Edible Gardens
We design spaces to grow, prepare and enjoy the food you produce.
Garden Structure
The first steps in designing an edible garden involve positioning structural elements and making sure that it is simple and practical to use, relates well to the house and is positioned to make the most of the sun and to be protected from wind.
Which of the following do you want us to include in your design:
Which of the following do you want us to include in your design:
- Garden shed – somewhere to store the lawnmower and garden tools
- Rubbish, recycling and green waste bins – somewhere out of site but handy to the back door
- Compost bins – great for all the garden and kitchen waste - best located in the sun where it can heat up and kill any weed seeds
- Worm farm – turn all your food scraps into nutrients for your soil
- Raised garden beds – Easy to work in, give you an opportunity to provide the best soil and stay warmer than growing in the ground
- Potting bench – really useful- a handy place to work
- Chicken coop – fresh eggs every day?
- Berry cages – for keeping birds away from ripening fruit
- Beehives – your own supply of honey and plenty of pollinators
- Glass house – somewhere warm to extend your growing season
- Bench seats – somewhere to rest with a cuppa and appreciate all your work
What to Grow Where
Once the structure has been implemented we consider what you want to be able to grow and where they are best located.
- Citrus – Lemons, Limes and Mandarins will all grow in Canterbury if given the right conditions. They love the hot afternoon sun with some frost protection – ideally slightly under the leaves of the house against a brick wall to retain some heat overnight. They will do well in a pot if given plenty of water and food and can then be moved out of the frost in winter.
- Berries – most need full sun to ripen. Having the option to cover them while ripening will keep the birds away.
- Leaf vegetables – these tend to only need half days of sun and will often grow too quickly if they get too much hot afternoon sun.
- Ripening fruit and veges – These need full sun and warmth to ripen. Somewhere that gets the hot afternoon sun is best.
- Herbs – many come from hot climates so appreciate full sun and often do best with good drainage – like in a pot or raised planter.
- Pip fruit (apples, pears etc) – Need full sun and some space to grow. Pip fruit do espalier well. The trees are best pruned in Winter.
- Stone fruit (peaches, plums nectarines) again need full sun to ripen. They can be pruned in Summer and autumn after fruiting as needed to keep their size in check.
- Specimen Trees – Fruit trees can make great specimen trees in the garden or courtyard. Consider Apricots, Persimmon, Quince and Crabapple trees for their attractive foliage, spring flowers and autumn colour.
- Evergreen trees and hedges – Olives and Feijoas both can be trimmed to form attractive and productive hedges or be used to screen neighbouring properties. Loquats form an attractive evergreen tree with stunning dark green serrated leaves and small edible yellow fruit.
Other Ways to Grow
We don’t all have plenty of garden space so here a few alternative ways to grow edible plants:
- Pots and planters – Almost anything that can be grown in a bigger garden can be grown in pots if you don’t have space or just want an interesting feature. Herbs and citrus do well with the warmth and good drainage pots provide. Vegetables and even dwarf fruit trees will be fine too if given plenty of water and nutrients.
- Espaliered – Fruit trees, especially apples and pears, can be grown flat against a fence, on frames or arches. Espaliering is the process of pruning and tying branches to create some form of frame. This allows for great fruit production that is decorative and makes the most of limited space.
- Vertical gardens – When space is really tight, many herbs and vegetables can be grown in specialist containers one above the other on a wall or fence. Great for saving space but expect a bit more maintenance to keep everything growing well.
- Food forests – This is the idea of growing plants as they would have naturally, with trees forming a canopy, with shrubs underneath and herbs and groundcovers as the lower layer. Research and planning is needed to make sure the plants all get enough sun and water.