Ellen Mary focuses on an unusual crop this month – it's sure to pack a savoury flavour punch!
The warmth of July is full of pure joy in the garden. There is so much wildlife to watch, from bats to toads, cut flowers are being pollinated by bees before filling vases of colour in the home, evening scented flowers attract moths and fresh harvests in abundance are being cooked up. Gardens truly burst into life as the Sunday morning air carries the sound of lawn mowers in the neighbourhood. The majority of the month may well be watering, deadheading and harvesting but it’s the perfect time to really step back and observe what’s going on around you. Often in the busy life of a gardener, it can be easy to forget to take a step back and just look around. Be proud of what you have achieved, how much life is filling your space, all the texture, colour, sounds and scents. Fulfil your senses with the wonder of nature and give yourself a pat on the back for all of your gardening successes.
Rungia Klossii – mushroom plant
Have you ever eaten a leaf that tastes like mushroom? Perhaps you aren’t keen on the texture of mushrooms but you like the flavour, and if so, the Rungia Klossii is the answer to your culinary mushroom dreams! It’s a bushy herb with lovely glossy leaves that have a slight curl to them growing on strong stems. It isn’t at all related to mushrooms so if you have an allergy to them, this means you can still get all of the flavour without any side effects. The leaves are full of protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C and beta carbonate.
Originally from Papua New Guinea where it is very popular, this tender perennial, rich in chlorophyll, provides blood cleansing and is a superfood not to be missed in the herb garden.
How to grow
For a plant that is rarely grown in the UK, it’s pretty easy to grow. It grows to about 60cm in height and during the summer you’ll spot pretty little blue flowers contrasting perfectly with the green leaves that sometimes also have small yellow markings on. Rungia Klossii will grow in sunshine but prefers some shade and thrives in all well-drained soils. It will withstand dry weather but prefers regular watering. If it is grown in full sun, the plant will remain a little smaller. As a tender perennial, you’ll need to pop it in a greenhouse or conservatory over the winter months, bringing it outside again when all frost has passed. I have one thriving after three years and it continues to produce deliciously tasty leaves.
Harvesting
Regular harvesting helps to promote bushy growth so the plant doesn’t get leggy. Chop and cook
