is easy to grow and produces seed heads not unlike a dandelion. The greenery is good to eat in the spring and the roots can be eaten in the winter months because they don’t suffer from cold weather. Comfrey is a good standby for use as a fertiliser for all manner of crops. Parsley if left will flower in the 2nd or 3rd year, producing umbels of fresh tasting flowers. Red Orach, which is a member of the spinach family, will grow 6 – 7 feet heigh and produce yellow/orange flowers which can be frozen for culinary use. Calendula always look cheerful and are good to use in salads or pilau rice.
Fruit production comes high on the agenda, Liz grows peaches which are ripened indoors, some of which are espaliered and last year produced over 200 peaches! Obviously cherry trees (ornamental and fruiting) always look wonderful. Raspberry canes can be planted as a productive hedge, keeping the wind out and helping with any drainage problems on a wet site. Autumn fruiting raspberries produce new canes in the spring and fruit on them in the autumn of the same year. The old stems should be pruned down to the ground in February. There is a Mulberry tree on her smallholding as well, which produces fruit.
Rosa rugosa can also be used for controlled hedging and the hips are excellent for making jelly, juice or wine. The hips should be strained though to avoid ingesting the seeds or the hairs on the fruit as they can cause irritation to the mouth and digestive system.
Liz is keen that a garden should produce sound as well as food and colour and loves the sound of Bamboo, Cannas, Banana trees and grasses. She really enjoyed making a sensory garden for the Royal Welsh show.
At the end of her talk, Liz answered any questions from the audience. Tracey then thanked Liz very much, and reminded everyone about the July meeting, when Jo Hobbs will demonstrate how best to arrange a bunch of flowers. Those wishing to take part should bring with them some flowers, some twine, a pair of scissors and a container (large if the stems are thick, smaller if the stems are finer).
Cothi Gardeners 