Eating Around The Bush

Ancient Australian bush-food plants are not only decorative in the garden but also have a place in the modern kitchen

- Angus Stewart

It’s an exciting time for the many Australian gardeners exploring the ever-increasing array of bush-food plants available through mainstream plant retailers.

There’s a handful of species that are very well established in Australian horticulture such as the macadamia nut, with many named cultivars available as grafted plants. However, a number of other species are now becoming easier to find as nurseries master their propagation and growing requirements.

Most of the species we look at here are ornamental as well as edible and can be planted into general garden beds if you want to save the vegetable patch for less attractive edible species.

It’s important to acknowledge our First Nations people and their traditional knowledge of the Australian flora, as they have been using it for tens of thousands of years in a wide variety of ways, not least for food. By acknowledging the culture of the original inhabitants and educating ourselves about the subject, we can all get involved in the reconciliation process in a practical and positive way.

Here are some commonly available species from which to choose the best fit for your garden conditions and culinary desires.

FLINDERS ISLAND CELERY (APIUM INSULARE)

The picturesque island that sits between Tasmania and the mainland provides one of the rising stars of the bush-food world. A relative of common celery (Apium graveolens), Flinders Island celery is also an attractive garden plant with shiny dark-green fern-like foliage that can be used as a herb, like parsley, or tossed into a salad to add its distinctive celery-like flavour.