Food forestry and forest gardening

Designing and establishing a temperate climate food forest in rural North Canterbury, New Zealand.

Using permaculture principals to work with and mimic nature, we are guiding natural processes and directing the outcome with human intent. By selecting practical plants that serve multiple functions we build diversity in all layers of the biological system.

This approach guides natural processes towards a productive ecosystem. By introducing human knowledge and planning we can encourage and accelerate the growth and development leading to beautiful, abundant and nutritious habitats.

  • Attractive, productive ecosystems

    Attractive, productive ecosystems

    Details   Whether you're here to deepen your knowledge, immerse yourself in nature, or be inspired to embark on your own ecological journey, Blockhill is a place where growth - both personal and environmental - thrives. Join us in celebrating and cultivating a sustainable future, one seed at a time.
  • Exploding with flavour and colour

    Exploding with flavour and colour

  • Natives and exotics. Something for everyone

    Natives and exotics. Something for everyone

  • Visit, explore and learn

    Visit, explore and learn

  • Pattern based function stacking

    Pattern based function stacking

  • Book your relaxing stay today

    Book your relaxing stay today

Foodscaping - Edible Landscape Design

Foodscaping - Edible Landscape Design

Our consultancy specializes in foodscaping, an innovative approach to edible landscape design that transforms your outdoor spaces into productive and beautiful gardens.

Through our comprehensive garden design service, we empower you to create a sustainable, delicious landscape that nourishes both body and soul, bringing beauty and bounty to your outdoor space.
Foodscaping Service
Start Your Own Forest Garden

Start Your Own Forest Garden

Are you ready to embark on your very own forest garden journey but feeling unsure where to begin? Don't worry - we’ve got you covered.

Creating a thriving forest garden is an exciting and rewarding endeavour, but it’s not as simple as planting a few trees and hoping for the best. There are numerous factors to consider to ensure success. From site analysis and soil health to plant selection and long-term maintenance, each step requires thoughtful planning and execution.
Key Considerations

 Related


Nitrogen fixing plant species suited to temperate climate such as North Canterbury New Zealand

Nitrogen fixing plant species suited to temperate climate such as North Canterbury New Zealand

Nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth. Certain plants have a useful ability to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere. This is often achieved through symbiotic relationship with fungi in the root zone. Being able access unlimited nitrogen allows these plants to grow quickly while also making some available to surrounding plants. The practical reality is that including nitrogen fixing plants of various shapes and sizes amongst other productive plantings improves overall health, vigour and fertility,
  nitrogen  permaculture  plants  collection 
Plant list
Spring grafting season for fruit and nut trees August - October

Spring grafting season for fruit and nut trees August - October

Wood is cut and graded in June for dispatch in July – August. On receipt, scion wood will need to be stored refrigerated until the appropriate local grafting time.

Length: 150 – 170mm with 3 - 4 buds

Diameter: 5 – 12mm


Grafting is the process of adding part of a known, desirable tree onto existing, growing roots of a similar species. This process offers many benefits such as having many types of apple on a single tree or influencing the characteristics of the tree such as size, soil requirements and disease resistance.
  May   June   July   August   September   October  
  graft  fruit  trees 
Scion / bud wood for graftingAll about Fruit Tree Grafting
Beneficial insects

Beneficial insects

Insects play an import role in the health of our gardens and the wider ecosystem. By creating a conducive environment we can encourage the tiny helpers to hang around. Insects prey on others, pollinate plants, are food for birds and generally add to the richness, complexity and diversity of a healthy ecosystem.
  insects 
olmec
Plants to encourage beneficial insects
Plant propagation

Plant propagation

Details   There are many ways to obtain healthy plants for next to nothing. By propagating your own plants you not only save money but can introduce genetic variation by starting new plants from seed.

If you are looking to replicate a natural ecosystem or create a biodiverse and healthy garden you are going to need a lot of plants. Many species can be cloned by taking cuttings or by layering.
Learn more

Scarification - Preparing hard tree seeds for planting

Many trees have seeds with extremely hard coatings. This allows them to remain viable for a long time, waiting for a trigger such as fire or abrasion due to erosion to activate the growing stage. These seeds require some form of scarification to encourage germination.

This is typical of several leguminous, pod bearing tree species such as tagasaste, locust, laburnum, carob etc.

There are several ways to perform the scarification prior to planting the seeds.
Olmec Sinclair
Preparing hard seeds for planting
Mulch, soil carbon and organic matter to improve moisture holding

Mulch, soil carbon and organic matter to improve moisture holding

Mulching is the practice or process of covering the soil with a thick layer of organic matter. This has a number of benefits depending on the mulch material and desired outcomes. Some of the advantages include preventing moisture evaporation, smothering weeds, feeding soil life and increasing soil carbon and water holding capacity.
Use as much mulch as you can get your hands on.
June 06, 2015
  mulch  carbon 
olmec
Building great soil

Learn about foodscaping / food forest gardening

Develop an understanding of how to design and implement your own food forest garden with a one on one guided tour and discussion session.
  • Explore the extensive, established forest garden at blockhill
  • Learn identify, develop and exploit niches to grow a wider range of useful plants
  • Discuss mixed and companion planted polycultures and guilds
  • Understand plant succession for ecosystem transition and transformation
  • Witness beneficial insects and extreme biodiversity
  • Meet the chooks, ducks and pigs and see how they fit into the system
  • Overview of useful hand tools
2 hours
  food forest  education  gardening  permaculture 
$80.00
View 4 photos
Boosting plant and ecosystem health with compost tea

Boosting plant and ecosystem health with compost tea

Fertigating is the practice of irrigating and fertilising simultaneously. To achieve this we brew liquid compost 'tea' using an assortment of fresh and decaying plant material. Learn how to easily make, brew and deliver compost tea or other liquid fertiliser. You can use all sorts of organic, nutrient rich, biodegradable substance.

The breakthrough come with the venturi mixer which allows for easy distribution of the heavy, smelly liquid.
  compost  nutrient  fertigate 
olmec
Read More
Setting of expectations

Setting of expectations

The expectations we have about what we should be eating and when determines what options are open to us in terms of where and how we obtain our sustenance. By adjusting our requirements and evaluations of what makes something desirable food we open up new sources and types of fruit and vegetables. This is a prerequisite of low input forest gardening.
November 22, 2015
  food forest 
Expectation setting
Polycultures

Polycultures

The other end of the spectrum from monocultures, polycultures are mixed plantings of various species that work together and may imitate naturally occurring collections.

Unlike monoculture, which is prone to pest and disease, depletes and degrades soil, polycultures are ecosystems in themselves, utilising the balancing and collaborative effects of nature.
November 13, 2011
  Mixed planting  polyculture  permaculture 
olmec
Read More
Shitake Harvest

Shitake Harvest

September 09, 2019
Finally, after several years of waiting, shitake mushrooms are sprouting from the logs. I inoculated these fresh willow logs using the wooden dowel method and kept them in a damp shady location, checking periodically but as time went by and nothing happened, the logs inadvertently dried out and I assumed it was a failure. I ended up partially burying the logs as part of some minor earth works near a small pond. Surprise when month later mushrooms began popping. So harvested and ate.
  fungi  harvest 
Growing Shiitake on logs
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