What is forest gardening?

A forest garden is made up of multiple layers with trees at the canopy level, followed by edible shrubs and climbers, and natural mulches at the base.

Forest gardening is a method that’s been employed for millennia in tropical regions – where the strong sunlight is able to permeate the canopy and provide dappled light to the crops beneath. Plants in the understorey of British forest gardens tend to be chosen more carefully so they can withstand more shade.

In the 1970s, British horticulturalist Robert Hart proved you can adapt them to the UK, by creating the first forest garden at Wenlock Edge, in Shropshire. Martin Crawford, founder and director of the Agroforestry Research Trust, has continued this work at his two-acre forest garden at Dartington, in Devon.

The idea of creating a ‘forest’ in your garden might seem overwhelming, but many of its principles can be scaled down to work in smaller growing spaces.

Basic example of forest gardening

• Level 1: A medium to large fruit or nut tree at canopy level.
• Level 2: A smaller tree on dwarfing stock, possible a fruit tree such as a mulberry.
• Level 3: Shrubs such as currants, raspberries, or elderberries - also called the 'understorey'.
• Level 4: Herbaceous usually perennials) plants, for example rhubarb and herbs, and vertical planting such as a vines or honeysuckle.
• Level 5: Groundcover plants such as strawberries or creeping time to ‘mulch’ the soil.
• Level 6: plants for the ‘rhizosphere’ (the zone of soil influenced by plant roots) including root crops such as carrots or radishes.

In some forest gardening systems, nutrient fixing plants are included. This includes species that help increase fertility such as clover, and ‘dynamic accumulators’: deep-rooted plants that tap into mineral sources, such as comfrey.

Benefits of forest gardening

These minimal maintenance gardens offer a more hands-off approach to food growing, which chimes with organic practice. By their nature, they tend to be more self-sustaining and sustainable, and use less resources.

The lush, varied planting schemes help mitigate flooding and perennial plants can better withstand weather extremes. The layered effect also offers multiple habitats and food for wildlife.