FOOD FOREST
GARDENS &
EDIBLE LANDSCAPING
Edible landscaping is the way of the future.
Rather than using the conventional gamut of landscaping plants which provide zero ecological value and food abundance, Happy Bear utilizes a mix of edibles and ornamental native plants to create beautiful living landscapes called Food Forest Gardens.
Raspberries, Serviceberry, Plum, herbs, perennial flowers and grasses going in the ground....
What is a Food Forest Garden?
A Food Forest Garden is a diverse planting of edible and native plants that attempts to mimic the ecosystems and patterns found in nature. Within the vertical dimensions of every FFG, there are several layers which may be present:
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the overstory (trees)
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the understory (shrubs)
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the herbaceous layer (smaller plants)
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the ground cover layer (which spreads and covers the ground)
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the vine layer (which climb trees and structures)
AND
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the edible mushroom layer (which can grow from mulch or logs)
1. A good Food Forest Garden produces food & beauty throughout ALL of the growing season.
Good design means planting a variety of plants which will fruit and flower at all points throughout Spring, Summer and Fall. This creates a colorful landscape which is generous with fruits, herbs and plant medicine.
i.e. In a small-to-medium garden there can be:
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rhubarb & asparagus & blue woodland phlox flowers in early Spring
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strawberry & purple geranium flowers in late Spring
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serviceberries & white yarrow flowers in early Summer
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blueberries & orange butterfly weed flowers in mid-Summer
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figs & purple echinacea flowers in late-Summer
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apples & lavender-blue anise flowers in early Fall
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chestnuts & yellow goldenrod flowers in late Fall
2. These gardens are designed to be low-input and healthy ecosystems.
By densely planting trees, shrubs, perennials, and self-seeding annuals, we drastically reduce the need for weeding and having to plant more plants in the future.
The diverse arrays of plants attract beneficial insects to pollinate the fruit crops and keep pest populations from exploding and causing damage.
Within this variety of plants, we utilize nitrogen-fixing and nutrient-accumulating plants in the design so as to ensure that there will be good nutrient cycling and healthy soil in the future without having to apply fertilizers.
If it makes sense on your land and in your climate, we will "terraform" the land with swales, berms and other landscape features so as to capture the maximum amount of rainwater and rule out the need for watering.
Why should you have a Food Forest Garden?