He’s a local legend!
Here’s one of the many reasons we adore what he does in relation to all things Indigenous Culture and why he’s our ‘go to’ man for any questions we have about native species of trees or ‘the bush’ that needs an expert opinion and advice.
Plus Costa’s also a fan – so enough said!
WATCH HIM IN ACTION ON ABC GARDENING:
www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/catching-up-with-clarence/9990018
In this episode:
Costa Georgiadis visits Clarence Slockee, an environmental and cultural educator and Gardening Australia presenter, and helps him with some jobs in his garden. They are old friends, so Costa is happy to help out his mate with a long list of ‘things to do’, including pruning (the lilly pilly hedge needs a good cut back), planting and cleaning out a pond. Clarence is also helped by his son Kaani (12), and Clarence shares his roast vegetable salad recipe.
Raised Vegetable Garden
The first task is to transform a water tank into a vegetable garden. These can be expensive to fill with garden mix, so raising the base level with other garden waste is a great way of starting it off. The waste is stamped down then topped up with soil, levelled and then planted up with winter vegetables. Cauliflower, broad beans and cabbage are put in. Water in your seedlings and mulch and remember to keep water up to them even in winter, as the wind can be very desiccating.
Bathtub Water Garden
The next job is to tackle the water feature. It needs to be cleaned out and cut back, and winter is the perfect time to do this. First, all the pots are removed and clumps of cumbungi or bullrush (Typha orientalis) are removed. This can be eaten like a shallot, with the white fleshy base perfect uncooked or roasted. Some taro from the garden is going to be relocated to the pond, and its edible tubers will be ready in a few seasons. Fringe lilies and water lilies are replanted into the pond.
Also on this episode:
Clarence’s BBQ Salad Special Recipe
There are many more reasons to want to get to know South Coast’s own Clarence Slockee, so keep an eye and ear out for anything he’s involved in and we guarantee you’ll want to dig around his amazing mind even more – just like we always do.
(Original source credit: Content ABC.NET.AU/GARDENING / Image: Bundanon Trust)
