14 th Jan 2012 Todays programme 945 1000 Tea coffee 1000 Welcome introductions 1015 Talk on forest gardens 1100 Tour planting demonstration and planting ID: 614582
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Slide1
Forest Garden Workshop14th Jan 2012Slide2
Today’s programme9.45 – 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 finishSlide3
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)Slide4
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
.Slide5
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.Slide6
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 WoodlandSlide7
National ForestTransforming 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 Slide8
Changing Landscapes at St BridesNational 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.Slide9
Some examples – small and largeMartin Crawford’s Garden,
Dartington
, Devon
Robert Hart –
Wenlock
Edge, ShropshireSlide10
Clarence House - the Home of Prince Charles
Chickenshack
housing co-op
North WalesSlide11
Ecoworks
Nottingham
– St Ann’s Allotments
Silverhill
Primar
School
DerbySlide12
The Seven LayersSlide13
Choice of plants Most useful to your situation
Eatable (not just edible)
Consider toxicity
Think ahead
If you’ve got the space, try something newSlide14
The canopy layer - treesItalian Alder – nitrogen fixer
Medlar
Crab Apple
Cydonia
Oblonga
(Quince)
Apple –
Howgate
Wonder
Plum – Marjorie’s seeding
Damson
ElderSlide15
MulberryGingkoLime (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, baySlide16
The shrub layerEleagnus – nitrogen fixer
Bamboo
Honey berry
Goji
berry
Chaenomeles
(Quince)
Hazel
Amelanchier
(
Juneberry
)Slide17
Blackcurrants
Gooseberries
Redcurrants
Whitecurrants
Raspberries
Phormium
tenax
Cornus
“
Flaviramea
”
Genista
tinctoria
Other
possibles
: blackberry, blueberry, juniper, roses, cranberry, rosemary, sage, lavenderSlide18
Perennial/ Groundcover layer
Comfrey – mineral accumulator
Strawberries
Mint
Rubus
tricolor
Rubus
“Betty
ashburner
”
Sweet cicely
Nasturtium
Feverfew
MarjoramSlide19
Globe artichokesLemon balmHorseradishRhubarb
Echinacea
Goldenrod
Pulmonaria
officinalis
(lungwort)
Other
possibles
: wild garlic, rocket,
centranthus
ruber
(valerian), sorrel, soapwortSlide20
Forest Garden creationFertility – 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?Slide21
Forest Garden CreationWhen?
– 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 approachSlide22
How do forest gardens fit?All shapes and sizesPart
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 economySlide23
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 (3
rd
Wednesday evening)
www.melbournetransition.org
– join Yahoo group Slide24
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.Slide25
ResourcesCreating 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