FOOD FORESTS

Continuing the series on gardening in a world gripped by climate change, landscape designer Franchesca Watson talks to us about an ancient system of food gardening that mimics how plants grow and coexist in nature

The concept and practice of food forests began in prehistoric times. Today, one finds them either as existing forests leveraged to integrate more edible plants or as a constructed, growing environment imitating a forest-like growing system for biodiversity and efficient, sustainable food production.

The foundation of this style of food garden is that it mimics how plants live and grow in nature, relying on one another for healthy soil, nutrients, water and shelter. No irrigation, fertilising or feeding is required, and no leaf litter, clippings or plants are removed. Everything stays put, feeding back into a closed, self-sustaining system.