Good Enough to Eat
The house that is good enough to eat!
I simply adore this. Designed by Dutch architects de Stuurlui, this is the ‘EETHUIS’ (Eathouse). It is the ultimate in vegetable garden design.
EETHUIS consists of a modular system of plastic crates inspired by the standard fruit crate in which vegetables and fruit are harvested, transported and displayed in markets and shops. Vegetables and herbs can be grown in the individual crates, meaning that just about anyone can have a vegetable patch, even those with a balcony or small roof garden. In the market garden, crops can be grown on the vertical which frees up space and could increase productivity. Just imagine this as the shed on an allotment – it is the ultimate in recycling and upcycling.
Green walls are very a-la-mode at the moment, but to create the possibility of walls that are literally edible is pure genius. If you are short of space in a garden, grow upwards; if you want an alternative vegetable plot, build an Eathouse. Naturally the types of vegetables the system can support is limited; you certainly couldn’t plan every type of culinary plant in this manner, but salads, herbs, beans and peas would all be feasible. Some root crops would be tricky, as would brassicas, but with the right variety and a little trial and error , I think the opportunities for vertical vegetable gardening are endless. What a great entrance for a resturant or pub garden this would make: imagine sitting inside the vertical house garden that had produced the food you are eating. Brings a touch of Hansel and Gretal well into the 21st century!