Big house full of ‘real stuff’ – and dreams

We are sitting at the dining table looking out at the Steer’s splendid garden. ‘It is not a wild permaculture garden, but it is planned with those principles,’ says Mel. Everything in the garden has a place and a purpose. The garden has an orderly symmetrical design and includes a vast array of fruit trees, vegetable beds, culinary and medicinal herbs, climbers, grasses, hedges and succulents. ‘Over a hundred different edible plants,’ says Mel. I am pretty sure she could name everyone of those plants in Latin too. Not one to rest on her laurels, the large pantry is laden with the products of all of this abundant work, including garlands of the best garlic I