In support of World Environment Day (5 June) and World Oceans Day (9 June) all this week, we’re highlighting ways you can be a HESS Hero and help us look after the world we live in.
In this feature, we take a look at gardening and and the growing trend for cultivating varieties of fruit and veg which you wouldn’t find in the supermarket.
Tomatoes: Japanese Black Trifele
Its unique colouring is just the start to this delicious tomato which is scrummy in a salad with a sprinkling of golden olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. It grows well either outside or in the greenhouse, and just needs the usual feeding and watering.
Potatoes: Sante
The humble spud is something which has almost become mundane. But there is so much more than Maris Piper and King Edwards. The Sante variety is delicious, easy to grow and wonderful baked or boiled. Another bonus – it’s excellent at repelling garden pests!
Beetroot: Boldor
The taste of beetroot is unmistakable – that deliciously moreish earthy goodness. The Boldor variety is an attractive, copper-skinned colour with orange flesh which remains just as vivid after its been cooked. Easy to cultivate, you can also eat its leaves which make a great addition to salads.
Berries: Honeyberries
This unusual fruit is packed full of antioxidants and the blueberry-like berries make a delicious treat picked straight from the bush. Honeyberries are tough plants and incredibly hardy so you won’t need to pamper them. For the best yields on tasty Honeyberries grow them in pairs to increase pollination.
Green leaves: Swiss Chard
Now adorning many menus, Swiss Chard is a delicious treat for the autumn and winter months. It’s extremely easy to grow and a versatile crop which can be used in a stir fry, Sunday lunch, spanakopita, Thai curry, soup, pasta sauce and salads. And if you keep harvesting this delicious treat, you can get a bumper crop throughout the autumn into early winter.
Beans: Corba
The taste of freshly harvested beans, lightly cooked with a bit of butter on before serving conjures up many happy alfresco lunches. This climbing French bean is a treat to the eyes as well as the mouths, with its pretty lilac flowers and bountiful green beans. They are easy to grow and will be very happy with the support of a wigwam, and so take up little space.
Squash: Black Futsu
Squashes are a delicious accompaniment to autumn and winter. With their ribbed black skin, which will turn orange if left to mature fully, they are easy to grow and harvest. Their distinctive nutty flavour and firm flesh are delicious roasted, made into soups and even an alternative to mashed potatoes. Not to mention their hardiness which will be a welcome comfort on dark chilly nights.
Find out more about what you can do to help the environment at home, in your garden, in a window box or an allotment at the Mayfield Nurseries Ted Talk on Wednesday 5 June at 1.30pm
Carnival UK Environmental Quiz!
Iona will be Carnival UK’s first LNG-fuelled vessel. What does LNG stand for?
Liquid natural gas – it’s a gas in liquid form when it’s cooled to -161 degrees Celsius. When it’s warmed up, it can be used as a fuel. It produces less emissions and pollutants than either coal or oil.