Think of Christina Chung ’s new Holy Scripture , The Layered Edible Garden , as permaculture made easy . Chung , a plantsman known on social medium as@Fluent . Garden , guides gardener through the step of make a lush , fairly light - care edible garden , using many of the principles and mind of permaculture .
Permacultureargues for creating a garden that is more like nature , one where plants cover the ground and grow in layer , each plant supporting others by attract pollinators , providing vertical accompaniment , improving the filth orkeeping out weeds and invasives . Planting an eatable garden on these principles is better for the environment and often much less work for the nurseryman than traditional vegetable gardens .
Chung ’s playscript gives founding father an overview of why and how to set up a layered edible garden . She identify eight layers gardeners might include : canopy industrial plant ( taller trees ) , subcanopy ( smaller fruit or junky trees ) , shrubs ( mostly berry producers ) , herbaceous perennial ( asparagus and more ) , climbers ( grapevine ) , annual vegetable , ground cover and root crops . While not every garden is bombastic enough for all of the layer , set several of them will produce benefit .
You don’t need to grow grapes in a vineyard! Combine with other edibles for a beautiful, layered garden.
get a garden with natural layer and a panoptic range of plants typically will draw greater biodiversity to the garden , especiallybeneficial insects . Because constitutional matter is plentiful and tilling is rarely done once the layered garden is ground , land wellness improvesand the close planting squeezes out weeds .
Chung ’s book shine in its discussion of how to design and plant a layered edible garden . She covers authoritative consideration for building garden structure , contain existing features and making plant option . She covers how to work with the current layout and plants , Dominicus and ground conditions , climate and microclimates , as well as the all - important consideration of how much time and budget you have useable . She shows reader how to draw a site plan using several proficiency , none of which is too complicated . She also describes unlike methods of site preparation and ideas for creating a garden in stage . The book ’s warm tone and many exposure are encouraging and inspiring .
Chung lives in Vancouver , British Columbia , a climate much more conformable toperennial food growingthan we have in the Upper Midwest . That say , a majority of the plant recommendations she makes would grow well in our mood , specially the canopy and subcanopy plant . In the shrub area , she recommend a few nonhardy plants like tea ( Camellia senensis)and bay laurel ( Lauris nobilis ) , but alsoserviceberry , elderberry , honeyberry and currant , all of which are not bad options in the North . She advance readers to expand their palate when choosing perennial to eat . ( Sorrel , sure ; Funka , no thanks . )
Apple trees are perfect for growing near a larger canopy tree to provide texture and depth to your mini-forest.
Throughout the book , Chung offer options and ways to ease into layered , edible horticulture . She understands the challenges fresh nurseryman face and is a nurturing templet . This book would be a greatgift for gardenerswho want to enlarge what they are growing and eat and to make a more sustainable yard .
Mary Lahr Schieris the source ofThe Northern Gardener : From Apples to Zinniasand a longsighted - metre Minnesota garden writer and verbalizer .
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