Spring is the best time for gardening work. In addition, to create a nurturing landscape design. Fruit trees, aromatic plants, edible ground covers… combining business with pleasure is easier than it seems.
Let us specify from the start that the term “nurturing forest” is a metaphor that refers to a mainly edible development that respects biodiversity and the coexistence of species. To create this type of landscape design, you must first inform yourself, do a minimum of reading and visualize different possibilities, in turn Véronique Pepin, professor of landscape design at the Institut de Technologie Agroalimentaire du Québec, and Alexandre Guérin, gardener and owner of the Organic nursery Take Root in Charette, Mauricie.
“Several communes have adopted a nutritious forest, including Saint-Raymond in the MRC of Portneuf, Saint-Ubalde or Beloeil. There can be ideas and you can see how certain plants develop, explains the entrepreneur, who also offers consulting services in permaculture. People see it big when they start, but you have to take it step by step depending on your resources and budget. Mrs Pepin agrees. “Give yourself time and increase your zone over time. Above all, she adds, we need to grow what we want to include in our meals.
Between forest and field
As an essential element, the choice of plants must also be based on the type of soil, the sun exposure of the land, access to water and the presence of trees or plants on site. “We can start with a traditional layout and incorporate edible plants,” notes Mr. Guérin. To have a set that performs well when mature, you have to shape it as the edge between forest and field, he says. “It’s a transition zone that brings different species together. Finally, the Feeder Forest has 40% forest cover. The rest are shrubs, plants, flowers and mushrooms, all growing at different heights to let in the light. At the edges of the forest there is a maximum of biodiversity. »
Biodiversity is also what prompted Alexandre Guérin to set up his nursery in 2015. “I wasn’t satisfied with the offer in garden centers where the plants are stuffed with artificial fertilizer. I wanted people to have access to organic plants, rarer or native species, and also real advice. I wanted to be an agent of change. »
Now, like Véronique Pepin, he is training the next generation. He shares with the students his knowledge of the fifty or so edible plants he produces. Among his favourites: black currant, a fast-yielding plant whose fruits he likes to cook in jam. He also recommends asparagus, strawberries, bee balm, an aromatic perennial known for attracting hummingbirds and for its medicinal properties, lovage—which closely resembles celery—mint and lemon balm make good companions.
“The nurturing forest requires a little tending, an hour in the spring, an hour in the fall, and a few moments each week to come and water, pick what there is to pick, trim dead branches. We set up a bench to relax. We grow aromatic plants, it awakens the senses, relieves stress. The idea is to appropriate nature, says Alexandre Guérin. We can install a pergola, grow vines, the Somerset that withstands our climate well, or Kolomikta kiwis. You can also plant a hazel tree. »
He recommends using BRF mulch, shredded ramial wood made from trimmings. This, he believes, is one of the keys to successful forest nutrition, as it helps restore the forest subsoil, nourish the humus and allow fungi to grow, in addition to a natural look.
Don’t dominate nature too much
Whether on a small piece of land in the city or on a large area on the outskirts, the two experts agree that the vegetable garden must be developed and integrated into the ornamental garden. Véronique Pepin proposes playing with edible plants that are still little known, such as hosta – cultivated as a vegetable in Japan – and coloring foliage varieties, including various types of cabbage or Swiss chard, which are very aesthetic with their red, pink or yellow stems. “You can put great classics in it, like tomatoes, beans. The important thing is to try. I didn’t like eggplants before, but since I started growing them, I love them! The plant is super easy [à entretenir] and its fruits so beautiful allow you to prepare many recipes. »
The professor does not fail to remind us that we must see a caring landscape design as a whole, that is, a place where we respect all the inhabitants, even the animals. “Even the squirrels! They are there, you have to live with them. That is the real meaning of permaculture. My solution was to plant lots of ground cherries. They love it. We share ! Instead of fighting, sometimes you just need to increase the count of a specific vegetable or plant. Another example: the conifer. It is an exceptional shelter for birds. Everyone should have an evergreen tree in their yard to provide them with a living space. »
Passionate since a young age, Véronique Pepin sees gardening as a true source of happiness, “and everyone needs happiness in life”! She is convinced of the mental health benefits of horticultural therapy. “Our brain is calmer, it can let go without worrying too much. I really believe in it. »
There is nothing better than letting go. She emphasizes the importance of not controlling nature too much or cultivating it to perfection. “Biodiversity is essential for a complete balance. Sometimes plants naturally attack and do an excellent job. » Are these unwanted plants weeds? “The answer is almost always no. You don’t have to let the land rot every year either. Microorganisms do the work for us. » Shall we clean everything, even the little branch? “No, and certainly not! Nature regulates itself. […] People tend to see layout as something organized and uncluttered. If you need aesthetics, you have to find the right balance; respect yourself as a human being and respect nature and what it needs. That too is permaculture. »