forg:forest_gardening

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forg:forest_gardening [2025/12/08 16:33] – Dave Darbyforg:forest_gardening [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Forest gardening+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. 
 +====== Forest gardening ======
  
  
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-## What is forest gardening?+===== What is forest gardening? =====
  
 It’s gardening in a way intended to mimic a natural forest ecosystem, except that the species chosen are mainly edible. Some will be chosen for other reasons too – for example firewood, nitrogen fixing, flowers or medicines. It’s gardening in a way intended to mimic a natural forest ecosystem, except that the species chosen are mainly edible. Some will be chosen for other reasons too – for example firewood, nitrogen fixing, flowers or medicines.
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-valerian.jpg) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-valerian.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Three layers of perennial plants – the herb layer is valerian (medicinal), the shrub layer is flax (fibres), and the canopy is fruit and firewood trees.+ _Three layers of perennial plants – the herb layer is valerian (medicinal), the shrub layer is flax (fibres), and the canopy is fruit and firewood trees._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-layers.gif) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-layers.gif)
 <caption> <caption>
- The seven layers of a forest garden. Image: [Graham Burnett](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forgard2-003.gif), [CC BY-SA 3.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)+ _The seven layers of a forest garden. Image: [Graham Burnett](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forgard2-003.gif), [CC BY-SA 3.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)_
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-guild.jpg) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-guild.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- This is a good example of a guild – a group of plants that are mutually beneficial; here comfrey provides ground cover and is a mineral accumulator (can be cut to produce a mineral-rich mulch for fruit trees), aromatic herbs protect fruit from pests, currant bushes are planted around the drip line of the trees so that they get watered, plus redcurrants do well in the shade of the apple tree.+ _This is a good example of a guild – a group of plants that are mutually beneficial; here comfrey provides ground cover and is a mineral accumulator (can be cut to produce a mineral-rich mulch for fruit trees), aromatic herbs protect fruit from pests, currant bushes are planted around the drip line of the trees so that they get watered, plus redcurrants do well in the shade of the apple tree._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## What are the benefits of forest gardening?+===== What are the benefits of forest gardening? =====
  
 At present most of our food needs are met by giant agri-businesses who use monoculture systems to produce fruit and vegetable crops. These systems are heavily dependent on oil, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, and are slowly eroding and polluting our soils and watercourses. Forest gardening presents a different approach to food production, that: At present most of our food needs are met by giant agri-businesses who use monoculture systems to produce fruit and vegetable crops. These systems are heavily dependent on oil, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, and are slowly eroding and polluting our soils and watercourses. Forest gardening presents a different approach to food production, that:
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-gooseberries.jpg) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-gooseberries.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Harvesting gooseberries from a forest garden, with rhubarb in the foreground and apple and damson trees forming the canopy.+ _Harvesting gooseberries from a forest garden, with rhubarb in the foreground and apple and damson trees forming the canopy._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
-### Possibilities+==== Possibilities ====
  
 - Transform an underused part of your garden into a mini forest garden; this could be a marginal piece of land at the bottom of your garden, beside the garage, behind the shed, a shady side of the house or where the children build dens. - Transform an underused part of your garden into a mini forest garden; this could be a marginal piece of land at the bottom of your garden, beside the garage, behind the shed, a shady side of the house or where the children build dens.
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-### Preparation+==== Preparation ====
  
 - Carefully observe your garden, and how it changes through the year. - Carefully observe your garden, and how it changes through the year.
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 ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-ground-cover.jpg) ![](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/forest-gardening-ground-cover.jpg)
 <caption> <caption>
- Examples of good ground cover for a forest garden – marjoram, wild strawberry, New Zealand flax, buckler-leaved sorrel, Babbington leek and good King Henry.+ _Examples of good ground cover for a forest garden – marjoram, wild strawberry, New Zealand flax, buckler-leaved sorrel, Babbington leek and good King Henry._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Getting started+==== Getting started ====
  
 - Make a base map (plan of existing area, looking at aspect, existing structures/plants, type of soil and elevation). - Make a base map (plan of existing area, looking at aspect, existing structures/plants, type of soil and elevation).
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [National Forest Gardening Scheme](https://nationalforestgardening.org/) - [National Forest Gardening Scheme](https://nationalforestgardening.org/)
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-## Specialists+ 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Fruit trees & orchards](frui:fruit_trees) 
 +- [Herbs](herb:herbs) 
 +- [Keeping livestock](livs:livestock) 
 +- [Nuts & nut trees](nuts:nuts) 
 +- [Permaculture](prmc:permaculture) 
 +- [Seed saving](seed:seed_saving) 
 +- [Smallholding](smho:smallholding) 
 +- [Soft fruit](soft:soft_fruit) 
 +- [Soil management](soil:soil) 
 +- [Urban / small space gardening](urbs:small-space_gardening) 
 +- [Vegetable growing](vegg:vegetable_growing) 
 +- [Tree/woodland management](wodl:woodland_management) 
 + 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • forg/forest_gardening.1765211592.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2025/12/08 16:33
  • by Dave Darby