The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself.
- William Blake, 1799, The Letters
Our front yard is brimming with imagination, courtesy of two towering oaks which shield our home. They are breath-taking at over 70-feet-tall. Almost every inch of our front yard dances in dappled shade for 3/4 of the year. My husband and I relish our evening time on the front stoop, soaking up the quiet, foresty quality of our front yard as we share our days with each other.
Deference to the oaks had driven our design for the front yard. Bringing permaculture into our front yard means bringing food and medicine into the landscape while also working with the elements to create something that is cooperative, beautiful and bountiful. Traditional permaculture designs are often built around nut trees but in the real-life of a 30-year-old yard we have as the backbone of our landscape mature oaks and maples. And although they cannot feed us, they do shade our home, cool the yard, and bring beauty and serenity into our lives. So, it becomes my job to work with them, finding edible and medicinal plants we can grow in harmony with them.
At first, I had thought we would build a raised bed on the outer drip-line on the South-side of the yard but research indicated this could harm the trees. So that plan was trashed. Instead, we have planted currants and gooseberries outside of and alongside the drip-line of the tree. We put these in the ground last week, straight of the box from Stark Bros. nursery. They are already greening and I am so excited to watch them as they progress. We have 4 gooseberry bushes (2 each - Hinnonmaki and Invicta) and 4 currants (Rovada Red, Pink Champagne, Blanca and Ben Lomond Black). I remember picking gooseberries when I was a kid and my mom making them into pie. I hope to give my own kids a similar memory in a few years when the bushes are producing.
Underneath the canopy we have installed a mulched path with river-stone steps. We were starting to wear a path in the front yard from the door to the sidewalk (we take a lot of family walks) and the path should cushion our steps and the tree's roots. I am tucking in ferns, May Apples, pussy's toes, goldenseal, black cohosh, and Solomon's seal. All plants which occur naturally alongside oaks in a forest setting (well, minus the goldenseal). As I plant, I am going to be decreasing the turf that remains, hoping to create a more natural understory for our oak trees and a landscape teeming with fruit and medicine for our family. Also, I am only planting from seed as I work under the canopy. Too much disturbance of the existing soil or adding soil on top of the soil can harm the tree. Also, watering within 10 feet of the trunk can make the tree vulnerable to fungal attack. Mulch is acceptable under the oaks so I am carefully removing turf, adding mulch then putting very small amounts of soil here and there and seeding them. This will be a year-long process as all of the seeds I am working with require cold stratification so I have them all in the fridge right now and will plant them outside in the fall so they can stratify over the winter. I have never gardened like this before and am curious to see how it goes. My main goal is continued care of the oaks, so as long as they flourish then all is good.
Links:
Oak-Hickory Forest Associations
Growing Currants and Gooseberries
Midwest Permaculture
Stark Brother's Berries
Prairie Moon Nursery
Everwilde Farms
- William Blake, 1799, The Letters
Oaks in Morning Light
Our front yard is brimming with imagination, courtesy of two towering oaks which shield our home. They are breath-taking at over 70-feet-tall. Almost every inch of our front yard dances in dappled shade for 3/4 of the year. My husband and I relish our evening time on the front stoop, soaking up the quiet, foresty quality of our front yard as we share our days with each other.
Deference to the oaks had driven our design for the front yard. Bringing permaculture into our front yard means bringing food and medicine into the landscape while also working with the elements to create something that is cooperative, beautiful and bountiful. Traditional permaculture designs are often built around nut trees but in the real-life of a 30-year-old yard we have as the backbone of our landscape mature oaks and maples. And although they cannot feed us, they do shade our home, cool the yard, and bring beauty and serenity into our lives. So, it becomes my job to work with them, finding edible and medicinal plants we can grow in harmony with them.
At first, I had thought we would build a raised bed on the outer drip-line on the South-side of the yard but research indicated this could harm the trees. So that plan was trashed. Instead, we have planted currants and gooseberries outside of and alongside the drip-line of the tree. We put these in the ground last week, straight of the box from Stark Bros. nursery. They are already greening and I am so excited to watch them as they progress. We have 4 gooseberry bushes (2 each - Hinnonmaki and Invicta) and 4 currants (Rovada Red, Pink Champagne, Blanca and Ben Lomond Black). I remember picking gooseberries when I was a kid and my mom making them into pie. I hope to give my own kids a similar memory in a few years when the bushes are producing.
Underneath the canopy we have installed a mulched path with river-stone steps. We were starting to wear a path in the front yard from the door to the sidewalk (we take a lot of family walks) and the path should cushion our steps and the tree's roots. I am tucking in ferns, May Apples, pussy's toes, goldenseal, black cohosh, and Solomon's seal. All plants which occur naturally alongside oaks in a forest setting (well, minus the goldenseal). As I plant, I am going to be decreasing the turf that remains, hoping to create a more natural understory for our oak trees and a landscape teeming with fruit and medicine for our family. Also, I am only planting from seed as I work under the canopy. Too much disturbance of the existing soil or adding soil on top of the soil can harm the tree. Also, watering within 10 feet of the trunk can make the tree vulnerable to fungal attack. Mulch is acceptable under the oaks so I am carefully removing turf, adding mulch then putting very small amounts of soil here and there and seeding them. This will be a year-long process as all of the seeds I am working with require cold stratification so I have them all in the fridge right now and will plant them outside in the fall so they can stratify over the winter. I have never gardened like this before and am curious to see how it goes. My main goal is continued care of the oaks, so as long as they flourish then all is good.
Woodland Garden to be . . .
Links:
Oak-Hickory Forest Associations
Growing Currants and Gooseberries
Midwest Permaculture
Stark Brother's Berries
Prairie Moon Nursery
Everwilde Farms
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