Pic, taken in the walled garden at Tresillian Olive Harris
"Companion -- or compatible -- planting consists of stationing together those plants that help each other in one way or another," says head gardener R J Harris, who has practised the art since his apprentice days in the mid 50s. "In this picture we can see a bed of carrots surrounded by a planting of their very good friends the old-fashioned, British pot marigold, sometimes known as calendula. This marigold is Orange King. In the old days it was used for flavouring dishes and colouring cheeses. The carrot fly does not like the calendula one bit."
'R J Harris's Moon Gardening' describes and explains in full, comprehensive detail Mr Harris's methodology -- of which, a crucial element is the sowing of the pot marigold seed at the same time as the chosen carrot seed, in carefully selected positions in relation to the carrot-seed sowings. An intriguing aspect of this is the way in which the root-development habit of the pot marigold succours the development of the carrot. During its one-season life span, the pot marigold decorates the vegetable garden in the old, Victorian style as well as repels the carrot fly. At the end of its life (on the final harvesting of the mature carrots) it converts into excellent compost-bin material -- including its roots. The picture illustrates the Victorian way of compelling the vegetable garden to make the fullest possible return. Not a square inch or centimetre of unused soil can be seen.
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