RECIPES

Tuesday 14 July 2020

Midwinter Kitchen Garden

Winter can be a dreary time, but there is always something to do in a garden!  We are fortunate here in that our winters are comparatively mild and we can garden all year round.



I thought it would be interesting to see what was happening in the Kitchen Garden at the Hamilton Gardens complex, so I went to have a look.

One section of the garden has had its green-manure crop cut and left to start decomposing and thus fertilizing the soil.  I imagine it will be dug in over the next few weeks.



Another section had young seedlings planted out in it – onions, brassicas and broad beans.  Celery is growing at the back of the bed.



There was Florence fennel, radishes, carrots and beetroot being harvested.  None of this produce is sold or given to the public.  Instead, most of it goes to the local Wintec (Waikato Polytechnic Institute) restaurant where trainee chefs practice their art.  Council staff are responsible for the care of the Gardens but Wintec horticulture students often help out, especially in the Kitchen Garden.



The rhubarb was beginning to go to seed.



The harvest of Globe Artichokes is almost finished.



The grape vines have been pruned.  They are attached to the walls on the sunniest side of the Kitchen Garden.



Espalier fruit trees clothe another wall, and the back shaded wall has a hedge of feijoas along it.  The other side wall is home to citrus and kiwifruit.



On one side of the Kitchen Garden there is a Herb Garden, and on the far side is a Sustainable Back Yard (to give ideas to what can be done in your own garden).  Together, these three gardens cover quite a large area and there is always something interesting to see.



It was a nice little jaunt outside, dodging showers and enjoying the weak winter sun.  Quite a few people had the same idea, but it was not crowded at all.

Stay safe and keep smiling J

Margaret.




22 comments:

  1. It is interesting to see the difference there is between our respective gardens in winter.

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  2. That's better than a trip to Kew. Impressive that they still have rhubarb and globe artichokes at this stage of the winter. Were there any clever ideas in the sustainable back-yard?

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    1. I didn't go there this visit. The garden shows things like worm farms and composting and companion planting. They even used to have chickens, but sadly I think people used to tease them too much so they had to remove them.

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  3. Lovely to remind myself of what I’ll be able to grow in the winter. Glad you were able to get out and enjoy their garden. B x

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  4. Walled kitchen gardens are wonderful things. There are lots here in the UK that have been rescued from decades of neglect in recent years. I love visiting them and always come away with ideas. It's very interesting to see one on the other side of the world and great to hear that it is helping to nurture the next generation of chefs and gardeners as well as the plants.

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  5. Those are wonderfully organised and abundant gardens. How wonderful that you can visit.

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  6. I would imagine that it was a very pleasant visit and they have an interesting variety of vegetables. Fresh produce is arriving at the local market in ever greater volume here, but it all seems pretty pricey this year.

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    1. A lot of produce here is imported (which seems so silly, when it grows so well here) and so there are shortages - courgettes recently topped $25 per kilo, which made news headlines!

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  7. This would have been a fun visit for me...interesting to see it all. My granddaughter and one of my daughters love kiwi!

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    1. I like gold kiwi better than the green ones, and often have one with my breakfast :)

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  8. Such an interesting excursion. I love your winters!

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  9. this are very lovely photos Margaret and very interesting herbs and vegetables because none of those grow here in the Philippines except for carrots and celery. I've heard about rhubarbs and artichokes on some cooking shows but never have seen nor tasted them. Hopefully I can someday :)

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    1. I love rhubarb (some hate the texture of it in the mouth, and it is also rather sour) but am not so keen on the artichokes (they seem like a lot of fuss for not much to eat). It would be interesting to know a bit more about what sort of vegetables you use on a daily basis :)

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  10. I would find it interesting if you posted the low and high temperatures from time to time. I am amazed at what is still growing in that garden.

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    1. Hamilton's average weather for July ranges from a low of 8 degrees Celsius (46 deg. F) to a high of 13 degrees Celsius (55 deg. F). So far, this month, we have been up to 18 deg. C (64 F) and down to 2 deg. C (35F). July is traditionally our coldest month as well as our wettest. This morning we are sitting at 97% humidity and have a forecast for rain most of the day.

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  11. What a great selection of photographs you've shared.
    That looks a great visit.

    All the best Jan

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  12. What a great idea to have a garden like that to visit and to learn from. Your photo of the rhubarb has my mouth watering - love it!

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  13. What a great idea. Everything looks very healthy.

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  14. This is one wholesome kitchen garden with lovely produce. You have showcased it well virtually for us. The bright yellow daisy right in the beginning brought a smile on my face :)
    Happy Weekend Margaret!

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Thank-you for visiting my blog. I love it when you leave a comment so please feel free to have your say. Have a great day! Margaret xx