The
Sheraton Herb Garden
Hi, my name is Susan and I am the wife of Chef Robert – many
of you will know me and have seen me working in the garden area by the Speke
Steps.
When I came to Kampala to stay, which is last year
September, I brought along a few packets of seeds – the idea being to
grow some herbs for use in the kitchen, especially items which could not
easily be found in Kampala.
This has been a wonderful project for me so far and a great
learning experience too. Seeing how easily seeds can pop up in this
lovely warm climate and also some plants which do not want to grow! The
few herbs we started with have now increased and we now have a bigger variety
and have also started another garden (behind the pool area).
I took on the project with enthusiasm and with the
assistance first of all from Jackey and now Wilson, whose help I greatly
appreciate, to grow and provide, useful and interesting herbs and salad items
for the Sheraton kitchen – fresh produce which we can be proud to say has been
grown in our own garden and that diners can appreciate and respect.
The garden teaches us many things about life. We plant
a seed – we want it to grow, so it has some requirements – we need to nurture
it with good soil, water, of course sunshine (warmth), some nutrition and most
important – love. We tend the garden, remove the weeds, and make sure the
conditions are right so that the plants can grow. Once we have kept them
happy, they reward us with providing fresh and healthy edible leaves and roots.
Because this is an edible garden – absolutely no pesticides
are used – no poisons at all – because we are eating our produce. We are
aiming to work with nature, so what we do is to plant certain flowers – for
example nasturtiums and marigolds which will attract insects to them rather
than to the plants, which they like to eat. We can also spray our plants
with a simple soap solution to keep certain bugs away. This is important
because once you are putting poison into the soil, it is staying there – so we
rather try to work with nature –planting flowers to attract butterflies and
other insects which will eat the ones which may destroy our plants.
Of
course the garden is also about change – the plants have a life span, the
plants are not there for ever. Some plants will grow and be removed for
use – example spring onions, then their life is over - some will be with
us for a while longer- such as lettuce, you can pick the leaves and then they
will produce new ones, until the plant has finished its life – perhaps about 6
weeks. Other plants can last longer, such as parsley, rosemary, sage, origanium
– all very flavourful herbs - are more permanent. So it is constant
change in the garden with the chance for new and varied plants.
Its so rewarding to plant a small seed and see it grow into
something we can take to the table, something we know is nutritious and without
chemicals – indeed, organic.
