People blessed with a large 100 sq yard-garden, or an even bigger one, have a potential world of food at their fingertips. But many of the ideas mentioned below work equally well on a smaller scale.

A large garden can, at first, be a daunting prospect to get into a condition which is both beautiful and productive all around the year but, as long as you have enough water — especially in the initial stages of setting it up — it is not as difficult as you may think. As long as you are prepared to be patient.

In our climate and irrespective of the area of our hugely diverse country your garden is in, summer shade is an absolute must and, in a large growing area, the easiest way to provide shade is through the use of trees. It makes perfect sense for these trees to be fruit- or nut-bearing or to have other practical uses. Neem, for example, helps keep mosquitoes away, its leaves and bark have medicinal and cosmetic uses and its berries can be made into an organic pest spray that is harmless to children and pets.

Forest gardens and food forests can be grown in a balcony or an urban garden; it’s all down to correct planning

If designing such a garden from scratch, the ‘forest gardening’ technique is the perfect, most sustainable idea to base your garden on. Make a list of the species of productive trees you would like to grow, check that they will flourish in the specific soil, climate and water you have to work with, check up on recommended planting distances between trees, remembering to make provision for any underground or overhead pipes/cables and, using graph paper scaled to your garden, map out at least three different possible planting designs to mull over. Over the winter season, don’t rush out and buy whatever takes your fancy or is available at the time, and rush home and plant it in the nearest vacant spot. Lack of forethought can result in major issues further down the line.

Some fruit and nut trees require cross-pollination between trees, so always plant at least three of any one species in a particular block, always keeping in mind the height and spread each species is expected to reach at maturity. If you plan on installing a drip irrigation system, then this should be done prior to planting a single tree, although, frankly speaking and especially with trees and shrubs, the ancient ‘matka (or ‘olla’) irrigation system’ is better and much lower in cost. The matkas are to be ‘planted’ at the same time as the trees/shrubs.

It is also of prime importance to at least mark on a graph paper a network of footpaths, wide enough for wheelbarrows via which all areas of the garden are accessible. Also install, if possible, water points or water storage ponds (the latter depending on your water source) at suitable intervals as, at least in the early stages, the watering of saplings is a priority if they are to survive. Their need for water will diminish over the years as their roots spread out and become established and, above ground, leafy growth provides a natural, moisture-retentive shade cover in which a myriad other plants, annuals and perennials can be grown.

A food forest type of garden has productive trees as its uppermost layer with fruiting or otherwise useful shrubs — from tall to small and from shade-lovers to sun-lovers, depending on the quality of tree-filtered sunlight. Below, in carefully selected areas, and only on selected tree species, productive climbers and creepers can be encouraged to grow.

In imitation of nature, clearings amongst the trees should be left here and there. Regular garden beds, for growing perennial or seasonal vegetables, flowers (including edible flowers), herbs and seasonal fruits can be grown using the companion planting method discussed in a recent column, or in easy-to-rotate, small blocks, to be rotated on the three to five-year system of organic sustainability.

Once established, such a garden largely composts itself as perennial trees, climbers and plants go through their yearly cycles. However, it is still recommended to have four to six compost bins, along with a couple of brew bins for compost teas, etc., for use with purely seasonal beds. These should be placed as close to the relevant beds as aesthetics allow.

Creating such a garden can and often does take years. But it also creates a veritable natural paradise in which you can walk and snack, walk and harvest, or simply walk and dream all the time being surrounded by organically grown trees and plants in which birds sing, butterflies dance and life — and your health — regains its natural balance.

If you want your very own slice of heaven right here on earth, give sustainable forest gardening a try.

Please continue sending your gardening queries to zahrahnasir@hotmail.com. Remember to include your location. The writer does not respond directly by email. Emails with attachments will not be opened. Commercial enquiries will be ignored.

Published in Dawn, EOS, June 30th, 2019