FOOD + DRINK
THE KITCHEN GARDEN CONT .
© Lucy Mohr
ROCKSALT AND THE PICKLED EGG COMPANY ’ S KITCHEN GARDEN
Herbs played an important part on the fabric of the kitchen garden , but in those days they were primarily used for their medicinal qualities rather than for flavouring food ( see our article on Botanical Healing on p99 ). But as grocery stores became more common , cities grew and transportation became faster and easier , along with the technology to refrigerate , kitchen gardens began to decline in popularity . This is with the exception of Victory Gardens , that during wartime were grown as an act of patriotic duty and to address the shortfall in fresh fruit and vegetables available . Some of the most famous examples of kitchen gardens are Queen Victoria ’ s kitchen garden at Windsor Castle , which was the most technologically advanced for its day and Louis XIV , King ' s Kitchen Garden , covering 9 hectares and which is at the very heart of the historical centre of Versailles . Here in Kent , we have the 300 year old walled kitchen garden at Walmer Castle . It is a beautiful example of a traditional kitchen garden still in use , providing produce for their cafe today .
Back in Vogue
Over the past few years and in particular , the last year , there has been a resurgence for grow-yourown / farm-to-table / farm-to-fork ; an important movement that is dramatically rising . Consumers have come to understand that it ’ s becoming imperative that we lessen our impact on the environment to help reverse climate change and food supply issues during the lockdowns were a stark reminder of how vulnerable we are when there is a reduction in the food supply chain . Eating seasonally and locally can reduce the carbon footprint of your food by up to 10 % but the problem is that many of us don ’ t know what ’ s seasonal and what ’ s local . A BBC poll has revealed that fewer than one in ten Brits know when some of the UK ’ s most well-known fruit and vegetables are in season , and supermarkets do little to help . This is why the journey into growing your own can completely change your relationship and understanding of the food you eat for the better .
“ Change the food in the schools and we can influence how children think . Change the curriculum and teach them how to garden and how to cook and we can show that growing food and cooking and eating together give lasting richness , meaning , and beauty to our lives .” - Alice Waters , American chef , restaurateur , activist , and author .
Where to Start
The pleasures of growing your own food can be multiplied by creating a garden that is not only productive , but also a beautiful , well-integrated part of your home landscape . To begin a kitchen garden , choose a place that receives lots of sunlight but also partial shade so that you can grow all your shade-loving herbs and vegetables . You need good soil and drainage , so if the area of the garden you choose attracts pools of rainwater after a downpour , it isn ’ t a suitable place to start your kitchen garden . If water seeps away quickly though , then it ’ s fine . To prepare the soil prior to planting , it ’ s easier to use a tiler , so try and choose a place that is devoid of roots and rocks .
Your eyes being larger than your stomach is a sentiment that is no truer than when choosing what to plant in your garden . I personally went straight to heirloom varieties and tried to plant every off-beat vegetable and herb I ’ d ever heard of – it didn ’ t turn out brilliantly , so in the beginning , it ’ s best to start out with easy to grow herbs and vegetables like mint , basil , parsley , lettuces , spinach , tomatoes , peppers , eggplants , beans , cucumbers , radishes , Asian greens , etc .
If you never had a green thumb , master the basics of growing these most popular and easy to grow vegetables , then start growing finicky edibles that need some care like cauliflowers , Brussels sprouts , onions , cabbage , artichokes , rhubarb , bitter melon , carrots , melons , etc . For fruits , you ’ re spoilt for choice in Kent with our ‘ Best of British ’ raspberries , plums , blackberries , cherries , apples , and pears .
Growing vegetables in raised beds has many benefits , not only do they improve the productivity of the vegetable garden , but it also makes the planning and planting easier . You can control the quality of soil more easily and save yourself from back strain , as you won ’ t have to bend down so far to harvest crops . You ’ ll also get fewer crawling pests and you ’ re a little more out of reach from hungry bunnies with any luck .
Choosing Your Flowers
Making your garden beautiful is one of the best bits and the flowers you plant are the difference between a vegetable patch and a kitchen garden . A kitchen garden is a thing of beauty and can be somewhere you want to retreat to after a long day , so include some nice seating where you can relax and take in what you ’ ve created . I chose to plant a mix of pollinators , annuals and perennials in mine , such as knapweed , cosmos , celsia , medallion daisy , and dahlias . You can use flowers to create borders and break up the bed as well but be careful not to overshadow vegetables with tall flowers .
Whatever you choose to plant in your kitchen garden and however you choose to design it , make sure you choose what you want . It takes time and commitment to grow and care for your own produce , so you need to make sure it stirs the necessary passion within you to make it happen and to keep it going . If you do , it is time and energy spent that you ’ ll never regret and which will reward you , your friends and family in ways you won ’ t yet be able to appreciate , over and over again .
“ In our society growing food ourselves has become the most radical of acts . It is truly the only effective protest , one that can – and will – overturn the corporate powers that be . By the process of directly working in harmony with nature , we do the one thing most essential to change the world ? we change ourselves .” - Jules Dervaes , urban farmer .
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