By Amelia Glynn

Even if you live in the heart of the concrete jungle, it’s still possible to carve out a sliver of soil to call your own. With a little plant know-how and some creativity you can turn that empty window box, large flower pot or sad strip of grass by your driveway into a beautiful and functional “food forest [1].”

Food forests are edible landscapes modeled after the natural layers of a forest. Trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers and vines grow together in one place where each plant layer has enough space — above and below ground — to thrive. Rather than organizing plants into segregated rows, a food forest lets you play with height and variety — pairing fruit trees with lettuces or strawberries underneath, and then throwing in some artichokes, potatoes, an errant tomato plant and a handful of herbs. (Kids especially love foraging through these unconventional “forests” for the hidden treasures they hold.) The best part is that they can be planted in postage-stamp-sized plots and produce an abundance of nourishment — both aesthetically and gastronomically speaking.

Fruit trees are commonly used to form the upper canopy [2], while berries grow beneath as the shrub layer [3], herbs or lettuces create the groundcover [4], and vines (such as grapes or kiwi) climb the tree. If you are land-challenged, a wine barrel can provide the perfect home for your food forest. (Plus it’s mobile in case you move — just be sure to attach wheels or handles before you plant.)

Penny Livingston-Stark [5], a permaculture [6] expert who lives with her husband James live in the middle of their own “garden of Eden” in Bolinas, California, recommends a combination of the following plants for each layer:

Canopy: apricot, plum, apple, lemon, or pear trees
Shrubs: pineapple guava, rhubarb, artichokes, asparagus, currents, raspberries, or gooseberries.
Ground cover: strawberries, lettuces or chard, or calendula and other edible flowers — pansies, nasturtiums, and violets.

For smaller flower boxes, she recommends planting an assortment of herbs including dill, basil, chives, parsley and rosemary. Strawberries are also a good choice.

For more information about food forests or other permaculture practices, visit regenerativedesign.org [7] for a list of classes.