Are you one of those who enjoys walking through the forest, listening to the singing of the birds or watching them flit through the trees? If you love to sit leaning your back on a log, sheltered by a wide and dense canopy, see how the plants react to the passing of the seasons, ... in short, be in direct contact with nature, you should know that you can have a garden with a forest look.
Of course, several things must be taken into account, since the available space will be decisive when designing it. But if you want to create a miniature forest, you are sure to enjoy working with it, and even more when it is finished 😉.
There is nothing more beautiful than being surrounded by plants. The benefits they have for us are many, since they help us reduce stress, allow us to breathe pure air, and also, when exposed to the Sun the body can produce an optimal amount of vitamin D, without which we could not have the strong bones and good health.
If we take this into account, we will have reasons to want to create a small forest. But the question is: how?
Analyze your soil
It is the first thing to do. It is very important to know what texture have; Yes it is acidic, alkaline or neutral; how is your sewer system; if it is compact or light ... Collecting this information will save you headaches, as well as money, because you can choose the plants that will grow best in these conditions.
Think that if you plant, for example, a japanese maple in clay soil, it will suffer from iron chlorosis. Also, very compact and / or heavy soils could strangle the roots. So don't hesitate to study the land you have, and take action if necessary.
Calculate the space you have available
It is possible to have a miniature forest on a small plot of land, but only if the available area is taken into account at all times. And it is that although it does not seem like it at first, in this type of gardens there must be a certain order: you do not have to plant plants without rhyme or reason, putting them where they fit, no; what you have to do is plant them in areas where they will be able to develop normally, without causing problems or discomfort to others.
For this reason, you have to calculate how many meters are available, because based on that you can choose what type of trees and plants you are going to buy. For that, and to make it easier for you, you should know that more or less 4 trees should be planted for every 9 meters. If it goes well, in a few years the canopy of the plants will be so dense that sunlight will not be able to pass through it, which will be perfect for your forest, as the soil will remain humid for longer.
Choose the trees
Image - Flickr / Elliott Brown
The next step is to choose the trees that will make up the forest. Depending on the climate of the area and your soil, as well as the space you have, you can grow one or the other. In general, species that do not grow much and / or do not have invasive roots, such as Citrus, Prunus, love tree, or the flowering dogwood.
Whenever you have doubts, I recommend you take a look at the trees that grow in your area, because those will be the species that will be best given to you in your forested garden.
Combine deciduous species with perennials
One of the most beautiful things that a forest has is the diversity of plants: there are deciduous and evergreen, with showy flowers and others that are not so. Do not hesitate therefore to plant deciduous trees with others evergreen.
You will have shade all year round, and also the earth will remain healthy, since the leaves that fall when decomposing will release the nutrients that have been used to produce them
Attract wildlife
Once you have your plants in place, It is time to make your future forest an attractive place for insects, birds, etc. Get or make a hotel for insects and put it in a corner, or put several nests of different sizes and shapes with drinkers and feeders next to them so that the birds can approach them and start using them.
Take care of your plants with organic in order to avoid damaging the life that little by little you will have in your forest.
Let the forest emerge naturally
This is the most difficult step. Letting nature take its course can be tricky. You have to be very patient and respect the plant cycleWell, if this is not done, it will be difficult to have a forest on your site.
Be careful, this does not mean that you do not have to do anything else once the plants are planted. You have to take care of them, and this will involve eliminating the herbs that are growing next to them, because if they are not removed, they could suffocate them. But once the trees have reached their final size, it will not be as necessary to remove the undergrowth, it could even be left to make it look more natural.
I hope it has been useful to you 🙂.