Seed to Table
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Kütahya Sour Cherry: A Local Variety, Trouble-Free for Its First Two Years
My 2-year-old Kütahya sour cherry has settled in well, with no signs of disease so far. Why I chose a local variety, my care notes and first observations.
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Vitis vinifera Alphonse Lavallée: The Purple Pearl of the Garden
With its large purple-pink berries and intense aroma, Alphonse Lavallée grape is one of the most spectacular fruits in our garden. Late August harvest, its flavor comparable to nothing in the store.
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Italia (Muscat) Grape: The Aroma That Solved My Garden's Variety Puzzle
My garden has a few different grape varieties - Atasarisi, Alfonso, Red Globe, and a fragrant Italian type - and I wasn't sure which one a particular cluster belonged to. The berry shape and that signature muscat aroma solved the puzzle: it's Italia.
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Bay Laurel: Growing a Tree from Seed That Carries the Scent of the Mediterranean
The bay laurel I grew myself from seed is classically thought of as a Mediterranean-only tree, yet it thrives in my garden without any trouble. It's a remarkably versatile tree, opening doors from the kitchen to soap-making, from history to permaculture.
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Malus domestica Fuji: The Sweetest Apple of the Garden
With its green to pink-red color transition, intense sweetness and juiciness, the Fuji apple is one of the most loved fruits in our garden. The complete opposite of Granny Smith but side by side on the same property.
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Malus domestica Granny Smith: The Green Sour Miracle of the Garden
Nothing like what you buy from the store. The garden-grown Granny Smith is sour, aromatic, browning quickly when cut. Fruits even in drought.
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Momordica charantia: Bitter Melon, Both Medicine and Mystery
Whether fruit or vegetable remains debatable but its healing power is undeniable. From stomach ulcers to blood sugar, from dental infections to immunity, Momordica charantia is a medicinal plant with thousands of years of history.
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Rubus fruticosus Black Butte: The Drought Warrior Blackberry of the Garden
Ripening in mid-August, drought-resistant, with large and delicious fruits, Black Butte blackberry is one of the most productive fruits in our garden. Grows without irrigation and yields abundantly.
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Cynara scolymus: Artichoke and the Beauty After Death
By late summer artichokes transform into dead sculptures. I don't cut them, I wait for them to scatter their seeds. In autumn new shoots emerge from below, the cycle completes.
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Bere Winter Pear: August's Most Aromatic Fruit from My Garden
With its russet skin, buttery flesh and unique aroma, the Bere winter pear is one of the oldest and most valued residents of our garden.
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Black Amber Plum: July's Black Pearl from My Garden
Golden flesh hiding beneath a black skin... Black Amber is one of the most impressive Japanese plum varieties you can grow in your garden.
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"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.