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Notes for current slide
  • Greetings and welcome to The Backyard Forest
  • My name is Jake Rayson and I’m a forest gardener and forest garden designer.
  • Online course for everyone who wants to transform their garden into a lush food forest and wildlife haven.
  • This is the second lecture, and it’s about how to plan your backyard forest. It’s a big one.
Notes for next slide
  • Number 2 in series of 8 lectures in total
  • First 3 lectures are about watching & thinking, planning and designing.
  • Middle 3 lectures getting hands dirty starting the structure of the garden: establishing windbreaks, building features, establishing paths and planting the canopy layer, the big trees.
  • Final 2 lectures are about filling in the structure: clearing the ground, and then planting the shrubs and the ground cover.

Plan a Backyard Forest

Plan your own wildlife-friendly food forest

Chalk circles marking out trees on bark mulch

The Backyard Forest by Jake Rayson

natureworks.org.uk/backyard/plan

Press P to see notes and credits
Work licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, embedded work may have other licenses.
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  • Greetings and welcome to The Backyard Forest
  • My name is Jake Rayson and I’m a forest gardener and forest garden designer.
  • Online course for everyone who wants to transform their garden into a lush food forest and wildlife haven.
  • This is the second lecture, and it’s about how to plan your backyard forest. It’s a big one.

Course overview

Chalk circles marking out trees on bark mulch

  1. Introducing
  2. Plan 👈
  3. Design
  4. Protect
  5. Perennial Veg
  6. Canopy
  7. Ground Prep
  8. Shrubs & Ground Cover
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  • Number 2 in series of 8 lectures in total
  • First 3 lectures are about watching & thinking, planning and designing.
  • Middle 3 lectures getting hands dirty starting the structure of the garden: establishing windbreaks, building features, establishing paths and planting the canopy layer, the big trees.
  • Final 2 lectures are about filling in the structure: clearing the ground, and then planting the shrubs and the ground cover.

What you’ll learn

Chalk circles marking out trees on bark mulch

  1. Create a map
  2. Record observations
  3. Measuring techniques
  4. Make wishlists
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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1. Map

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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1. Create a map

Screenshot of CAD plan overlaid on satellite photo

“The map is not the territory”

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Important to remember that a map is a tool, not the object of all your work.

Only do enough.

1. Create a map

Screenshot of CAD plan overlaid on satellite photo

  • Mark important features
  • Try tree positions
  • Paper, online or CAD
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Paper map

Boundary of property on paper plan

Work out your scale!

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Most important thing for all maps is to work out the scale!
  • Makes it easy to add trees & bushes, to scale

Paper map

Boundary of property on paper plan

  • 1:50 means 1m = 2cm
  • Average UK garden 16m x 5m
  • At 1:50 scale, 16m x 5m → 32cm x 10cm
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Your scale depends on size of your garden & paper
  • Rough measurement of garden
  • 1:100 means 1m = 1cm
  • Use largest, simplest scale possible
  • A3 5mm squared pad 29.7cm x 42cm, less than £10

CAD map

Screenshot 3D satellite window

  1. Satellite screenshot
  2. Metres per pixel
  3. Scale in QCAD
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Screengrab for personal use only

  1. Screenshot: maximum resolution with scale, save as JPEG
  2. Calculate metres per pixel
  3. Same as your image scale factor
  4. Import: create new CAD file, save image in same folder, import image
  5. Resize: image automatically scaled at 1 pixel per metre. Select image, open Property Editor, enter image scale factor

Instructions online: Forest garden CAD photo

OS maps onscreen from groundstability.com

CAD map: 1. Satellite screenshot

Screenshot 2D satellite window, including browser chrome

  • Highest resolution possible
  • Be sure to include scale, in metres
  • Save as good quality JPEG
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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CAD map: 2. Metres per pixel

  1. Measure pixel length of metres scale
  2. Metres per pixel  5m ÷ 106px = 0.047169811
  3. Image scale factor = metres per pixel

Closeup of scale in metres on satellite screenshot

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All 👈
  2. View → Property Editor
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing Import image

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • QCAD document same folder as image
  • File → Import

CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All 👈
  2. View → Property Editor
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing Select All

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Select → Select All

CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All
  2. View → Property Editor 👈
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing Property Editor

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • View → Property Editor

CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All
  2. View → Property Editor 👈
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing Property Editor

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • View → Property Editor

CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All
  2. View → Property Editor
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor 👈

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing Property Editor Width Factor

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Width & Height Factor

CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All
  2. View → Property Editor
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor 👈

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing Property Editor Height Factor

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Width & Height Factor

CAD map: 3. Scale in QCAD

  1. File → Import , Select → Select All
  2. View → Property Editor
  3. Width & Height Factor: image scale factor 👈

Our image
scale factor is
metres per pixel
0.047169811

Screenshot of CAD program, showing scaled image

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Width & Height Factor

2. Observations

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Checklist

Screenshot of PDF checklist

Download checklist PDF
bit.ly/forest-garden-checklist

  • Observations checklist
  • Features wishlist
  • Plants wishlist
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Just for you, a PDF print-outable checklist!

2. Observations

Clouds over sunny wooded valley

  1. Position 👈
  2. Elements
  3. Features
  4. Situation
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  1. Position: the aspect, the orientation, elevation, slope
  2. Elements: water, wind, sun, earth
  3. Features: existing plants, utilities, structures, access
  4. Situation: neighbours, privacy, noise, smell
  • Photograph extensively! Landscape shots. closeups of features. Shots from different angles eg upstairs window
  • Cloudinary, storing images

2.1 Position

Screenshot iPhone compass app

  • Orientation 👈
  • Elevation
  • Slope
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Orientation, standard compass on iPhone

2.1 Position

Screenshot of GPS Coordinates website

  • Orientation
  • Elevation 👈
  • Slope
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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2.1 Position

Screenshot of Bing Maps showing contour lines from OS maps

  • Orientation
  • Elevation
  • Slope 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Ordnance survey map gives you an idea of contour lines
  • Important for creating swales, which are more important for dry areas
  • You can survey more accurate contour lines using a bunyip & 2 people

2. Observations

Clouds over sunny wooded valley

  1. Position
  2. Elements 👈
  3. Features
  4. Situation
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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2.2 Elements

  • Water 👈
  • Earth
  • Wind
  • Sun
  • Climate

B&W ripple in water

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Water - drainage and surface water

2.2 Elements

  • Water
  • Earth 👈
  • Wind
  • Sun
  • Climate

Digging spade in dry soil

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Geology - local farmers, archeology. And, dig!
  • Soil type: clay, sand, loam
  • Soil pH test. ph 7 is neutral, lower is more acid
  • Soil nutrients: ask local farmers co-op for nutrients NPK test

2.2 Elements

  • Water
  • Earth
  • Wind 👈
  • Sun
  • Climate

Wind map from Meteoblue

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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2.2 Elements

  • Water
  • Earth
  • Wind
  • Sun 👈
  • Climate

Screenshot of Sun Surveyor app

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Our friend, Sun Surveyor again!

2.2 Elements

  • Water
  • Earth
  • Wind
  • Sun
  • Climate 👈

Screenshot of Met Office Weather Observation Website

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Climate - wind, precipitation, temperatures
  • Over long periods of time
  • UK climate data available from Met Office

2. Observations

Clouds over sunny wooded valley

  1. Position
  2. Elements
  3. Features 👈
  4. Situation
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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2.3 Features

Buttercup yellow flower, green foliage

  • Wildlife 👈
  • Utilities
  • Structures
  • Access
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Think about existing wildlife habitats & plants
  • Consider preserving established ecosystems!
  • Wildlife indicate growing conditions
  • All existing plants are an effort to remove

2.3 Features

Swallows on telephone wire

  • Wildlife
  • Utilities 👈
  • Structures
  • Access
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Electricity
  • Telephone lines
  • Drains
  • Water - old photo of drains being dug in forest garden
  • Gas pipes

Photo by Andrew Gustar on Flickr

2.3 Features

Old shed

  • Wildlife
  • Utilities
  • Structures 👈
  • Access
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Photo The Old Shed by fen-tastic on Flickr

2.3 Features

Back alley in urban area, concrete fences

  • Wildlife
  • Utilities
  • Structures
  • Access 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Vehicles
  • Pedestrian
  • Wildlife
  • Public rights of way

Photo by Seika on Flickr

2. Observations

Clouds over sunny wooded valley

  1. Position
  2. Elements
  3. Features
  4. Situation 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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2.4 Situation

3D satellite view of urban street

  • Privacy 👈
  • Noise
  • Pollution
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Privacy - overlooked, enclosed,

2.4 Situation

Old dirty transistor radio

  • Privacy
  • Noise 👈
  • Pollution
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Workshops nearby, neighbours radio, traffic

Photo Dad's Radio by Alan Levine on Flickr

2.4 Situation

Modern tractor spreading shitty slurry over a field

  • Privacy
  • Noise
  • Pollution 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Air pollution from traffic
  • Run-off from road (water & salt)
  • Run-off from fields (slurry)
  • Rubbish from public footpath

Photo What An Impressive Slurry Set up.... ££££££££ by Rab Lawrence on Flickr

3. Measure

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Now let’s look at measuring techniques.

3. Measure

Measuring tape extended on grass

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing direct line measuring

  1. Direct line 👈
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing direct line measuring

  1. Direct line 👈
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing running dimension measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension 👈
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Running dimension good for houses
  • Measure house, then garden

3. Measure

Paper plan, showing running dimension measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension 👈
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing running dimension measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension 👈
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing running dimension measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension 👈
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing running dimension measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension 👈
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing running dimension measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension 👈
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing triangulation

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation 👈
  4. Offsets
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing offset measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing offset measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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3. Measure

Paper plan, showing offset measuring

  1. Direct line
  2. Running dimension
  3. Triangulation
  4. Offsets 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4. Wishlists

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4. Wishlists

  1. Features
  2. Plants
  3. Pictures

Beautiful river spot

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4.1 Features wishlist

New wildlife pond

  • Wildlife: pond, native, logpile 👈
  • Water conservation
  • Nutrient budget
  • Seating
  • Polytunnel/greenhouse
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Photo by far closer on Flickr

4.1 Features wishlist

Big yellow rainwater container in growing area

  • Wildlife: pond, native, logpile
  • Water conservation 👈
  • Nutrient budget
  • Seating
  • Polytunnel/greenhouse
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Rainwater harvesting - guttering, barrels & IBC
  • Grey water
  • Reservoir
  • Swales, slow water down
  • Bore hole

4.1 Features wishlist

Comfrey dangly purple leaves

  • Wildlife: pond, native, logpile
  • Water conservation
  • Nutrient budget 👈
  • Seating
  • Polytunnel/greenhouse
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4.1 Features wishlist

Old seat covered in lichen, embedded in plants

  • Wildlife: pond, native, logpile
  • Water conservation
  • Nutrient budget
  • Seating 👈
  • Polytunnel/greenhouse
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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Photo by Mark AC Photos on Flickr

4.1 Features wishlist

Inside of lush polytunnel

  • Wildlife: pond, native, logpile
  • Water conservation
  • Nutrient budget
  • Seating
  • Polytunnel/greenhouse 👈
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Consider nursery for medium & larger gardens

Photo by Chad Skeers on Flickr

4.2 Plants wishlist

Grey spiky leaves of Cardoon

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4.2 Plants wishlist

Screenshot Plants For A Future website

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4.2 Plants wishlist

Screenshot of RHS online plant finder

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4.2 Plants wishlist

Yellow bobble flowers

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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4.3 Pictures

Screenshot of Pinterest

  • Look & feel
  • Features
  • Plants
  • Upload to Pinterest
Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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  • Inspiration, motivation, aspiration
  • Collect them all
  • Stick some on your wall

Backyard forest takeaways

Chalk circles on bark mulch to map out tree diameters

  • Observe
  • Write it down
  • Take your time

Download checklist PDF

Map — Observations — Measure — Wishlist
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The End

Small edible forest garden, wooden planks and woodchip paths

hello@natureworks.org.uk

natureworks.org.uk/newsletter

Music: Chegsticks by I Am The Mighty Jungulator

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Appendix: resources

Course overview

Chalk circles marking out trees on bark mulch

  1. Introducing
  2. Plan 👈
  3. Design
  4. Protect
  5. Perennial Veg
  6. Canopy
  7. Ground Prep
  8. Shrubs & Ground Cover
2 / 74
  • Number 2 in series of 8 lectures in total
  • First 3 lectures are about watching & thinking, planning and designing.
  • Middle 3 lectures getting hands dirty starting the structure of the garden: establishing windbreaks, building features, establishing paths and planting the canopy layer, the big trees.
  • Final 2 lectures are about filling in the structure: clearing the ground, and then planting the shrubs and the ground cover.
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