Transcript Forest Garden Workshop

Forest Garden Workshop
14th Jan 2012
Today’s programme
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9.45 – 10.00
10.00
10.15
11.00
Tea/ coffee
Welcome, introductions
Talk on forest gardens
Tour, planting demonstration
and planting
Derby Telegraph
• 12.30
• 2.00
Lunch
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/heat
ing) .
• A permaculture design
• Increased public access,
education.
Some examples – small and large
Robert Hart – Wenlock Edge, Shropshire
Martin Crawford’s Garden,
Dartington, Devon
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
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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)
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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
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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
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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?
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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?
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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