The event ‘From Cultivation to Creation’, organised by Moreton Bay Regional Council, is just a fortnight away so I decided to note down the 111 different things currently on the menu from my 300 square metre subtropical food garden. Ongoing drought has affected fruit production – I made just 340 jars of jams and marmalades this autumn instead of the usual 800 – but I had a bumper crop of jackfruit in summer and I picked my first bunya nuts from trees planted back in 2004. Whatever the weather, there will always be winners and losers in a garden, the key is growing a variety of useful, climate appropriate plants so there’s always food on the table. 

“Green thumbs and foodies are in for a treat with North Lakes Library’s event, From Cultivation to Creation. Coming up on Friday June 14, the free event will include a thought-provoking conversation with a panel of exciting special guests. There will also be local produce to sample, local musicians performing, local artists displaying their work, a pop-up museum, and a pop-up gallery shop and library display.

Journalist, author and media commentator, Madonna King, will MC the conversation, which will explore everything from sustainability and food production to artistic development and cuisine culture.

Well known and much-loved television and talkback radio presenter Jerry Coleby-Williams will be one of the guests on the panel, bringing with him his expertise in horticulture and environmental conservation.

Alistair McLeod, best known for his appearances on Ready Steady Cook and as a presenter on Queensland Weekender, will also be joining the panel. He is now running his own business Al’FreshCo, which provides catering, markets, and his own product line.

The final guest will be Matt Golinski, who is also a Ready Steady Cook alum, who has had recent success promoting the Gympie Region as a world-class food destination, and is the Consultant Executive Chef at Peppers Noosa Resort.

The event will run from 5.30pm-7.30pm, with the panel discussion beginning at 6:30pm”.

Tickets are FREE but registration is essential and to do so, click on this link.

It was a chilly 9.5C this morning, our first wintry day and an excuse for a warming breakfast: Bong bóng và quăng quăng, made with the Ethiopian cabbage ‘Old Women Meet and Gossip’ aka bubble and squeak…

Bellis, Brisbane’s subtropical sustainable house and garden’s MAY MENU:

Roots, bulbs
Aerial potato, Dioscorea bulbifera;
Australian okra, Abelmoschus moschatus subsp tuberosus;
Christmas lily, Lilium longiflorum;
Cocoyam, Xanthosoma saggitifolium;
Elephant foot yam, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius;
Galangal, Alpinia galangal;
Ginger, Zingiber officinale;
Ginger, shell, Alpinia zerumbet;
Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus ‘Dwarf Sunray’;
Konjac, Amorphophallus konjac;
Krachai, Boesenbergia rotunda;
Queensland arrowroot, Canna edulis;
Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas ‘Ace of Spades’;
Sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas ‘Marguerite’;
Temulawak, Curcuma zanthorrhiza;
Turmeric, Curcuma longa;
Turmeric, black, Curcuma caesia;
Winged bean, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus;
Yam, African round, Dioscorea cayenensis subsp. rotundata;
Yam, winged, Dioscorea alata;

Fruits, pods
Black sapote, Diospyros trigyna;
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Red Cayenne’;
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Piri Piri’;
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Thai Sun’;
Chilli, Capsicum annuum ‘Lieutenant Pearl’;
Chilli, Capsicum chinense ‘Carolina Reaper’;
Chilli, Capsicum baccatum ‘Aji Panca’;
Eggplant, Solanum melongena ‘Early Long Purple’;
Eggplant, Solanum melongena ‘Listada di Gandia’;
Gac, Momordica cochinchinensis;
Guar bean, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba;
Guava, Psidium guava;
Kaffir lime, Citrus hystrix;
Luffa, round, Luffa cylindrica;
Orange, Citrus x sinensis ‘Cara Cara’;
Mandarin, Citrus reticulata ‘Parramatta Sweets’;
Marrow, Cucurbita pepo ‘Blackjack’;
Tahitian Lime, Citrus x latifolia;
Winter melon, Benincasa hispida;

Flowers
Australian okra, Abelmoschus moschatus subsp tuberosus;
Banana, Musa x sapientum ‘Ladyfinger’;
Cranberry hibiscus, Hibiscus acetosella;
Cranberry hibiscus, dwarf, Hibiscus acetosella ‘Red Shield’;

Leaves
Aralia, ming, Polyscias fruticosa (four cultivars);
Aralia, geranium, Polyscias guilfoylei (two cultivars);
Australian okra, Abelmoschus moschatus subsp tuberosus;
Basil, camphor, Ocimum x kilimandscharicum;
Basil, sacred, Ocimum tenuiflorum;
Basil, Thai, Ocimum basilicum var. thyrsiflora;
Cassava, Seed Savers’ cultivar, Cassava manihot;
Cassava, variegated, Cassava manihot ‘Variegata’;
Celosia argentea var. plumosa ‘Dragon’s Breath’;
Ceylon spinach, Basella alba;
Chickweed, Stellaria media;
Chicory, Cichorium intybus;
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum;
Cocoyam, Xanthosoma saggitifolium;
Coleus, Solenostemon scutellarioides (various cultivars);
Cosmos sulphureus;
Cranberry hibiscus, Hibiscus acetosella;
Cranberry hibiscus, dwarf, Hibiscus acetosella;
Dai gai choi, Brassica juncea var. foliosa ‘Wynnum Imperial’;
Dill, Anethum graveolens;
Ethiopian cabbage, Brassica carinata ‘Old Women Meet and Gossip’;
False cardamom, Alpinia nutans;
Fennel, Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’;
Four season’s herb, variegated, Plectranthus amboinicus ‘variegatus’ and ‘Bayside Beauty’;
Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum;
Ivy gourd, Coccinea grandis;
Kaffir lime, Citrus hystrix;
Kang kong, Ipomoea aquatica;
Kenaf, Hibiscus cannabinus;
Kings salad, Cosmos caudatus;
Krachai, Boesenbergia rotunda;
Lagos spinach, Celosia spicata (3 cultivars);
Lat lot, Piper sarmentosum;
Lebanese cress, Aethionema cordifolium;
Lemongrass, East Indian, Cymbopogon flexuosus;
Lemongrass, native, Cymbopogon ambiguus;
Mexican pepperleaf, Piper auritum;
Mexican tarragon, Tagetes lucida;
Mexican tree spinach, Cnidoscolus aconitifolius;
Mint, Moroccan, Mentha spicata ‘Nana’;
Mint, native, Mentha pulegioides;
Mustard, Brassica juncea ‘Perfume River’;
Nardoo, Marsilea mutica;
Okinawa spinach, Gynura bicolor;
Old man saltbush, Atriplex nummularia;
Pandan, Pandanus amarylliifolius;
Parsley, Petroselenium crispum;
Pawpaw, Carica papaya ‘Southern Red’;
Radicchio, Cichorium intybus ‘Red Dandelion’;
Society garlic, Tulbaghia violacea ‘John May’s Special’;
Society garlic, giant; Tulbaghia simmleri;
Society garlic, variegated; Tulbaghia violacea ‘Variegata’;
Spring onion, Allium fistulosum;
Spring onion, Seed Saver’s multiplier, Allium fistulosum;
Sweetleaf, Sauropus androgynus;
Talinum fruticosum;
Thai coriander, Eryngium foetidum;
Tree onion, Allium x proliferum;
Vietnamese mint, Persicaria odorata;
Vietnamese paddy herb, Limnophylla aquatica;
Vietnamese parsley, Cryptotaenia japonica;
Wall rocket, Diplotaxis tenuifolia;
Watercress, Nasturtium officinale;
White jute, Corchorus capsularis;

Stems
Cocoyam, Xanthosoma saggitifolium;
Edible fern, Diplazium esculentum;
Elephant foot yam, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius;
Florence fennel, Foeniculum Azoricum Group ‘Zefa Fino’;
Leek, Seed Saver’s multiplier, Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum;
Monastery bamboo, Thyrsostachys siamensis;

Nuts, seed
Bunya, Araucaria bidwillii;
Chilean wine palm, Jubaea chilensis;
Sesame, Sesamum indicum;

Medicinal
Bulbine frutescens; species and a cultivar;
Aloe vera;
Sugarbag, Tetragonula carbonaria;
Sugarbag, Tetragonula hockingsii;

Total: 111 taxa

Jerry Coleby-Williams Dip. Hort. (Kew), RHS, NEBSM
28th May 2018
Director, Seed Saver’s Network Inc.
Patron, National Toxics Network Inc.
Founder, Bellis, Brisbane’s award winning subtropical sustainable house and garden;

* Winner, Save Water Awards, 2009 (Built Environment);
* Winner, HMA Horticultural Laurels, 2011 (Best Technical Television Gardening Story);
* Finalist, Banksia Awards, 2017 (Food for Thought);