The forest garden – a metaphor for permaculture

Ideas about the forest garden within permaculture and organic growing circles are interesting and authoritative. Ever since we read the book Skogsträdgården (The forest garden) in the winter of 2019 we have begun to apply the ideas contained therein. At the same time we noticed that many of our earlier efforts of mixing trees, bushes and herbs could be linked to the ideas of permaculture. Building watering systems that collect rainwater from the roofs of our buildings is also a part of this philosophy. Where we have placed our different plants in the garden has, from the beginning, taken into consideration the soil, available light and wind.

What we have developed so far in the garden, in the way of beds and compost, is only the beginning.
Since 2019 we have been using the Bokashi method of fermentation for kitchen waste. We have then used the resulting extra fluid by mixing it into the soil as fertilizer. We have also begun cooperation with the Camomilla day-care centre where we are able to use foodstuffs that would otherwise be thrown away to create a good compost for the garden. This idea is based on the insight that it is the soil that must be cultivated which then, in return, provides us with good products from the soil. We will get back to this when we have more experience.

Literature used:

På svenska/Ruotsiksi/In Swedish

ARVIDSSON Ylva, Johan och Siri: Permakultur! Framtiden i din trädgård. 2017

BLOMQVIST Leif,

– Våra fruktsorter, Äpplen, päron, plommon, körsbär. 2010

– Våra trädgårdsbär, Hälsosam vardagslyx från egen trädgård.    2020

ISRAELSSON Lena,

– Handbok för köksträdgården 2018 e-bok

– Gourmetträdgården, Köksväxterna som smakar bäst 2013

– Jordens täppor, Köksträdgårdar i hela världen 2002

– Grönsaksodling, för nybörjare 2017 e-bok

MATHIASSON Eva, WIDLUNDH, Susanna: Skörda regnvatten 2014

PETTERSSON Eva, Lätt att odla naturligt, Hur du lyckas med ekologiska odlingar. 2020

RINGQVIST Jonas: Odla till försäljning, att försörja sig på småskalig 2016

ROBILD, Eva: Chili 222 sorter att odla och äta 2018

WEDÉN, Christina: Tryffel, mat för gudar, gutar & svin 2017

WEISS Philipp, SJÖBERG, Annevi, LARSSON, Daniel:

  – Fleråriga grönsaker, upptäck, odla, njut 2008

– Skogsträdgården, odla ätbart överallt 2018

Suomeksi/På finska/In Finnish

GALAMBOSI Bertalan: Yrttien viljely 2016

HAVENITH Christian: Marjat, puutarhan ja metsän herkut 2016

RÅMAN, Tina, RUNDQUIST, Ewa-Marie, LAGACHE, Justine:

– Lantakirja, opas puutarhan maanalaiseen elämään 2017

ROSENBERG Joel,

Pähkinöitä omasta puutarhasta,    opas suomalaisten pähkinöiden kasvattamiseen. 2021

In English/På engelska/Englanniksi

DOWDING Charles,

– Organic gardening, The natural no-dig way 2018

– How to create a new vegetable garden,

 - Producing a beautiful and fruitful garden from scratch 2015