landscape ideas

norman2012

10 years ago

after 10 or so years of planning for an edible landscape, ive finally contracted on a place that will allow it. I dont want to cover the hollow in trees, but was thinking toward land cover at the base of the hill west of the house, then small shrubs, small fruit trees then larger ones.

i would like to try to build a living hedge, bois d'arc is in the area and i was thinking trying that. also a friend built this stone bridge and stone walls, i'm considering building flow over dams in the dry creekbed in the nw corner to make a pond, a footbridge over it and a gazebo type structure and weeping tree on the other side.

Ive raised goats before and will buy a couple does and a billy as well. The southwest structure is a chicken coop i will have 2-3 dozen chickens, the hilltop west of the house has a man made pond in the clearing.

I have a couple dozen fruit trees from leftover from a family farm venture two years ago (sand plums, american plums, persimmons, pecan , a couple mulberry and a weeping mulberry, a chicago fig etc.) and am ordering some paw paws, hardy kiwi next week.

mainly just asking here for design ideas, architectural and agricultural

Here is a link that might be useful: 10 acres farm

Comment (1)

Lodewijkp
9 years ago
too many options... i would also do something like a Chinampa ( on the banks ) and use alot of edible aquatic plants like garden cress, water cress, Acorus gramineus ''licorice'' , edible hardy alocisia species , hydrocotyle vulgaris.

I would also use alot of annuals like bacopa monnieri or lemon bacopa ( bacopa caroliniana ), other edible nasturtiums, gotua cola.

For a edible edge you of course can use annuals but for perennials i would go for Rubus fruticosa thornless evergreen ( a really reliable heavy cropper ) and actinidia arguta ''issai '' which is self pollenating and a reliabe medium sized climber which can be trained to a bush.

you have alot of choice. just be sure that you apply a base layer of plants which fix nitrogen. 2nd you get edibles that are heavy and reliable plants on the designated locations. 3nd you fill it up with edible annuals. 4th you get the proper ornamental plants and plants that have medicinal value.

cover other stuff up with nice ornamentals lysimachia nummularia '' aurea'' cultivar or other groundcovers that are not large.

First you need concepts... on hills i would make something like terrace farms like you see in some ancient asiatic or south american places.

with water i would do floating gardens or Chinampa without blocking streams ( on the edges of banks etc )

i would use a huge list of plants and rate them on edible roots , leaves, fruits and seeds. in other words you want plants that contain alot of edible parts and medicinal uses. i would go to PFAF.org they got some good sources.

have foods every season , make sure you list which plant crops in what season so you get a constant stream of edibles. also have a seed rotation scheme where you save seed for next years yield. be sure to amendt the soil with nitrogen fixing plants and plant matter etc.

also start learning how to conserve stuff by freezing , curing, drying / smoking etc.. using sauerkraut like methods of preserving. you maybe would get high yields so you need to have some methods of conserving or saving.

http://www.pfaf.org/user/plantsearch.aspx
http://www.pfaf.org/user/MedicinalUses.aspx
http://www.pfaf.org/user/edibleuses.aspx

pick the ones with highest edible and medicinal rate.

Make sure you get plants that are easy to propagate through seeds or cuttings so you can get a huge stock for a low amount of money.
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