A rare cultivar, our Skhumbuzo

Our walled vegetable garden at the beginning of Spring. Photo by Matilda Angus

To take a spade, or spading fork on a crisp fall day and without undue haste or backbreaking effort to turn over slice after slice of sweet-smelling earth can bring rich rewards to the gardener who fully understands just what he is accomplishing.   

- T.H Everett (American landscaper)

Being in the Southern hemisphere, Spring has just sprung. Our young Zulu gardener, Skhumbuzo, has turned over the beds and worked in some well-rotted compost and cows manure. We've sown carrots, radishes, four types of beans, pumpkins, courgettes, coriander, basil and ox heart tomatoes.

Skhumbuzo, the proud gardener.

The last of the winter onions and carrots are ready to harvest and will make way for seedlings of aubergine, spinach, beetroot, peppers and a new batch of onions. 

This year we plan to start laying out the orchard which will be adjacent to the vegetable garden. Half a dozen small lemon trees are waiting to be planted out and Skhumbuzo will not rest before the potted fig also finds a home in the rich soil of Barrowfield. 

As we work and plan together, Skhumbuzo and I, I am inspired by his joyous enthusiasm and his ability to do the work necessary to reap the full benefits from the garden. If not for him, we would not have such abundance. 

Growing up far from town and city, he is uncontaminated by consumer mentality. He knows that the earth will deliver if we treat her right. He knows what he is accomplishing. But he doesn't know how rare a breed he is.

 
Matilda