Savage Garden

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Back in the 1950s and 60s boats full of workers from the Mediterranean came into the country to escape the poverty or political situations left in the wake of WW2.  And many brought with them seeds from their homelands.A combination of an eye for good land and perhaps a lack of other options saw the Mediterranean immigrants of the 50s and 60s settle in the rich volcanic plains of Melbourne’s North, while those of Anglo descent who could afford it chose the leafier hills of the East, or the sea views of the bay.  As it turns out land values in these suburbs were in inverse proportion to their fertility.  The recent immigrants did not share the cultural cringe against publicly displays food production, nor did they feel any need to attempt to mimic english mansions and their lawns (even if some mimicked mini colosseums in concrete).  Whats more, unlike those of english heritage, they had gardening traditions based on wet winters and dry hot summers.

US permaculture author Toby Hemenway writes:

“We just spent a wonderful week with Paul Stamets at his place in the Gulf Islands, and while we were there, the BP Crisis Management Team called to get his advice. In a way, that’s pretty encouraging. People here were wondering what Paul’s got to say about the mess, and after the call he put together a position paper on the spill and mycoremediation. It’s at www.fungi.com/mycotech/petroleum_problem.html ”