{"id":9514,"date":"2022-04-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=9514"},"modified":"2022-05-12T09:55:37","modified_gmt":"2022-05-12T07:55:37","slug":"waste-not-want-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/2022\/04\/27\/waste-not-want-not\/","title":{"rendered":"Waste not, want not"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Informed by the ethos of permaculture, an edible forest garden sits easily in the Cornish landscape, despite a maverick planting palette<\/p>\n\n

WORDS HANNAH GARDNER | PHOTOGRAPHS JASON INGRAM<\/p>\n\n

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A lofty, multi-trunked Cordyline australis<\/em>, or cabbage palm, rises dramatically above a complex planting of edible shrubs, trees and perennials. Shrubs, such as Mahonia aquifolium<\/em> with its edible berries and flowers, contribute to harvesting potential as well as the layered planting. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
<\/div>
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IN BRIEF<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

What <\/strong><\/strong>An ecological edible forest garden underplanted with a diverse woodland meadow.
Where <\/strong><\/strong>Cornwall.
Size<\/strong><\/strong> A small plot within a more conventional but ecology-focused, one-acre family garden. The forest garden is just 29 square metres.
Soil <\/strong><\/strong>Fertile loam 50-60cm deep.
Hardiness zone <\/strong><\/strong>USDA 9b.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

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Wooden and stone features pepper this busy, yet unified space. These have been imaginatively crafted by Sid from found materials. Wildlife is encouraged and celebrated, with additions such as insect boxes displayed rather than hidden away.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Habitats for wildlife are a priority in this ecologically focused garden, and include a decaying log stack much as you might find when out walking in the woods. Well placed in a quiet spot at the base of a thick hedge, it attracts beetles and grubs and adds atmosphere.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Sid Hill\u2019s passion is creating landscapes and plantings that echo wild plant communities. His mobile design studio (converted campervan) enables him to easily move between projects and be fully immersed in different environments. His designs often feature perennial meadows, smallscale woodlands and wetlands \u2013 habitats that produce useful resources, restore environments and improve people\u2019s lives. Now 28, Sid spent his formative years living sustainably, and his parents nurtured within him an awareness of responsible resource management and self-sufficiency. \u201cGrowing and harvesting has been a constant source of inspiration for me,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Having started his own landscape business at just 15, Sid went on to study at the Eden Project in Cornwall, receiving a degree in ethnobotany and landscape design. He now has a solid client portfolio and has built a loyal following through sharing his gardening ethos on social media. His ecologically focused work integrates thoughtful, beautiful design and regenerative, wildlifefriendly planting that features many plants used for food and medicine. \u201cMy intention is to inspire people to care more about the environment, to create ecological gardens that reintegrate people with the natural world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

The origins of an edible forest garden lie in gathering and indigenous culture, where nature and cultivation coexist and benefit the planet. This groundbreaking Cornish edible forest garden was created in 2018 for a client who wanted just such a garden \u2013 for wildlife, flowers and harvests. It already feels fully settled; the carefully conceived layers of planting interconnected and embedded. The small plot occupies a southwestfacing slope tucked behind thick hedges. Situated adjacent to the house, the edible plants are close at hand and the wildlife noticeable from the kitchen windows. Sid retained the existing fuchsia hedges, knowing they are good for the maritime climate, offering shelter and a sense of enclosure.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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A simple timber table and chairs create a destination within the garden. A tree fern at the foot of a beautifully carved tree-trunk sculpture is a remnant from a previous planting, and the phlomis was retained for its structural interest and resilient habit. The echium is an interloper but its large foliage enhances the \u2018forest\u2019 feel of the planting so it has remained.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Stepping stones provide an unobtrusive pathway through the forest garden, and any open ground is covered by a colourful mix of perennial daisies, wild strawberries and potentilla. The informality and density of the sown woodland meadow creates a sense of beauty and cohesion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The garden is designed to mimic the layers of a natural forest ecosystem while the plant choices focus on edibles and medicinals. An existing Cordyline australis <\/em>dominates, its smooth, imposing trunk now supporting edible climbers such as Actinidia <\/em>arguta <\/em>\u2018Issai\u2019.<\/p>\n\n

The layout of the garden is unassuming. All landscape materials have been repurposed from the original overgrown site. Some unwanted plants were cleared, but others were repositioned or pruned to lighten their canopy. A beautifully crafted wooden coil, gently silvered by the sun, draws the eye further into the dense vegetation, while scorched, vertical posts offer subtle privacy from an adjacent footpath. Both were conceived and constructed by Sid, who saw potential in the faded beams of a dismantled conservatory and an existing tree stump. Shelter for wildlife is enhanced by the addition of a cylindrical stone cairn that captures the warmth of the sun and radiates it at night, creating a microclimate. Winding woodchip paths and placed stones allow access for harvest, and logs and fallen branches form subtle planting boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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A stone cairn is a familiar feature of the Cornish moors. Recreated in a garden, it behaves in a similar way to a stone wall, capturing the heat of the sun and providing a warm microclimate for creatures that seek the shelter of nooks and crannies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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An arc of charred timber rises through the froth of early summer fennel foliage. The sculpture adds vertical structural interest throughout the year and makes a dramatic backdrop for the yellow umbel flowerheads of the fennel to come.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

The priority for Sid\u2019s client is herbs for brewing tea, so fennel, mints and lemon verbena are prolific. Trees and shrubs were selected to offer edible crops and create an open canopy that allows light to filter through to lower layers of planting. A yellow-flowered Cornus <\/em>mas <\/em>lights up the garden in early spring, the autumn fruit delicious eaten raw, dried or cooked. Another forest garden favourite, Amelanchier <\/em>alnifolia, <\/em>has a beautiful light habit, producing first a cloud of showy white blossom, and, from midsummer, lush, dark berries. Blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes mingle with a dwarf apple and a pear tree, while a perennial woodland meadow forms an intricate, biodiverse thatch of wildflowers. Chives and sorrel have been added to enhance the edible credentials of the \u2018forest floor\u2019. Such an impressive variety of habitats increases the biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n

As Sid\u2019s reputation grows, like-minded souls seek him out for his artistry, holistic approach and experimental planting palette, and a soonto-launch series of online courses should see his ideas reach a wider audience. <\/p>\n\n

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The grass-free meadow planting \u2013a jostling crowd of Silene dioica<\/em> (red campion), Aquilegia vulgaris<\/em> (granny\u2019s bonnet) and Leucanthemum vulgare<\/em> (oxeye daisy) \u2013 evokes the romance an open woodland glade and is abuzz with insect life.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

USEFUL INFORMATION <\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Find out more about Sid\u2019s work at sidhillecogardens.com<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\n\n

8 key plants and how they work in an eco-garden <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

1 <\/strong>Rumex acetosa <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Common sorrel is a hardy, perennial alternative to spinach. Tangy, citrusy and versatile leaves. 60cm. RHS H7, USDA 3a-7b<\/span>\u2020<\/sup> . <\/p>\n\n

2 <\/strong>Allium schoenoprasum <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

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<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Chives are bulb-forming perennials with edible, tubular leaves and edible, nectar-and pollen-rich purple flowers that are attractive to pollinators. 30-50cm. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. <\/p>\n\n

3 <\/strong>Mentha suaveolens<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n\n

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<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Apple mint is a vigorous, hardy perennial. Requires moist but well-drained soil and some sun. Wonderful for cooking, mint has a host of medicinal properties. 50cm-1m. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.<\/p>\n\n

4 <\/strong>Foeniculum vulgare <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

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A structural, aromatic, short-lived perennial herb, valued as a digestive plant. Fennel leaves are good used for tea and in salad. The seeds are eaten by birds in autumn and the sturdy stems provide shelter over winter. 1.5-2.5m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

5<\/strong> Brassica oleracea <\/em>var. ramosa <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

A perennial kale, easy to propagate by cuttings. Excellent for stir fries. 1-1.5m. RHS H7. <\/p>\n\n

6 <\/strong>Hesperis matronalis <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

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Sweet rocket is a rosette-forming biennial with tall, leafy stems and edible young leaves. The sweetly scented white or mid-purple flowers are attractive to beneficial insects. Requires full sun or partial shade. 90cm. RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b. <\/p>\n\n

7 <\/strong>Onoclea struthiopteris <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

This striking, hardy, woodland fern is one of a handful of ferns that are edible. In some cultures the fronds are consumed as a spring treat, much as we feast on asparagus in May. 1-1.5m. AGM*. RHS H5. <\/p>\n\n

8 <\/strong>Ugni molinae <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n

Chilean guava is an upright evergreen shrub that has small, leathery leaves and a crop of miniature, tasty berries. Sheltered spot in full sun or partial shade. 1-1.5m. RHS H4.<\/p>\n\n

*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.\u2020<\/sup> Hardiness ratings given where available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Informed by the ethos of permaculture, an edible forest garden sits easily in the Cornish landscape, despite a maverick planting 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