Canberra Kitchen Garden: Rob Cuttell

At a November garden party for plants people, a man asked if I would like to see his red romaine. Rob Cuttell's garden is in Yarralumla and, after meeting his wife, Margie, and their rescue greyhound, the gentle Ellie, the dark red romaine, or cos lettuces, were admired. Red romaine is said to date from around 55BC and was served at the tables of Persian kings. It is the most nutrient rich lettuce.

Along the Cuttells' driveway fence was a row of small seedlings of Mr Fothergill's Climbing Blue Lake beans that had been grown from seed. We return to the garden in mid-January. The beans are up to the top of a trellis above the fence, where they are neatly trimmed by neighbourhood bower birds. The leaves have survived heatwave days thanks to judicious covering and watering, so the plants are producing a plentiful crop.

The red romaine seed came from 2green-frogs, an Australian eBay seller. The plants are now more than a metre tall and little yellow flowers have turned into dark seed pods. Rob is letting them blow over the garden and he transplants any seedlings that show their heads, as he does with red mignonette and green oak leaf lettuces. A giant red mustard plant, raised from a packet of Eden Seeds purchased at Mountain Creek Wholefoods in Griffith, ACT now has mature seed pods.

A magnificent Algerian oak (Quercus canariensis) dominates the back garden. The Cuttells think it was probably self-seeded, as this part of Yarralumla was close to the original 40 hectare nursery set up by Charles Weston. When they moved into the house in 1999 the remains of a huge old stump was in the corner of the yard.

Growing up in Sydney, Margie and Rob both watched their parents grow vegies to supplement their income. They moved to Canberra in 1979 from Christmas Island, where Rob was a teacher and, now they are retired, growing fresh organic vegies is a consuming interest. Vegetable beds are built where the sun shines so the garden layout is somewhat eclectic. Shaded gardens have an advantage in summer for broad-leafed plants, such as lettuce, which cannot tolerate hot, baking sun. When the oak leaves fall there is plenty of sun for winter vegies.

Rob makes simple frames using tomato stakes cut to size and screwed to the sides of vegetable beds. Netting is thrown over the frames to protect plants from birds and possums. He practises square-foot gardening, where growing areas are divided into 12-inch square sections, a method that was pioneered in America.

Black jack zucchini and tomato plants – tommy toe, roma and apollo – chillies, rainbow chard and sorrel thrive in the ground. There are pots of baby dill and basil. Along the back fence is a row of raised hardwood timber beds that Rob purchased as flatpacks from the maker on the north coast of NSW. The beds in Yarralumla are 1800cm x 900cm x 400cm but they can be custom-made to a required size.

Three large open compost bins made from old pallets have sliding doors. The tops are covered with rippled rigid plastic. Rob mows copious quantities of oak leaves (to break down the cell walls) and Margie mixes these with grass, garden shreddings and manure. The end product is the colour of chocolate and full of worms. Five green Gedye bins are used for further compost or to make leaf mould. There are three worm farms for kitchen scraps and a plot devoted solely to comfrey for the compost heap.

An ancient Granny Smith apple tree with only half a trunk is well mulched and fed with worm juice and compost. Its apples are each covered with tied stockings to reduce bird attack and there are sticky bands around the thickest branches in an endeavour to stop codling moth. Satin bower birds have always lived down the back in vines and bushes between houses. There is a handsome dark blue male, a gorgeous mottled green female and some juveniles and they love leafy vegetables.

A favourite household bean recipe comes from The Australian Women's Weekly Great Vegetarian Food (2001).

Buckwheat Crepes with Spicy Green Bean Filling

80g wholemeal plain flour

75g buckwheat flour

1 egg, beaten lightly

1½ cups milk

15g butter

100g oyster mushrooms

Filling:

300g green beans

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 medium brown onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small red capsicum, chopped finely

2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp chilli powder

950g medium tomatoes, peeled, chopped finely

1 tbsp tomato paste

100g drained canned corn kernels

125ml plain yoghurt

Method

Combine flours in medium bowl.

Gradually stir in combined egg and milk, blend or process until smooth. Cover, stand for 30 minutes.

Pour 2-3 tbsp of the batter into heated oiled small heavy based frying pan, cook until lightly browned underneath.

Turn crepe, brown other side.

Repeat with remaining batter. Makes 12 crepes.

Divide spicy green bean filling between crepes, fold crepes into quarters. Heat butter in small saucepan, cook mushrooms, stirring over medium heat for 3 minutes. Serve with crepes.

Filling

Cut beans lengthways into strips, then cut in half. Boil, steam or microwave until tender.

Heat oil in medium saucepan, cook onion, garlic and capsicum, stirring, over medium heat for two minutes. Add spices, chopped tomato, tomato paste and corn, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer covered for 10 mins. Add beans, stir until hot. Remove from heat, gradually stir in yoghurt.

Susan Parsons is a Canberra writer.