28 Best Plants To Create A Thriving Forest Garden

Want to grow a low-maintenance, self-sustaining forest garden? Selecting the right plants for a forest garden is key! This guide covers the best trees, shrubs, and ground covers to help you create a thriving, food-producing ecosystem.

What is a Forest Garden?

A forest garden is a layered planting system that mimics a natural woodland. Instead of growing food in traditional rows, plants are selected and arranged in multiple layers—just like a natural forest. This approach maximizes space, reduces the need for maintenance, and creates a self-sustaining environment where plants support each other.

A well-designed forest garden includes a:

Canopy Layer
Low Tree Layer
Shrub Layer
Herbaceous Layer
Rhizosphere Layer
Soil Surface Layer
Vertical Layer

By selecting the right plants for each layer, you can create a thriving food forest that produces abundant harvests year after year.

*_{Source: Quercusrobur at the English-language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons}*

How to Create a Forest Garden

Building a forest garden starts with careful observation of your land, soil conditions, and climate.

The first step is to plant the tallest trees, followed by smaller trees, shrubs, and ground-level plants to fill out the space.

Over time, as the plants establish themselves, the garden becomes a self-regulating system, requiring little intervention beyond occasional pruning and harvesting.

Now, let’s dive into the best plants for each layer of your forest garden:

Canopy Layer (Tall Trees)

Mulberry

Mulberry trees are fast-growing and highly productive, producing sweet, juicy berries that both people and wildlife love. Their dense foliage provides shade and shelter, creating a microclimate that benefits other plants in the garden. Additionally, mulberries attract beneficial pollinators, helping to enhance overall biodiversity.

Chestnut

Chestnut trees are an excellent choice for a forest garden, producing starchy, nutrient-rich nuts that can be used in cooking or ground into flour. They grow into large, majestic trees that provide valuable shade and wind protection for lower layers. Once established, chestnut trees can live for centuries, offering a long-term, sustainable food source.

Black Walnut

Black walnut trees produce delicious and nutritious nuts, but they also release juglone, a compound that can inhibit the growth of certain plants. Because of this, they should be placed carefully in a forest garden, alongside juglone-tolerant species such as elderberry and pawpaw. Despite this challenge, black walnut trees are highly valuable, as they provide food, wood, and shade.

Oak

Oak trees are long-lived, sturdy trees that support a vast range of wildlife, including birds, insects, and mammals. They produce acorns, which, after proper processing, can be ground into nutrient-rich flour. Beyond food production, oak trees help improve soil quality by shedding organic matter that nourishes the forest floor.

Low Tree Layer (Small Trees & Large Shrubs)

Apple

Apple trees are one of the most well-known fruit trees, producing a wide variety of delicious apples for fresh eating, cider, or preservation. They attract pollinators, which improves fruit production and benefits other plants in the garden. By selecting multiple varieties, you can extend your harvest season from summer to late fall.

Hazelnut

Hazelnut trees are hardy, adaptable, and fast-growing, making them a fantastic addition to a forest garden. They produce protein-rich nuts, which are high in healthy fats and antioxidants. Additionally, hazelnuts form dense thickets, providing natural habitat and shelter for birds and beneficial insects.

Serviceberry

Serviceberries are ornamental and productive, offering sweet, blueberry-like fruit in early summer. The tree’s white spring blossoms attract pollinators, making it an excellent choice for increasing biodiversity. Serviceberries are low-maintenance and thrive in various soil types, making them a resilient food source.

Persimmon

Persimmons are cold-hardy fruit trees that produce sweet, orange fruit in late fall. They are particularly valuable because their fruit ripens when most other fruits have already been harvested. With deep roots that help stabilize soil and improve drainage, persimmons are a great long-term investment for a food forest.

Shrub Layer

Blackcurrant

Blackcurrants are high in vitamin C and are used in jams, teas, and syrups. They grow well in partial shade, making them a perfect understory shrub in a forest garden. In addition to their nutritious berries, blackcurrants improve soil health by adding organic matter as they shed leaves.

Elderberry

Elderberries are prized for their medicinal benefits, often used in syrups and immune-boosting remedies. The fast-growing shrubs provide dense cover for wildlife while attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies. Once established, elderberries require minimal care and thrive in various conditions.

Gooseberry

Gooseberries are low-maintenance fruiting shrubs that produce tart, antioxidant-rich berries. They thrive in shady conditions, making them ideal for filling gaps in a food forest. Their thorny branches also provide a natural deterrent against animals and pests.

Rugosa Rose

Rugosa roses are hardy, disease-resistant shrubs that produce fragrant flowers and edible rose hips. The hips are rich in vitamin C and can be used to make tea, syrups, and jams. These roses also serve as natural hedgerows, acting as windbreaks and protecting other plants.

Herbaceous Layer

Shot of the wild strawberries in a forest garden.

Wild Strawberry

Wild strawberries form a low-growing ground cover while producing sweet, miniature berries. They help suppress weeds and retain moisture, benefiting the soil and nearby plants. Unlike commercial strawberries, wild varieties are incredibly hardy and self-sustaining.

Comfrey

Comfrey is a nutrient-accumulating powerhouse, drawing minerals from deep within the soil. Its leaves make excellent fertilizer and mulch, enriching the garden naturally. Additionally, comfrey’s purple flowers attract pollinators, increasing biodiversity in the ecosystem.

Yarrow

Yarrow is a medicinal and pollinator-friendly plant that thrives in various conditions. Its deep roots help break up compacted soil, improving drainage and aeration. Additionally, yarrow’s strong scent repels pests, making it a great companion plant.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable known for its tart, delicious stalks. It grows well in cool climates and requires minimal maintenance once established. The large leaves help shade the soil, reducing evaporation and supporting moisture retention.

Rhizosphere Layer (Root Crops)

Garlic

Garlic is a low-maintenance root crop that repels pests while enriching the soil with sulfur compounds. It grows well beneath fruit trees and shrubs, acting as a natural companion plant that helps prevent disease. With its culinary and medicinal uses, garlic is an essential plant for any productive garden.

Jerusalem Artichoke

Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, are a perennial root crop that produces nutty, flavorful tubers. They are extremely easy to grow and thrive in poor soil conditions, making them a resilient addition to a forest garden. Their tall sunflower-like stalks provide additional habitat for pollinators and add beauty to the landscape.

Horseradish

Horseradish is a hardy perennial root crop that adds a spicy kick to meals and supports soil health. Its deep roots help break up compacted soil, allowing air and water to penetrate deeper layers. Additionally, horseradish is known for its antifungal properties, which can help protect nearby plants from disease.

Dandelion

Often seen as a weed, dandelion is actually a highly valuable medicinal and edible plant. Its deep taproot pulls up nutrients from the subsoil, improving overall soil fertility. Both the leaves and roots are rich in vitamins and minerals, making them a nutritious addition to teas, salads, and herbal remedies.

Soil Surface Layer (Ground Cover)

Creeping Thyme

Creeping thyme is a low-growing, aromatic herb that acts as a natural ground cover, suppressing weeds. It thrives in poor soil conditions, making it an excellent choice for pathways and open spaces in a forest garden. When in bloom, its tiny purple flowers attract pollinators, enhancing the ecosystem.

Clover

Clover is a nitrogen-fixing ground cover that improves soil fertility while preventing erosion. It spreads quickly, creating a lush, green carpet that helps retain moisture in the soil. Additionally, clover flowers provide a valuable food source for bees and other pollinators.

Sweet Woodruff

Sweet woodruff is a shade-loving ground cover that thrives under trees and shrubs. It has delicate white flowers that add beauty to the garden while emitting a pleasant fragrance. Traditionally used as an herbal remedy, sweet woodruff also acts as a natural mulch, suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture.

Oregano

Oregano is a hardy, drought-resistant herb that serves as both a ground cover and a useful culinary plant. Its strong scent helps repel pests, making it a great companion plant in a food forest. Additionally, oregano’s small purple flowers attract beneficial insects, supporting biodiversity.

Vertical Layer (Climbers & Vines)

Passionflower

Passionflower is a beautiful climbing vine known for its exotic flowers and medicinal properties. It thrives in a variety of conditions, making it a versatile addition to any forest garden. Its fruit, known as passionfruit, is both delicious and highly nutritious, adding to the diversity of edible crops.

Grapevine

Grapevines are vigorous, productive climbers that provide sweet fruit while adding vertical interest to a garden. They can be trained along fences, arbors, or trees, maximizing space without competing heavily with other plants. In addition to their fruit, grapevines offer dense foliage that provides shade and habitat for wildlife.

Hardy Kiwi

Hardy kiwi is a cold-tolerant vine that produces small, smooth-skinned kiwis packed with vitamin C. Unlike traditional kiwis, hardy kiwis are more resilient and easier to grow, making them ideal for temperate climates. Once established, they provide abundant fruit with minimal maintenance.

Hops

Hops are fast-growing vines commonly used in brewing, but they also offer medicinal benefits and habitat for beneficial insects. They grow vigorously and can quickly cover trellises, fences, or trees, providing vertical greenery and shade. Additionally, hops have natural antibacterial properties, making them a useful plant for home remedies and herbal teas.

Conclusion

Creating a thriving food forest garden starts with selecting the right plants that work together to build a balanced, self-sustaining ecosystem. By layering trees, shrubs, herbs, and ground covers, you can maximize biodiversity, improve soil health, and enjoy an abundant harvest with minimal upkeep.

Over time, your forest garden will become a resilient, regenerative space that supports wildlife while providing food year after year. Start planting today, and watch as your carefully chosen plants transform your landscape into a productive and sustainable paradise!