‘Canopy’: standard or half standard fruit trees; highest layer of trees (10m+)

Chestnuts [Castanea spp], Persimmons [Diospyros virginiana],
Honey locusts [Gleditsia triacanthos], Strawberry trees [Arbutus spp],
Siberian pea trees [Caragana arborescens] Cornelian cherries [Cornus mas],
Azeroles and other hawthorn family fruits [Crataegus spp], Quinces [Cydonia oblonga],
Apples [Malus spp], Medlars [Mespilus germanica],
Mulberries [Morus spp], Plums [Prunus domestica],
Pears [Pyrus communis], Highbush cranberries [Viburnum trilobum].
Walnut, Heartnut
Pecans Cherries,
Crab apple, Gages,
Mountain ash, Rowan Pears,
Plums, Sea buckthorn,
Service berry. Siberian pea tree
Italian Alder (Alnus cordata) 20mH, 6mW Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araueana) 20mH, 10mW(30?)
Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa) 20mH, 15mW(30?) Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) 20mH, 12mW
Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) 15mH, 8mW Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) 10mH, 6mW
Small Leaved Lime (Tilia cordata) 40mH, 20mW Black Mulberry (Morus nigra) 10mH, wide
Golden Hornet crab apple (Malus x zumi) 10mH, 8mW Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
Oak Tree Acorns Holm Oak (Quercus Ilex) 25mH,20mW
Ash for wood fuel. John Downie, crab apple

‘Low-tree layer’: fruit and nut trees on dwarfing rootstocks and bamboo; small trees and large shrubs (3m-9m)

Various bamboos, Serviceberries [Amelanchier spp],
Plum yews [Cephalotaxus spp], Chinkapins [Castanea pumila],
Ash (coppice) Japanese peppers [Zanthoxylum spp].
Eucalyptus spp, Beech [Fagus sylvatica]
Limes [Tilia spp] Barberry 3mH, 3.5mW
Medlar Sea Buckthorn
Stags horn sumach Checkerberry (Gaultheria procumbens)
Shallon (Gaultharia shallon) Japanese plum yew
Dogwoods Willow (coppice)
Quince Eucalyptus (coppice)
Broom Fig
Saltbush (Atriplex halimus) Eleagnus sp.
Buffalo berry (Shepherdia argentea) Bamboos
Oregon grape Hazels
Juneberry, Serviceberry (Amelanchier Canadensis) 6mH, 4mW Apple Serviceberry (Amelanchier ‘Ballerina’) 6mH, 4mW
Cornelian Cherry (Cornus Mas) 5mH, 11mW Dogwood (Cornus Sanguinea) 4mH, 3mW
Eleagnus Spp 4-8mH, 4mW Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides) 6mH, 5mW
Juniper (Juniperus Communis) 1-5mH, 3mW Bay (Laurus Nobilis) 6mH, 4mW
Myrtle (Myrica) 5mH, 3mW Yellowhorn (Xanthoceras Sorbifolium) 6mH, 2.5mW
Guelder Rose/Cranbry Bush (Viburnum Opulus) 4.5mH, 2mW Chinese Angelica Tree (Aralia Chinensis) 5mH
Siberian Pea Shrub (Caragena Aborescens) 6mH Damson Plum – Farleigh (Prunus Insiitia) 3.6mH, 4mW
Russian Olive (Eleagnus Angustifolia) 7mH, wide Eleagnus x Ebbingei 5mH, wide
Ocean Spray (Holodiscus Discolor) 5mH Medlar – Nottingham (Mespilus germanica) 6mH, 5mW
Pear – Moonglow (Pyrus Communis) 4.5MH (7.5mH?) New Zealand Flax (Phormium Tenax) 4mH, 3mW
Myrobalan (Prunus Cerasifera) 8mH, Quince – Meeches Prolific (Cydonia Oblonga) 4mH, 4mW
Nepal Pepper (Zanthoxylum Alatum) 4mH Siberian Pea Shrub (Caragana Arborescens) 6mH, 4mW
Oregon Tea (Ceanothus Sanguineus) 3mH Chinese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus Fortunei) 6mH, wide
Chinese Dogwood (Cornus Kousa Chinensis) 5mH, 3mW Blue sausage bean (Decaisnea Fargesii) 5mH, wide
Cherry Eleagnus (Eleagnus Multiflora) 3mH Witch Hazel (Hammamelis Virginiana) 5mH, wide
Juniper (Jiniperus Communis) 5mH Trifoliate Orange (Poncirus Trifoliata) 3mH, wide
Hop Tree (Ptelea Trifoliata) 8mH, 4mW Szechuan Pepper (Zanthoxylum Schinifolium) 4mH, wide
Brown Turkey Fig (Ficus Carica) 3-10mH Sweet Flowering Almond (Prunus Dulcis) 4-10mH
Firethorn (Pyracanthus Augustifolia) 4mH Native dog rose (Rosa canina)
Strawberry Trees (Elfin King, Rubra) Crittendon Crab apple (Malus pumila)
Hawthorns (Crataegus spp, Arnoldia etc) John Downie Crab apple.

‘Shrub layer’: currant and gooseberry bushes and Rosa rugosa; mostly shade tolerant (up to 3m)

Currants [Ribes spp] Berries [Rubus spp],
Chokeberries [Aronia spp], Barberries [Berberis spp],
Chinese dogwood [Cornus kousa chinensis], Oregon grapes [Mahonia spp],
New Zealand flax [Phormium tenax] Japanese bitter oranges [Poncirus trifoliata].
Dwarf quince Guelder rose
Goji berry (Lycium Barbarum) 3.5mH Black, red, white currant
Gooseberries Oregon grape,
Blackberries, Boysenberries,
Loganberry, Tayberry,
Cranberry Thimbleberry
Raspberries, Redcurrant,
Blackcurrants, Rhubarb,
Japonica Rose (for hips),
Boysenberry, Strawberries,
Broom (Cytisus Scoparius) 3mH Japanese Wineberry (Rubus Phoenicolasius) 3mH, 2mW
Oregon Grape (Mahonia Aquifolium) 1.5mH, 1mW Alpine Currant (Ribes Alpinum) 2mH, suckers
Ramanas Rose (Rosa Rugosa) 2mH, suckers Pineapple Guava (Acca Selowiana) 2mH
Black Chokeberry (Aronia Melanocarpa) 2.5mH, 3mW Blueberry – Bluecrop (Vaccinium Corymbosum) 2mH, wide
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus Stolonifera ‘Flaviramea’) 4mH, 4mW Nanking Cherry (Prunus Tomentosa) 2.5mH
Golden Currant (Ribes Aureum) 2mH Jostaberry (Ribes x Culverwellii) 3mH,2mW
Whitecurrant (Ribes.. ‘White Versailles’) 2mH, 1mW Corsican Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis 2mH
Blackcap (Rubus Leucodermis) 2mH Salmonberry (Rubus Spectabilis) 2.5mH, 2mW
Thornless Loganberry (Rubus Loganobacus) 3mH, scramb American Cranberry Bush (Viburnum Trilobum) 3mH, wide
Worcesterberry (Ribes Divaricatum) 2mH Shallon (Gaultheria Shallon) 1.8mH, suckers
Tree Lupin (Lupinus Arboreus) 3mH, wide

‘Herbaceous layer’: herbs and perennial vegetables; (1m+)

Bellflowers with edible leaves [Campanula spp], Comfreys [Symphytum spp],
Balm [Melissa officinalis], Mints [Mentha spp],
Sage [Salvia officinalis], Tansy [Tanacetum vulgare].
Campanulas (harebells) Garlic mustard
Chives Wild garlic
Angelica Horseradish
9 star broccoli Perennial kale
Fat hen Good king henry
Liquorice Chervil
Jerusalem artichoke Bergamot
Parsley Rhubarb
Oca Sage
Salad burnet Alexanders
Spinach Sweet Cicely,
Thyme Cuckoo flower
Lovage, Lemon Balm,
Garlic, Sweet violet
Fat hen, Lucerne,
Rosebay willowherb, Soapwort,
Wild garlic, Shallots,
Elecampane Feverfew,
Tree onion, Fennel
Land cress, Lambs lettuce,
Sage, Rosemary,
Purslane (claytonia), Coastal cabbage,
Jerusalem artichoke. Landcress
Corn salad Nasturtiums
Angelica (Angelica archangelica) Sea Beet (Beta Vulgaris Maritima)
Turkish Rocket (Bunias Orientalis) Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare Purpureum)
French Lavender (Lavandula Stoechas) Wild Lupin (Lupinus Perrennis)
Sweet Cicely (Myrris Odorata) Jacobs Ladder (Polemonium Caeruleum)
Sorrel (Rumex ‘Schavel’) Colewort (Crambe Cordifolia)

‘Ground-cover layer’: creeping plants such as rubus species; which form a living mulch for the ‘forest floor’

Wild gingers [Asarum spp], Alpine currant
Gaultheria spp, Carpeting brambles (eg. Rubus calycinoides & R.tricolor).
Rubus sp. Comfrey
Alpine strawberry Creeping dogwood (Cornus canadensis)
Lemon Balm, Mints.
Lucerne, Alfalfa (medicago sativa) Horse raddish,
Wild garlic, Feverfew
Chives, Lambs lettuce,
Thyme, Sorrel, Soapwort, French Scorzonera (Reichardia Picroides)
Daffodil Garlic (Allium Neopolitanum) Serbian Bellflower (Campanula Poscharskyana)
Siberian/Pink Purslane (Claytonia Sibirica) Seakale (Crambe Maritima ‘Lily White’)
Mitsuba (Crypto Taenia Japonica) Wintergreen (Gaultheria Procumbens)
Orpine (Sedum Telephium) Perpetual Spinach (Beta Vulgaris)
Himalayan Mayapple (Podophyllum Hexandernum) Arctic Bramble (Rubus Arcticus) 2mH
Nepalese Raspberry (Rubus Nepalensis) Creeping Raspberry (Rubus Pentalobus)
Tansy (Tanacetum Vulgare) Betty Ashburner (Rubus Betty Ashburner)
Creeping Bramble (Rubus Tricolor) Treacle Berry (Smilacina Stellata)
Strawberries (Fragaria Spp) Lingonberry (Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea)
Field Scabious (Knautia Arvensis) Mountain Sorrel (Oxyria Digyna)
Field Poppy (Papavar Rhoeas)

‘Rhizosphere’: shade-tolerant and winter root-plants;
Various beneficial fungi, mushrooms, can also be introduced into this layer.

[Glycyrrhiza spp] barberries [Berberis spp]
Horse radish, Sweet Cicely,
Garlic, Lovage,
Shallots, Elecampane
Tree onion, Oca (Oxalis tuberose)
Soapwort, Rosebay willowherb
Jerusalem artichoke. Welsh onion
Yacon (Polymnia edulis) Pignut (Bulbocastanum)
Kudza Vine

‘Vertical layer’: climbing berries, nasturtiums, runner beans and vines, trained up trees, over fences and over a shed; climbers and vines

Hardy kiwis [Actinidia spp], Grapes [Vitis spp].
Beans Nasturtiums
Ground nut (Apios americana), Sweet Tea Vine (Gymnostemma Pentaphyllum) 8mH
Golden Hop (Humulus Lupulus Aureus) Perennial Sweet Pea (Lathyrus Latifolius ‘Red Pearl’
Siberian Honeysuckle (Lonicera Caerulea Kamtchatka) 1.5mH Honeysuckle (Lonicera Ciliosa)
Honeysuckle (Lonicera Periclymenum Serotina) Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia Arguta)
Wood pea (Lathyrus Sylvestris) Boysenberry
Loganberry Wild bramble
Kudza Vine

Pond

Sweet flag, Flowering rush,
Golden saxifrage, Float grass,
Arrow head, Water mint,
Watercress Sweet Flag (Acorus Calamus)
Marsh Marigold (Caltha Palustris) Hornwort (Ceratophyllium Demersum)
Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium Cannabinum) Water Violet (Hottonia Palustris)
Purple Loostrife LYTHRUM SALICARIA Bulrush (Scirpus Lacustris)
Arrowhead (Sagittaria Sagittifolia)

Evergreen Hedging

Quercus Ilex, Eliagnus Spp,
Strawberry Tree, Monkey Puzzle Tree,
Eucalyptus. Yew


Notes: Some of the listed plants and trees come into the two layers, and some larger trees can be coppiced, or pruned to be lower.

Also: included are Pond, marsh plants, and Evergreen Hedging, shelter trees, which is especially important for wind shelter, which is the most important thing for the establishment and protection, and good growth of fruit trees.

For further information on these plants and trees, look at:

Ken Ferns book: Plants for a future.
Especially, the PFAF Plant database.
Robert Harts book: Forest Gardening.
Patrick whitefields book: How to make a Forest Garden
The Internet.


RISC ROOF
Some of the 140 species of useful plants on the RISC ROOF at Reading

Emmer Wheat - one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world.
Black bamboo - beautifully coloured, used for fabrication of ornate objects, many medicinal properties, edible, also a strong building material
Angelica root - together with lemon balm makes a great tonic to keep out those winter colds
Turkish Rocket plant - is a perennial & has been growing peppery salad leaves for years
Spikenard berries - edible, the roots of this plant are widely used in traditional North American herbal medicine
Maize - this amazing plant from Yucatan Mexico has become a staple crop to most of Latin America and Africa. Read more about Maize in this article from Worldwatch
Comfrey - this deep rooted plants has very rich leaves which when rotted makes the best plant food.
Ugni berries - on the Chilean Myrtle, really delicious fruit on a hardy shrub
Blue Sausage fruits - Decaisnea Fargesii, an edible ornamental chinese shrub.
Nasturtium - these common flowers actually originate from Peru. They are easy to grow and attract beneficial insects into the garden. Peppery and lovely to eat too!
Echincacea - a popular healing plant, widely used in the america's traditionally, it is antisceptic and is used to stimulate the immune system
Pineapple sage - this mexican shrub has fragrant leaves and flowers. They are added to drinks and salads
Wasabia - Japanese horseradish, a common spice in Sushi and other japanese dishes, hot
Solomon's Seal - a beautiful and useful plant
Thyme - versatile hardy herb, aides digestion
Nettle - this common plant has many uses, its edible and attracts beneficial insects to the garden
Medlar fruits - a common fruit in the English middle ages, nutritious and tasty
Lemon balm - a fragrant herb and soothing tonic, makes a lovely tea
Purple Sage - ever wondered why we have sage and onion stuffing with rich fatty meals? Many herbs actually help us digest our food and absorb the nutrients
St John's Wort - This common herb is an effective anti-depressant
Fennel Tonic herb - relieves bloating and flatulance, aniseed flavour
Potato Bean - Apios americana, with an edible tuber
False Spikenard - an unusual N American fruiting herb
Butterfly Lavender - with many traditional uses, such as in washing and as an insecticide
Black Mulberry - a delicious fruit - not to be confused with the White Mulberry, famed as food for silk worms
Chinese Yam - Attractive climber in autumn, it has an edible tuber
Spiney Pepper - Spicey seeds, also known as toothache tree. It fruited for thei first time here in 2005
Juneberry tree - Edible berry (ripe in June) with a hard useful wood. The bark taken as a tea kills intestinal worms
Lemon - This flowering citrus is overwintered in the greenhouse
Apple, Spartan. - A lovely desert apple
Kiwi vine - this is a hardy mini Kiwi, it is growing well but is yet to produce any fruit
Calendula - this long flowering ornamental marigold has been widely used since ancient times to heal minor cuts and bruises
Babbinton's leek - this perennial leek has a stronger taste than the annual, and is very easy to grow
Peach - this fruits well and enjoys a sunny position here against the railings.
Lovage
Welsh Onions Strawberries Tiger Iris Serpent Garlic Leek Flower Lemon Verbana Potato Flower
Red Current Artichoke Japanese Wineberries Blackcurrent Apios Americana Sea Holly Oregano
Day Lily-delicious Oca Oxalis Tiger Iris Hemercallis Stafford Wild Garlic
Blue Thistle
Yarrow Inula Elfwort Packweed Berries
Alecost Wild Banana Sea Kale
Phytolaccca Americana Beans Strawberry Tree
Apple Crabapple Garlic Chives
Sweet Potato Spartan Apple Cherry
Japanese Raisin Tree Mulberry

by Greenhouseon: 11th October 2011