Sustainable food and other produce
Forest gardens grow an extraordinary range of foods in a sustainable and resilient way.
They can be of all sizes from a small urban or suburban garden (or yard) to an extensive rural site covering many acres (hectares). Although the plants chosen for such sites will vary the principles of growing and abundance are the same everywhere. Even in a small garden you can have over 50 different edible trees, shrubs, bushes and herbaceous plants producing something to eat all year round. Most of these will be hardy perennials1 or re-seeding annuals which require little maintenance.
Many other types of produce can be grown besides foods; for example poles and other wood products, plants for dyes, fibrous plants for tying and weaving materials.
These edible plants interwoven with other specially selected species for the purpose of increasing biodiversity and developing on site fertility will assist in the formation and support of a resilient local ecosystem which is the key to ongoing health, fertility and abundance. After the garden has had time to mature it will become largely self sustaining and self maintaining into the future. Its human guardians can be on hand to watch and support as appropriate but for the most part nature will look after the garden for them.
1 A perennial plant lives for at least three years and often longer.