After a couple of recent visits to Norfolk Island, a sublime place sitting like an emerald jewel in the glistening, turquoise South Pacific 1,200 or so kilometres east of Australia, I came away with much gardening and sustainable food for thought. An island community such as Norfolk operates day-to-day with the sort of restrictions us mainland gardeners cannot even begin to imagine – most materials are brought in at great cost by sea and the import of plant materials is highly restricted. A home or market gardener on Norfolk Island is more likely to actively adopt sustainable practices for purely pragmatic reasons than by some feel-good choice; it’s the only sensible way to have a great garden or produce quality crops. Continue reading →