This supplement is additional information to the following article as seen in Issue Six:

An Artist's Garden (pp. 32-35)
...to see what suitable plants for shaded gardens Jane has used.
by Arno King MAIH, Landscape Architect – Brisbane

Like many gardeners, Jane and Peter are keen to grow as many food bearing plants as possible in the garden, much of which is shaded by large trees. Some suitable plants for shaded gardens include:

Brazilian spinach (Alternanthera sissoo) luscious broad leaves used as spinach. Likes moisture and semi-shade.

Chinese keys (Boesenbergia rotunda) – Asian herb grown for its spicy roots used in fish dishes.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) – popular spice obtained from roots. New foliage is also edible.

Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) – highly ornamental plant with roots from which starch can be readily extracted.

Betel leaf (Piper sarmentosum) – highly ornamental and hardy plant grown for spicy edible leaves. Place picked leaves in water with lemon juice in the fridge to marinate prior to eating in salads or as food wraps.

Mushroom plant (Rungia klossii) – small New Guinean bush with nutty, mushroom flavoured foliage used in salads

Chinese mint (Polygonum multiflorum) – sour foliage used in soups and stews. Likes semi-shade and some moisture.

Tahitian taro (Xanthosoma braziliense) – large leafy taro-like plant for semi-shade. Prepared and cooked foliage and roots used in many ethnic dishes.

Naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) – large ornamental purplish hairy leaves grow on this small bush which likes semi-shaded positions. Orange fruit is used for juice or in fruit salads.

Fruit salad plant (Monstera deliciosa) – popular ornamental plant with edible fruit. Only eat ripe fruit when the skin falls off.

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatu) – fruit of a climbing cactus, which is now commonly seen at the greengrocers.

Greater galangal (Alpinia galangal) – root spice, forms a large ginger plant with small white flowers.

Pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius) – deep green leaves of this pandanus plant are used as flavouring for rice and sweet dishes.

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) – green cured seedpods of this climbing orchid provide commercial vanilla.

Suriname purslane (Talinum triangulare) leaves of this succulent bush lightly cooked. Prefers semi-shade.

Lebanese cress (Aethionema cordifolium) – low, moisture loving groundcover plant. Cucumber flavoured greens are used in salads.

Sweet leaf (Sauropus androgynous) – delicious pea flavoured leaves grow on a small bush.

Racu (Peperomia pellucida) – succulent leaves of this hardy groundcover are used in salads.

Edible fern (Diplazium esculentum) – unfurling fronds of this hardy fern are lightly cooked.

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