Rare Plants
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Yagli Ordu Hazelnut: The Black Sea's Main Crop Facing a New Threat
A guide to the Yagli Ordu hazelnut, one of the Black Sea region's main crops - identity, permaculture value, growing tips, and the serious damage caused by the brown marmorated stink bug in recent years.
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Red Globe Grapes: The Large-Berried Grapevine in Our Garden
A guide to the Red Globe grapevine, which gave a generous harvest in our garden this year - identity, permaculture value, growing tips, and harvest observations.
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Apios americana: The Story of a Tuber Worth the Wait
The story of Apios americana (American groundnut), brought to the garden years ago and finally blooming this year - identity, permaculture value, and a growing process that takes patience.
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Laz Apple: A Native Black Sea Apple Variety
A guide to the Laz apple, a native heirloom variety from the Black Sea region - identity, permaculture value, and how to grow it.
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Green Persimmon (Diospyros oleifera): The Curious Species That Stays Green When Ripe
A curious persimmon species whose skin stays greenish-brown even when fully ripe, with a distinctly fuzzy texture: Diospyros oleifera. Identity, permaculture value, and how to grow it.
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American Persimmon 'Meader': A Different Flavor from Kaki
A guide to the American persimmon 'Meader' - smaller-fruited and different in flavor from kaki - identity, permaculture value, and how to grow it.
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Calliandra surinamensis: The Pink Powder Puff
A drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing shrub known for its silky pink powder-puff flowers: Calliandra surinamensis.
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Acer Palmatum 'Emerald Lace': A Dwarf, Weeping Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Emerald Lace' is the opposite form of Seiryu in my maple collection: a weeping, dwarf cultivar. A detailed look at its leaf structure, color, size, growing conditions and landscape use.
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Acer Palmatum 'Seiryu': A Rare Upright-Growing Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum 'Seiryu' is one of the pieces in my maple collection. A detailed look at its leaf structure, fall color, size, growing conditions and landscape use.
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Satsuma Mandarin: The Citrus That Survives Even at -10°C
Satsuma, also known as Rize mandarin, is seedless and very juicy, and it has fully adapted to our garden. Even after seeing -10°C, the shrub survives without dying.
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Kumquat: The Dwarf Citrus That Fruits Reliably Every Year in Our Garden
Kumquat is a dwarf citrus that fruits reliably every year in our garden. It's currently in full bloom, here's what the plant is like and my own experience with it.
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Goji Berry: A Fruit That's Grown in Our Garden for Years, and I'm Still Not Convinced
Goji berry has been growing in our garden for years, but the yield has always been low and the taste never matched expectations. An honest look at a berry that tastes more like pepper.
Read more"Keep the cycle, the future is in your hands."
— HE-QA Garden
Permaculture for me is not just a gardening technique — it's a life philosophy. To repair the soil, keep the cycle and leave a richer nature for future generations. Every seed is a trust, every cutting a hope.
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Letters from the Garden
Seasonal planting calendars, rare plant introductions and permaculture tips. Once a week.