Towerwater Liefde

Die Engelse viooltjies in die Towerwater tuin het ons ontdek onder die twee oorgroeide koejawel bome voor die oorspronklike voorkant van die hoofhuis. Hulle was deel van ‘n blomtuin gevul met blou flappe (Iris), wit narsings, wit sneeuklokkies en pienk Natalse boslelies.

Ons het al die blomme ‘gered’ en vir hulle ‘n plek in die tuin gevind. Na 27 jaar groei hulle nog steeds in die tuin waar hulle seker al jare voor ons koms gegroei het. So het ‘n deel van die tuin se geskiedenis ook behoue gebly. Dit is belangrik om tydens ‘n restourasie by te voeg tot die geskiedenis van ‘n eiendom en nie net weg te vat nie. Die geskiedenis van Towerwater is groter as die som van sy dele. Ons het ten alle tye seker gemaak om elke ‘vonds’ te respekteer en te inkorporeer in die projek.

Die Engelse viooltjies (Viola odorata) het ons onder die kweper bome geplant sodat hulle daar kan groei na hartelus. Die viooltjie word gebruik as ‘n krui en om hulle langs die kruie beddings te plant was die logiese oplossing. Engelse viooltjies word gebruik as ‘n medisinale krui vir die behandeling van verkoues, brongitis en selfs kanker. Die kulinêre gebruik van die viooltjie kom al van die Griekse tye af. Dit word vars en gekook gebruik as ‘n sop verdikker en as ‘n versoeter in gebak.

Liefde likeur

Die Engelse viooltjie is ‘n gepaste plant vir die Towerwater tuin waar ons filosofie is om ‘n eetbare tuin te plant. Daar is verskeie boererate wat viooltjies bevat. Rate wat wissel van bloedvergiftiging, kanker, maagsere, suikersiekte en swere. Ek vind die inligting interesant want dit moet al lank van generasie tot generasie oorgedra gewees het.

So met die lente se koms het die viooltjie bedding begin blom, hul diep pers gesiggies staan uit teen die diep groen blare van die lente wat nog deurspek is met die bruin van die akkerblare wat soos ‘n vergete winter probeer deel bly van die tuin.

Die viooltjies in die tuin het twee skakerings van pers. Die diep pers onder die kwepers en dan die ligte pers wat verkies om in die klip trappies na die roostuin te groei. Ek hou van die kleur van viooltjies en in Lord Byron se beskrywing in die gedig ‘Childe Harold's Pilgrimage’, gepubliseer tussen 1812 en 1818, is een van die mooiste beskrywings. “The sweetness of the Violet's deep blue eyes, Kissed by the breath of heaven, seems coloured by its skies.”

Die massas pers blommetjies het my geinspireer om ‘n viooltjie likeur te maak uit my resepte boek ‘Maak jou eie likeur’, geskryf deur Jean Dickson in 1991. In die boek is daar ‘n resep vir ‘Liefde’ gemaak van viooltjies. Ek het besluit om Towerwater se eie viooltjie likeur te voeg by ons versameling van viooltjie likeurs.

Ek dink die likeur is geinspireer deur ‘Parfait Amour’ wat vertaal kan word as perfekte liefde. Amore was die Romeinse god van die liefde, en volgens oorlewering was hierdie likeur ‘n geskenk van die gode.

So het ek besluit om ‘Liefde’ te maak en het begin om die blomme te oes en te versamel.

Towerwater Liefde

Bestandele:
300g viooltjies
1 kruienaeltjie
3 heel wonderpeperkorrels (piment)
4cm stukkie kassia
1 stukkie foelie
1 steranys
600g (750ml) suiker
750ml water
1l Vodka

Metode:
Plaas die viooltjies en speserye in ‘n kastrol. Voeg die suiker en water by en roer by ‘n lae temperatuur todat die suiker opgelos het. Verhit tot kookpunt en kook totdat die stroop verkleur. Haal die stroop van die stoof af en laat afkoel.

Gooi die koue stroop in ‘n skoon glashoer met ‘n deksel wat dig sluit. Voeg die Vodka by, maak toe en laat trek 1 week lank op ‘n warm plek. Skud soggens en saans.

Syg die mengsel deur ‘n kaasdoek en herhaal, indien nodig. Gooi die likeur in droë, gesteriliseerde bottels, sit die proppe op, verseël en etiketteer. Bêre een maand voor gebruik.

Die likeur is soet an aromaties met blom en kruie aksente wat my herinner aan die viooltjie bedding onder die kwepers waar die lente pers en soet en die winter bruin en spesery ryk langs mekaar lê.  

Blossoming into spring

Early September has brought with it some welcome rains. With over 20mm in the rain gauge being measured each week for a couple of weeks. We had some late snow on the highest peaks of the surrounding mountains. That has made the garden to slow down a bit. The birds have discovered which of the oak trees enjoy the first warmth of the morning sun. One finds them gathered there in the early morning, basking in its first rays.

The garden sounds more alive. There is the energetic high-pitched chirping of sunbirds. Their flashes of green and red appearing intermittently in the trees and rosebushes. All the early fruit trees are in blossom. The orchard is bedecked in shades of pink and white. Blossoms hang light and dreamlike upon empty branches. The floor of the orchard is completely different.  With its contrast of lush green nasturtium bushes pooling around the tree trunks. Pools that are dappled with bright yellow and orange flowers that enliven the cold ground beneath the trees.

Almond blossoms

I completely understand why Vincent van Gogh was inspired to paint several canvases of Almond blossoms. This he did between 1888 and 1890 while he was in the south of France. Blossoms are magical when they appear on the otherwise naked branches of the trees. Dotting grey brown branches in pinks and whites. Their sweet fragrance seducing more than just the bees into the orchard.

I find myself instinctively pulling a branch of blossoms towards me to inhale the delicate sweetness that is so part of the spring garden at Towerwater.

With all the garden spruced up for the new season, it is like sitting in a theatre hall. Waiting for the curtains to rise to reveal the first scene of a long-anticipated performance. The first flowers and leaves in the cold sleepy garden are like the first stringing of instruments from the orchestra pit. The anticipation to be drawn into a feast of colour and sounds that is palpable.

The herb garden

The empty-looking beds in the vegetable and herb gardens are deceptive. Above the soil it is all quiet. But beneath, there must be a rustle of seeds pushing out roots and new growth. As I look at the bare beds, it is difficult to imagine the feast of vegetables and herbs that they will soon produce.

Vegetable beds

In the space of ten days, the first tiny leaves will push their way through the soil. Searching for the sun and heat. Energy that will encourage the beds to explode into growth. In no time at all, there will be a harvest of runner beans, bush beans, mealies, carrots, beetroot, baby marrows, brinjals, sweet potatoes, red onions, brown onions, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, chillies, lettuce, cress, rocket, coriander, basil, tarragon, celery, fennel, thyme, sage, oregano, marjoram, chives, spring onions and cherry tomatoes.

I still have to decide what I will plant in the remaining beds. My head is spinning with thoughts of recipes that will do justice to the abundant organic produce of the Towerwater garden.

Every year is different and yet the same. After preparing the vegetable and herb beds for the spring planting, it feels like the first day of school. A day when you received your new books and pens. The new books were so clean. All the empty pages held the promise of fresh knowledge, new discoveries and the potential to improve on the previous year. That is how I feel when I look at the clean beds waiting to be planted. I will learn new ways of using their produce. Discover traditional recipes, while improving on how the garden was planned the year before.

Before sunrise

With the orchard blossoming into spring and the herb and vegetable gardens readying for their seasonal performance, we prepare ourselves to enjoy the spectacle. Trying hard not to forget our lines for our roles in the Towerwater Garden performance.