Forest gardening is often defined as seven layers of vegetation: from the root crops in the ground to the tall tree canopy reaching for the sky. But do we really need to tick off all seven layers to be able to call our growing space a forest garden?
For those of you new to forest gardening, this concept is based on growing food and other useful crops in a multi-layered design, mimicking the natural ecology of a forest, or closely resembling a young woodland. The seven layers consist of:
- Canopy trees
- Sub canopy trees
- Shrubs
- Herbaceous plants – perennial vegetables and herbs
- Ground cover
- Root crops growing below ground
- Climbing plants growing through the other layers
(some people also include a wetland/aquatic and mycelial/fungal layer)
In reality some of the herbaceous layer like Jerusalem artichoke or chicory can tower over short shrubs such as rosemary or blackcurrant. I have grown perennial kale trained as a tree which was twice the height of my dwarf apple tree. So while the definition of layers is helpful in understanding the pattern and structure of a forest garden, I feel it shouldn’t be used too rigidly.
Any approach to creating a growing space should be a source of inspiration rather than a constraint. My good friend and forest gardener extraordinaire Tomas Remiarz once said “Where are the forest garden police to tell you it doesn’t meet the criteria?” I always remember this quote with a smile, and as a reminder not to take it all too seriously. Permaculture gardening is meant to fill your heart with joy, after all!
Forest gardening is about taking inspiration from the abundance of natural woodland, and anyone who has spent time in woodlands will have noticed they are all different. Birch (Betula pendula) woodlands with their open canopy can be rich in grasses, wild flowers and sub shrubs, while Beech (Fagus sylvatica) woodland, with its dense shade and deep carpet of fallen leaves and husks, means little grows underneath.
Be inspired by nature’s very effective use of the vertical when looking to maximise your harvests, by adding shade loving berry bushes such as gooseberry and redcurrant, and herbs like lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and peppermint (Mentha x piperita) under your fruit trees. Fill any gaps with alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca) and bugle (Ajuga reptans) to feed yourself and the bees and leave no room for unwanted weeds.
Add in a hardy kiwi if you have something for it to scramble over, and oca can tick the box for root crops. But if you would rather squeeze in more herbs than a root crop then go ahead, you are still growing a forest garden, tweaking the layers to suit your needs. After all, permaculture design is all about meeting our needs while being inspired by and working in harmony with nature. In nature, forests certainly don’t worry about ticking all the boxes so why should we?
by Pippa Chapman
Pippa is a guest presenter on our Award in Forest Gardening course, which starts up again in May 2025. She’s a forest gardener, permaculture designer and author of The Plant Lover’s Backyard Forest Garden, and has extensive experience creating forest gardens in small spaces. You can find her over on Instagram and also Substack with her Forest Garden Club and on Youtube.
Blog article created using original content by Pippa Chapman with permission, including use of the photographs.