Hardy Kiwi

Actinidia arguta. Hardy Kiwi fruits. This is the first season they have produced and we are looking forward to big crops in the years to come as the vines are growing vigorously. Due to the PSA virus (?) these plants are unavailable anywhere as far as I can tell (please be in touch if you find a source). So delicious! Sweet and gummy and for those that don’t like fuzzy kiwi skins there is none of that. They give slightly to pressure when ripe. Grown on north and west facing walls.

Brown Turkey fig. Kept low with a dark painted heat sink wall behind and reflection from paving stones and the back of curtains. West facing wall with lots of hot afternoon sun.

Chilean guava (foreground), Merton Russet apple espalier and Feijoa hedge (right).

Side of house ‘salad bar’ raised bed. Weed free compost (or as close as possible) added each year and a perpetual source of greens near the kitchen. ‘Schuyler’ grape trained to run along above the bed. North facing.

‘Schuyler’ grape, Poroporo, brambles.

This gate was built specifically to mitigate strong gusting winds rushing off the walls and funneling into the garden. This helps keeps temperatures up and makes our back patio a little more peaceful.

It’s March and we’re finally getting tomatoes! A yellow cherry variety on the left and some other kind I forgot.

This corrugated perspex lean to was built as a dry social space, a structure for hardy kiwi and passionfruit vines to grow under and a propagation space. 3 x 250 litre barrels (food grade) are supported by a small raised bed growing the passionfruit vine (by left barrel) and tomatoes.

Kitten/fluff monster.

Blackboy peach on a west facing wall.

First year of delicious Moorpark apricots.

The south side of the lean to. Runner beans and a tap. The tanks are connected via a siphon over the tops.

Merton Russet apple espalier.

View across the garden to Signal hill.

Night time friend.

Loquat ‘Thames Pride’.

Egremont Russet apple.

Runner beans growing on a sacrificial young Hoheria seedling.

Tydeman’s Late Orange apple with Blackcurrant in front and Kiwifruit and Feijoa behind.

Nursery space.

Raspberries, kale, double grafted Initial and Akane apple.

One way to lower young branches. Use as much water as you need weight.

Another way to tie down young branches. The two branches above that are being tied down to this anchor point are a mirror of this connection. The rubber bands allow some flex and don’t hurt the wood like string. Hemp twine (Trade Aid brand) is really strong, cheap, biodegradable, and you should be able to use it again after one season has set the branch at a good angle (as close to 90 degrees as possible).