Tag Archives: edible landscaping

Fruit Tree Pruning

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Fruit trees require pruning to make harvesting easier, prevent pests and disease, and prevent branches from breaking from being overladen with fruit. Winter is the best time to prune fruit trees. They are dormant. You can see their structure better when the trees don’t have leaves. Trees store their energy in their roots during dormancy. When you cut a branch you aren’t removing energy from the tree, just redirecting it. The trees are also less susceptible to pests and diseases made from the pruning cuts when weather is cold.

Each tree requires a unique approach but there are two main strategies for fruit tree pruning open center and central leader. Here are some before and after photos of fruit tree pruning.

Fruit Tree Pruning: Unpruned peach tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning
Peach Tree Before Pruning
Fruit Tree Pruning: A peach tree after pruning with an open center
Peach Tree After Pruning
Unpruned pear tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning
Pear Tree Before Pruning
Pear tree after pruning with structural branches visible
Pear Tree After Pruning
Unpruned apple tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning
Apple Tree Before Pruning
Apple tree after pruning with clear central leader and scaffolding branches
Apple Tree After Pruning
Unpruned apple tree with dense, tangled branches before winter pruning
Apple Tree Before Pruning
Apple tree after pruning with clear central leader and scaffolding branches
Apple Tree After Pruning
Unpruned plum tree with dense, tangled branches especially in the lower canopy prior to winter pruning
Plum Tree Before Pruning
Plum tree after pruning with lower branches removed and interior cleaned up.
Plum Tree After Pruning

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ECOLOGICAL GARDEN DESIGN

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When gardens produce abundance, they create habitat for living things. Plants, animals, insects and fungi interacting with each other form ecosystems. We design the garden, create it and the ecosystem develops.

Ecological garden design: A newly emerged monarch butterfly on New England aster in McLean
A newly emerged monarch butterfly on New England aster in McLean
Ecological Garden Design: A backdrop of young fruit trees with an organic soccer pitch in the foreground
A backdrop of young fruit trees with an organic soccer pitch in the foreground
Ecological garden design: A red-tailed hawk resting on a persimmon tree in Arlington after a meal
A red-tailed hawk resting on a persimmon tree in Arlington after a meal
Ecological Garden Design: We planted native Redbud trees to shade the driveway
We planted native Redbud trees to shade the driveway
Ecological Garden Design: A bee landing on an echinacea flower in McLean
A bee landing on an echinacea flower in McLean
Ecological Garden Design: Nanking Cherry shrubs, ostrich ferns and St. John's wort in Arlington
Nanking Cherry shrubs, ostrich ferns and St. John’s wort in Arlington
Nanking Cherry shrubs in flower
Nanking Cherry shrubs in flower
Ecological garden design: Monarch Butterfly resting on perennial sunflower in McLean
Monarch Butterfly resting on perennial sunflower in McLean
Ecological Garden Design: Rain Garden in Arlington
Wildflowers make up this rain garden in Arlington
A bee feeding on Liatris flower
A bee feeding on Liatris flower
Rain Garden in Arlington
Rain Garden in Arlington
Ostrich fern meadow with ancient azaleas in Falls Church
Ostrich fern meadow with ancient azaleas in Falls Church
Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Little Bluestem Grass along the street in Arlington
Paw paw trees with green and gold ground-cover in Falls Church
Paw paw trees with green and gold ground-cover in Falls Church
Young Pear trees with fruit and dressed with comfrey leaves for nutrients
Young Pear trees with fruit, dressed with comfrey leaves for nutrients
A close up view of a passion flower.
A close up view of a passion flower
Ecological Garden Design: This is a picture of a multistory garden with low growing perennials, shrubs, under-story trees and a young canopy tree
Ecological Garden Design: A multistory garden with low growing perennials, shrubs, under-story trees and a young canopy tree
Ecological Garden Design
A natural stone walk meanders through a lush garden in spring
We harvested two buckets of peaches from a client's trees and left them on their porch
We harvested two buckets of peaches from a client’s trees and left them on their porch
Welcome home to aster flowers in late September
Welcome home to aster flowers in late September
Young pomegranates on a tree in Vienna
Young pomegranates on a tree in Vienna
Hummingbirds visit this native honeysuckle vine growing on a pergola made of black locust lumber over a permeable patio
Hummingbirds visit this native honeysuckle vine growing on a pergola made of black locust lumber over a permeable patio
Apricots growing in an Arlington front yard!
Apricots growing in an Arlington front yard! Producing abundance
This plum tree is loaded with fruit! Producing abundance
This plum tree is loaded with fruit! Producing abundance
Terraced walls with bright colored sedum and native grass
Terraced walls with bright colored sedum and native grass
Fruit trees with asparagus, milkweed, yarrow and anise hyssop under story in McLean
Young fruit trees with asparagus, milkweed, yarrow and anise hyssop under story in McLean
Ecological Garden Design: The paw paws is a native fruit tree
Paw paws with cedar canopy and shade loving perennials in DC
Ecological garden design: A forest of food and flowers in Arlington
A forest of food and flowers in Arlington
Willowleaf sunflowers in October in Arlington
Hummingbird moth feeding on anise hyssop in Vienna
Food Forest in Arlington!

Ecological garden design

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Native and Edible Landscape Design – No Lawn?

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What no lawn? Yes! This landscape design for a client in Arlington is full of native and edible plants instead of a lawn!

The front contains a large vegetable garden surrounded by two layers of 4′ deer fencing with asparagus in between and native meadow plants as a backdrop.

Flagstone steps take you to a terraced plateau filled with Asian pears, blueberries, persimmons, sour cherries, cornelian dogwoods, a fig and a plethora of native flowers that attract beneficial insects.

The shady back slope is held together by serviceberries, paw paws, hazelnuts, elderberries, fragrant sumac and various native ground covers and spreading perennials.

Viburnums, wax myrtles, and a few hollies surround the property to provide privacy and bird habitat.

A couple of black gum trees (Nyssa sylvatica) provide shade for an open forest floor of edible ostrich fern and other woodland natives.

Fruit and Flowers

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Stepping stone path with Strawberries on left, Ostrich Fern on right, Highbush Cranberry, Pineapple Guava and Aronia in background
Flagstone path with Moss Phlox and Pear Tree in the background
Hardy Kiwi growing on a trellis in Arlington
New England Aster and Willow Leaf Sunflower
Bluebells!
Gojiberry!
Cherry Trees with Golden Ragwort growing underneath, Raspberries in background
Peaches!
Honeyberries!
Veronica spicata

Ornamental, Edible and Native Landscape

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Ornamental and Edible Landscape

Ornamental, Edible and Native Landscape

A plethora of plants both front and back are traversed by curved pathways and stone walls.  The cut flagstone front walk leads you through a mix of classical ornamentals like boxwood, peonies, tulips, and crape myrtles with unusual ornamental edible plants like black lace elderberry, rugosa roses, aronia berry, lavender and some native ornamentals like pink turtlehead, rhododendron and virginia sweetspire.

The two mulch paths in the back carry one through a canopy of twisted and muscular American Hornbeams on one side and a tasty grove of currants and elderberries on the other both leading to a gazebo surrounded by pawpaws, and mature hardwoods.

The back contours are accented by curved retaining walls that ameliorate an eroding slope and terrace the ground for Asian Persimmons and Sweet Cherries. Sedges, edible ferns and day lilies make up a flat woodland clearing that serves as a play area for the kids.

 

 

From Invasive Ailanthus Grove to Food Forest

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Transformation from Ailanthus to Food Forest

From Invasive Ailanthus Grove to Food Forest

The rear of the property is a daunting invasive Ailanthus grove on a steep slope. After removing the invasive species, the space gives way to a sunny slope appropriate for a food forest. It is comprised of Paw paw, Asian persimmon, Cherry and Peach. Companion plants include Indigobush, False Blue Indigo, Pink Turtlehead, Butterfly Milkweed and Anise Hyssop.

The front yard is full of edible natives like American Hazelnut, Blueberry, Elderberry and Currant paired with ornamental natives like Dogwood, Redbud, Bayberry, Echinacea, Asters and Virginia Bluebells.

 

Terraced Food Forest

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Terraced Food Forest

 

Terraced Food Forest

 

We designed this food forest utilizing the sun exposure in a woodland clearing. In order to stabilize the slope we recommended terracing the slope with logs from the property. The terracing will slow down water flow and prevent erosion while the newly installed plants are getting established.

In order to maximize sun exposure, the larger trees were placed to the north and or downhill of the smaller plants. The woody plant pallet is comprised of low maintenance food bearing trees and shrubs like pawpaw, persimmon, Chinese chestnut, elderberry and blueberry. The herbaceous plants are comprised of soil building plants like comfrey and false blue indigo, insect attracting plants like echinacea and yarrow, woodland medicinals like goldenseal and american gingseng and some edible ferns.

Lots of Flowers and Food, No Lawn

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Lots of Flowers and Food, No Lawn

Lots of Flowers and Food, No Lawn

For this design, the client was ready to part with their lawn. In place of it we designed a garden with lots of flowers and food. They have a south facing front yard which is an ideal location for food producing perennial plants and a vegetable garden. The north facing back yard with mature tree canopy is the ideal location for a patio, fire pit, hammock and shade loving plants. The woody plantings are laid out on contour with infiltration swales to catch rain water. The tree species include Asian Persimmon, Sour Cherry, Asian Pear and Pawpaw. The property has a total of 18 Blueberry plants as well as Currants, Elderberry and Aronia. Herbaceous plants include Strawberry, Asparagus, Culinary herbs, dynamic accumulators, nitrogen fixers and numerous beneficial insect attracting plants.

Ecologically Friendly House and Landscape

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An Ecologically Friendly House and Landscape

Ecologically Friendly House and Landscape

Copyright Organic Edible Gardens LLC 2015

 

Organic Edible Gardens LLC just designed the landscape of this recently constructed energy efficient home. The house was designed and built by Enviro Home Design complete with large planters to catch most of the rainwater coming off of the roof.

For the landscape we designed a two tiered retaining wall planted with native Sedum and grasses to correct the steep slope on the north east corner of the property. The sunny front yard allowed for an Asian Persimmon tree paired with native red twig dogwood, a  Purple Leafed Plum paired with a gold leafed variety of Ninebark. In front are Half-High Blueberries and New Jersey Tea to the sides. Liatris spicata, white Echinacea, Baptisia australis and Comfrey are a few of the perennials.

In the shady back yard we chose Redbud and Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) as the understory trees paired with Arrowwood Viburnum and Catawba Rhododendron shrubs. Beneath the shade of the understory trees we chose a dark and mysterious Snakeroot cultivar with purple foliage paired by a light and airy yellow leafed spreading St. John’s wort.

For the part shade and part sun side yards we chose Honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea), Crandal American Black Currants, and Virginia Sweetspire.

Edible Landscape in Sun and Shade

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Edible Landscape in Sun and Shade

Copyright 2014 Organic Edible Gardens LLC

Edible Landscape in Sun and Shade

An edible and medicinal understory and pond designed for a shady back yard full of mature hardwoods. A small sunny patch in the front gave way to edible ground covers, perennials, berries and fruit trees. The front downspouts are piped into two rain gardens, one in the shade the other in the sun. The rain garden in the shade is full of moisture loving woodland medicinals, while the rain garden in the sun contains native insect attracting perennial flowers. Species include: Pawpaw, Fig, Peach, Aronia, Spicebush, Clove Currant, Elderberry, Blueberry, Yarrow, Anise Hyssop, Wild Ginger, Asparagus, Black Cohosh, Strawberry, Goldenseal, Ostrich Fern, American Lotus, May Apple, Giant Solomon’s Seal among multiple other soil building, insectary, and native plants.