I recently wrote an article for Treehugger: Findings From My 5-Year Old Forest Garden. This is just a few simple observations from experience that may help others as they move to create and improve their own forest gardens where they live. While there is nothing earth shattering, the idea of this article was to discuss some misconceptions and perhaps help some people think a little differently about this way of gardening.
There is so much information about forest gardening online that beginners can often feel somewhat overwhelmed. And even those who have been gardening in this way for some time often still feel that they are grasping around in the dark at times. I definitely do not have all the answers. But I do know that when trying to learn about forest gardening, there is no substitute for actual, real-world experience.
Over the years, through my own project, and through working on other design projects around the world, I have learned a lot about what works and what does not. And what can be predicted and what we must wait to see as the system evolves over time.
Forest gardening can bring many rewards, and the systems we create can just get richer and richer, more and more abundant over time. But patience is required, and not everything will go as you planned. I think forest gardening teaches us the important lesson that even when we control our environment through our gardening efforts, we are not the only gardeners, and nature still most definitely is in charge.
If you are particularly interested in forest gardening, I would be glad to share more of my experiences as I help you come to a better understanding of your own site, or develop a forest garden of your own. So please do reach out and let me know how I can help.
EWSP Consultancy 