Your grandad was using a more "general" method of intensive gardening--though I think quite a bit more advanced than the SFG method. The SFG method is a specific form of intensive gardening that has been simplified to make it accessible to beginning gardeners. Once people have their feet wet with SFG methods, then if they like they can do further research and refine their techniques to those more like your grandad's.

The book that I think best describes "general" intensive gardening techniques is "Getting the Most from Your Garden" by Rodale Books. I can see what you are trying to convey with your 'c' representations of cabbage--once I get in from my day's planting I'll try to scan some incredible garden plans that illustrate the concept that your grandpap was using--he was clearly a masterful gardener.

Thank you so much for the info, I just was struck by the pinciples between both methods. I wonder if this is because Pop was born in 1906 to a farming (as in farm hands) family with a small tied cottage but good sized garden (by UK standards) he was the last of 11 children, so I suppose it was a matter of survival, and when he lived with us our garden provided most of our food and that of our two elderly neighbours Mrs Breeze and Mrs Chapman! amazing what you remember from 6!, which in the recession hit 70's in the UK was a good thing, bread and gas rationing ect was brought in, we also had a drought in 1976 and the garden kept going cos of Pop's system, I now after your comments feel even more proud of him if thats possible! he was an amazing man and I would be interested in the info and again thank you, Gardeners rock! by the way if your wondering we have all been late starters in getting a family, he was 29 his wife 35 (her parents where 42!) my dad 35, and me 34 my boys are 4 now, so when the press where trying to make me feel bad about having a family late, I can be smug in the fact that for 4 genertions I was the youngest to have my babies Yay! okay I massaged the figures but thats allowed...isn't it? nd it is first children.
btw tied cottage belonged to your employer and depending on how nice they where or wheren't when you became ill, too infirm or died, your family was chucked out and homeless, that said many enployers where good as was my GGdads.