One of the most prominent features of my yard, and the most significant project this year will be my Food Hedge. This will be my first permaculture project. Shaped like an L, the bed wraps around my postage stamp yard and I’ll be filling it with perennial fruiting plants and a diverse understory planted as a guild of companion plants. Not only am I trying to produce food, but the bed should also be aesthetically pleasing year-round, provide a sense of enclosure, encourage wildlife, and incorporate as many native plants as possible.
It’s not easy to build a full permaculture planting in one go, in one year from what is currently lawn. So I’m taking a long term view on the project. This year, I’ll be focusing on the bones of the bed, removing the lawn, and getting large woody plants established. Next year, I’ll focus on building the soil. Down the road, I’ll focus on maximizing harvest from the beds by planting annual vegetables and establishing more pollinator friends flowers. To get started, I’m putting in a collection of small fruit trees and shrubs.
2020 Plantings
Apple Tree: I’ve placed a double grafted dwarf apple in a place of prominence in the corner of the bed. Since it’s double grafted, the tree should be self-fertile. In my case the two varieties are
Dwarf Tophat Blueberry: I’ve seen this variety in seed catalogs since I was a little kit. A small, patio style blueberry that I’m planting in the foreground of the bed. I’ve planted two at the front of the bed.
Northland Blueberry: A traditional high bush blueberry. I’ve two of these put these behind the Dwarf Tophats for higher yields
Carmine Jewel Cherry: A super compact dwarf cherry that I thought would make a good foreground shrub in the bed. This is a new variety and the catalog was rather effusive in praise. We’ll see how it goes. These are planted symmetrically with the Dwarf Tophat Blueberries.
Bush Cherry (what is it): A larger bush form cherry. Added to provide height and yield to the bed. Two of these are planted symmetrically with the Northland Blueberries.
Elderberry: A large native shrub, self-fertile. I planted equally for flowers and fruit. One bush anchors the patio side of the bed.
American Hazelnut: I started two of these in containers last year, and they were somewhat drama queens. But, I loved them. The beautiful leaves and fall cover were both wonderful. The four form the narrowest part of the hedge and provide privacy. In the future, I can look forward to nuts and wood.
Native Plum: A small tree that produces showy white flowers and edible fruit. I’m expecting the fruit may not be as sweet or large as what you’ll buy in a grocery store, but it should be an attractive and productive addition. I’ve added two this year, one on each arm of the bed.
Pembina aka Highbush Cranberry: Not a cranberry, actually this is a native Viburnum species that produces berries shockingly similar in appearance and taste to bog cranberries. I remember seeing this plant in seed catalogs every year as a child, but it took work to track them down this year. I’ve planted 3 of them in a cluster at the door to the garage. Super excited about this plant. It promises a lot. Showy flowers, delicious fruit, autumn color, attractive summer foliage.