Forest Garden Workshop14th Jan 2012

Today’s programme• 9.45 – 10.00 Tea/ coffee• 10.00 Welcome, introductions• 10.15 Talk on forest gardens• 11.00 Tour, planting demonstration

and planting Derby Telegraph

• 12.30 Lunch• 2.00 Planting

Melbourne Village Voice

• 3.00 Feedback and finish

What is a Forest Garden?

• A garden modelled on natural woodland• Utilises plants of direct and indirect benefit to people• Contains edible plants• All layers of the woodland are utilised – large trees,

small trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, herbs, annuals, root crops and climbers

• Planted to maximise positive interactions (eg fertility) and minimise negative interactions (eg pests and diseases)

What is a Forest Garden?

• Useful – food, eg fruit, nuts, salads, flowers, vegetables, herbs - timber, medicines, dyes, craft materials, tying materials, garden canes, fodder, bee plants, and more!

• Low-maintenance after initial planting, compared to annual production.

• Also known as “woodland gardens”, “food forests” “agroforestry”

• Can be any size – if your garden can fit in a tree, it can become a forest garden

• Part of a design philosophy called Permaculture.

What is Permaculture?• The creation of sustainable, agriculturally productive,

non-polluting and healthy settlements• Organic• Systems that mimic natural eco-systems• A design approach, incorporating an ethical framework

(earth care, people care and fair shares)• A set of principles to follow when designing systems• Applied common sense• Easy to study in an introductory weekend; a part-time

Permaculture Design Certificate or a follow-on Diploma.

Why here at St Brides?• 9 acre smallholding, formerly medieval monastery and farm

since c1600• An experiment in co-generational living!• Some level of self-sufficiency – fruit and veg, chickens,

turkeys, bees, Angora goats (fleece)• Traditional veg beds, soft fruit beds, an orchard (apples, pears,

plums and cherries), greenhouse, herb gardens• The next step is to have a low-maintenance edible woodland –

introduce new varieties, eg nuts, unusual fruits, dye materials• An opportunity to educate/inform/ improve resilience locally• A “trial-run” for the Melbourne Community Woodland

National Forest

• Transforming 200 square miles across the Midlands

• 8 million new trees already planted• National Forest offer grants for planting trees including

orchards, free trees for back gardens and practical support for everyone with a garden or land in the National Forest area.

• National Forest Wood Fair Beacon Hill, August bank holiday Sunday and Monday

Changing Landscapes at St Brides• National Forest Changing

Landscapes Scheme - convert around 6 acres to woodland and parkland – the Forest Garden is in the scheme. Also “edible parkland”, ponds, stream, traditional native broadleaf planting for timber (to fuel woodburner/hotwater/heating) .

• A permaculture design • Increased public access,

education.

Some examples – small and large

Martin Crawford’s Garden, Dartington, Devon

Robert Hart – Wenlock Edge, Shropshire

Clarence House - the Home of Prince Charles

Chickenshack housing co-op North Wales

Ecoworks Nottingham – St Ann’s Allotments

Silverhill Primar School Derby

The Seven Layers

Choice of plants

• Most useful to your situation• Eatable (not just edible)• Consider toxicity• Think ahead• If you’ve got the space, try something new

The canopy layer - trees• Italian Alder – nitrogen

fixer• Medlar• Crab Apple• Cydonia Oblonga (Quince)• Apple – Howgate Wonder• Plum – Marjorie’s seeding• Damson• Elder

• Mulberry• Gingko• Lime (Tilia Cordata)– leaves

and plant support for Kiwis• Arbutus unedo (strawberry

tree)• Zanthoxylum• Eleagnus umbellata• American Elder• Eucalyptus• Other possibles: walnut,

chestnut, almond, pear, cherry, sea buckthorn, sloe, bay

The shrub layer

• Eleagnus – nitrogen fixer

• Bamboo• Honey berry• Goji berry• Chaenomeles (Quince)• Hazel• Amelanchier

(Juneberry)

• Blackcurrants• Gooseberries• Redcurrants• Whitecurrants• Raspberries• Phormium tenax• Cornus “Flaviramea”• Genista tinctoria

• Other possibles: blackberry, blueberry, juniper, roses, cranberry, rosemary, sage, lavender

Perennial/ Groundcover layer• Comfrey – mineral

accumulator• Strawberries• Mint• Rubus tricolor• Rubus “Betty ashburner”• Sweet cicely• Nasturtium• Feverfew• Marjoram

• Globe artichokes• Lemon balm• Horseradish• Rhubarb• Echinacea• Goldenrod• Pulmonaria officinalis

(lungwort)

• Other possibles: wild garlic, rocket, centranthus ruber (valerian), sorrel, soapwort

Forest Garden creation

• Fertility – nitrogen fixers (eg Alder, Eleagnus) mineral accumulators (eg comfrey)

• Orientation/Shade – placing of plants• Humidity – rainfall and soil moisture• Temperature/exposure• Soil pH• Soil compaction• Draw a plan – consider ultimate size of trees• Can you use existing trees/plants/shrubs?

Forest Garden Creation• When?

– trees planted bare-root Nov – March- tender trees planted March to April- Ground-cover plants and herbaceous perennials best planted Spring

• Mulching – to kill grass/weeds, prevents moisture loss– Chipped bark (composted), straw, grass mowings – Tree mulch mats (biodegradable), ground-cover fabric, thick cardboard,

newspapers, old carpet– For perennials (not trees) add fertility materials under mulch if required

(leafmould, organic mushroom compost, garden compost, manure)– Sheet mulching in advance for 6 – 12 months (or pigs or chickens) – Sowing green manure– Mycorrhizal treatment

• A staged approach

How do forest gardens fit?

• All shapes and sizes• Part of a new way at looking at forestry?• Back-garden food forests• Community food forests• Low maintenance• Part of the transition to a re-localised

economy

Who are Melbourne Area Transition?

• Part of the Transition Network• A group of local people• Only 1 year old• Ways to make Melbourne area more sustainable and resilient

in the face of climate change and the end of cheap oil• Successes – 10kw solar pv on Melbourne Parish Church,

domestic solar buying group, community woodland, promoting insulation and energy saving, beekeeping evening, talks to local groups, bringing people together.

• 2012 – programme of events (3rd Wednesday evening)• www.melbournetransition.org – join Yahoo group

Melbourne community woodland• 19 hectares owned by Forestry Commission next to Robin Wood• Blank canvas plus use of Robin Wood – existing large woodland• Community wish to plant a Forest Garden/orchards and grow

other fruit/edibles• Ideas include: amphitheatre, a venue for celebrations, a course

centre, ponds, leisure opportunities (eg mountain biking, horseriding)

• An example of community permaculture• Input from individuals and local groups• An exciting project showcasing the future of local food, resource

production and community engagement.

Resources• Creating a Forest Garden by Martin Crawford• How to Make a Forest Garden by Patrick Whitefield• Forest Gardening by Robert Hart

Suppliers:• Agroforestry Research Trust (Martin Crawford) www.agroforestry.co.uk• Cool temperate (Phil Corbett) (near Nottingham)

www.cooltemperate.co.uk • Coles Nurseries, Thurnby, Leics www.colesnurseries.co.uk• Deacon’s Nurseries (fruit trees, isle of wight)

www.deaconsnurseryfruits.co.uk• Buckingham Nurseries (edible hazelnuts) www.hedging.co.uk• Staunton Harold Nurseries