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Current interest in forest or woodland garden designs reflects an awareness that permanent mixed plantings are inherently more sustainable than annual monocultures. They safeguard and enrich soil ecosystems, enable plants to form cooperative combinations, make use of layers above and below the soil, and create benign microclimates which soften winds and recycle the rain. The challenge is productivity: how can yields of useful foods and other useful materials be maximised? The latest book from Plants For A Future is a resource for discovering some of the answers.
Edible Perennials provides detailed information, attractively presented, on 50 selected perennial plants, based on practical experience and observation, plus a wide range of reputable sources. All these plants yield edible produce: roots, tubers, seeds, oils, fruits, stems, flowers, or leaves, and many have other useful properties, which are also described. For each entry, the descriptive text is augmented by summary information panels covering various attributes such as natural habitat, cultivation needs, the nutritional value of edible parts, and potential uses within woodland garden designs.
We have included some more unusual species that may not be well known to growers interested in trying out different food crops and new designs for their plots. The book also has a reference table of the key characteristics of nearly 400 other perennials, to help readers to identify plants that meet their particular requirements.
Plants for a Future is a charity providing a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants. The main aims of the charity are researching and providing information on ecologically sustainable horticulture, promoting a high diversity, holistic and permacultural approach namely 'woodland gardening'. The aim is to use a minimal input of resources and energy, create a harmonious eco-system and cause the least possible damage to the environment whilst achieving high productivity. Plants for a Future develop and administer the online pfaf.org edible and medicinal plant database which includes information on approximately 7,000 useful plants. Plants for a Future believe plants can provide people with the majority of their needs, in a way that cares for the planet's health. A wide range of plants can be grown to produce all our food needs and many other commodities, whilst also providing a diversity of habitats for our native flora and fauna.
