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and gooseberries are close relatives and have similar cultural requirements. They are susceptible to a disease that is harbored in pines, so try not to grow them near pine trees. While neither is good for fresh eating, currants make tasty jelly and juices, while tangy gooseberries are great for pie.

Honeyberry is a little-known shrubby form of honeysuckle that grows pendular blue berries. It grows well in partial shade, allowing the homeowner to grow food even in shady parts of the yard.

TREES
Dwarf or semi-dwarf fruit trees are just the right size for most suburban yards and are easier to care for than full-sized trees.Organic pest control is much easier for the homeowner with just a few trees than for the farmer with acres of orchard to care for. Most familiar fruits - peaches, cherries, nectarines, apricots, apples, and pears - are available in dwarfed forms. Apples and pears have flexible wood that lends itself well to espaliered growth. An "apple fence" made up of apples espaliered on horizontal wires between posts makes a great boundary to the kitchen garden. Genetic dwarf peaches and nectarines grow shrub-sized, rarely over six feet tall, making them great landscaping plants.

THE FOREST GARDEN
To put it all together, permaculturalists often create a forest garden. The canopy layer is provided by dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees and vines on tall trellises, set toward the north end of the garden. Below the canopy are the taller shrubs and cane berries. Some, such as honeyberry, can grow in the shade beneath the trees, while currents and blueberries do fine around the edges, even in partial shade. Asparagus and artichokes reach the size of tall shrubs, but will need to be in full sun. At the feet of the shrubs come perennial herbaceous crops such as strawberries and rhubarb, and the many culinary herbs. Interplant with flowering shrubs and perennials to attract pollinators and other beneficial insects, and you'll have a fully-functioning, interdependent ecosystem that supplies your table with food while it benefits wildlife.

Learn more about this author, Karen Bledsoe.
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