Compare the three drafts

Same property, same zones, three planting strategies. Totals are planning estimates in USD and exclude delivery and any bulk mulch or compost purchased separately.

	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
Approach	Edible structure in every zone, ornamental at the street	Maximum edibility and browse resistance, minimum pruning	Fewer plants, more natives, near-zero maintenance
Deer strategy	Every front-zone planting is inside a deer-resistant shrub or perennial collar; the fruit trees are wrapped and staked for their first three seasons, which is also the window the temporary fencing stays up.	No tender species in Zones A-E without a physical barrier: thorny gooseberry and currant rows on the Zone E edge, aronia and viburnum collars elsewhere, and the fig wrapped and fenced until it is 6 ft tall.	Native species chosen for their tolerance of browse: large-bracted species such as serviceberry and pawpaw regenerate from root suckers, and the shrub layer is dense enough to protect the herbaceous planting inside it.
Canopy / nut trees	17	18	13
Shrubs and berries	23	37	30
Herbaceous and groundcover	138	142	129
Total plants	183	201	173
Estimated fruit yield, year 5	550 lb/yr	748 lb/yr	480 lb/yr
Estimated fruit yield, mature (year 8+)	731 lb/yr	960 lb/yr	618 lb/yr
Estimated flowers per season, mature garden	20,718	23,472	20,274
Plant cost	$2,308	$2,485	$2,025
Materials and installation	$2,334	$2,476	$2,081
Estimated total	$5,106	$5,457	$4,517
Your rating	5 of 5	—	—
Your notes	more gooseberries	—	—
	Blueprint Budget	Blueprint Budget	Blueprint Budget

Estimated fruit yield year by year

Pounds of fruit per year as the plantings establish. The mature figure is reached around year 8 after installation and holds there in a good year. Estimates only.

Year after planting	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
Year 1	54 lb	82 lb	58 lb
Year 2	165 lb	238 lb	162 lb
Year 3	281 lb	399 lb	263 lb
Year 4	414 lb	576 lb	371 lb
Year 5	550 lb	748 lb	480 lb
Year 6	641 lb	860 lb	549 lb
Year 7	686 lb	910 lb	583 lb
Year 8	731 lb	960 lb	618 lb
Year 9	731 lb	960 lb	618 lb
Year 10	731 lb	960 lb	618 lb

Year after planting

Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest

Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs

Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden

Year 1

54 lb

82 lb

58 lb

Year 2

165 lb

238 lb

162 lb

Year 3

281 lb

399 lb

263 lb

Year 4

414 lb

576 lb

371 lb

Year 5

550 lb

748 lb

480 lb

Year 6

641 lb

860 lb

549 lb

Year 7

686 lb

910 lb

583 lb

Year 8

731 lb

960 lb

618 lb

Year 9

731 lb

960 lb

618 lb

Year 10

731 lb

960 lb

618 lb

What drives the numbers

Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest — fruit and flower breakdown

54 fruiting plants, mature output 731 lb/yr. 183 flowering plants, about 20,718 flowers per season.

Breakdown by layer

Layer	Fruit lb/yr (mature)	Flowers/season (mature)
canopy	452	6,115
shrub	181	4,577
herbaceous	0	8,774
groundcover	98	1,252

Fruit detail

Fruiting plant	Type	Qty	lb/plant at maturity	Total lb/yr
Callery Pear (Asian Pear)	tree	2	40	80
Pawpaw	tree	2	35	70
Peach	tree	2	30	60
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	shrub	5	10	50
Apple 'Enterprise'	tree	1	50	50
Apple (Honeycrisp type)	tree	1	50	50
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	tree	2	20	40
Sweet Cherry	tree	2	20	40
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	shrub	4	8	32
Chicago Hardy Fig	tree	2	15	30
Hardy Kiwi	vine	1	30	30
Aronia 'Viking'	shrub	3	9	27
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	shrub	2	12	24
Strawberry 'Honeoye'	groundcover	8	3	24
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	groundcover	6	3	18
Blackberry	vine	2	8	16
White Imperial Currant	shrub	2	7	14
American Hazelnut	tree	1	12	12
Elderberry 'Adams'	shrub	1	12	12
Elderberry 'Marge'	shrub	1	12	12
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	tree	1	12	12
Autumn Olive / Goumi	shrub	1	10	10
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	vine	1	10	10
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	tree	1	8	8

Flower detail

Flowering plant	Type	Qty	Bloom	Flowers/plant	Total
Comfrey	herb	7	May, Jun, Jul, Aug	260	1,822
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	shrub	5	May, Jun	240	1,200
Sweet Cherry	tree	2	Apr, May	529	1,057
Hardy Geranium 'Rozanne'	perennial	8	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct	121	964
Pawpaw	tree	2	Apr, May	459	918
Peach	tree	2	Mar, Apr	391	782
Coreopsis (Tickseed)	perennial	8	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct	92	738
Callery Pear (Asian Pear)	tree	2	Apr	336	673
Yarrow	perennial	8	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep	77	615
Woodland Sage	perennial	13	May, Jun, Jul	46	599
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	shrub	4	Apr, May	137	546
Apple 'Enterprise'	tree	1	Apr, May	529	529
Apple (Honeycrisp type)	tree	1	Apr, May	529	529
Witch Hazel	shrub	1	Oct, Nov, Dec	471	471
Russian Sage	perennial	3	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep	141	424
Purple Coneflower	perennial	9	Jun, Jul, Aug	46	415
Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'	perennial	10	Sep, Oct	40	402
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	tree	2	Apr	196	391
Carolina Allspice (Sweetshrub)	shrub	1	May, Jun, Jul	360	360
Thyme	herb	3	May, Jun, Jul	120	360
Butterfly Bush	shrub	1	Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct	340	340
Coral Bells	perennial	10	May, Jun, Jul	33	326
American Hazelnut	tree	1	Feb, Mar	325	325
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	tree	1	Apr, May	325	325
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	tree	1	Feb, Mar	325	325
Autumn Olive / Goumi	shrub	1	May, Jun	314	314
Common Sage (Culinary)	herb	3	May, Jun	105	314
Elderberry 'Adams'	shrub	1	Jun, Jul	314	314
Elderberry 'Marge'	shrub	1	Jun, Jul	314	314
Rough Goldenrod	perennial	6	Aug, Sep, Oct	46	277
Chicago Hardy Fig	tree	2	Jun	131	261
Bee Balm	perennial	4	Jun, Jul, Aug	60	241
Cliffbrush Locust (Rose Acacia)	shrub	1	May, Jun	240	240
Oregano	herb	2	Jun, Jul, Aug	120	240
Strawberry 'Honeoye'	groundcover	8	May, Jun	30	240
Aronia 'Viking'	shrub	3	May	68	205
English Lavender 'Hidcote'	perennial	4	Jun, Jul	50	200
New England Aster	perennial	4	Sep, Oct	50	200
Hardy Kiwi	vine	1	May, Jun	195	195
Hardy Kiwi (male pollinizer)	vine	1	May, Jun	195	195
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	groundcover	6	Apr, May	30	180
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	shrub	2	May	85	170
Barrenwort	groundcover	5	Apr, May	30	150
Plantain Lily	perennial	3	Jul, Aug	50	150
Chives	herb	4	Apr, May	35	139
Spearmint	herb	1	Jul, Aug	130	130
Canadian Wild Ginger	groundcover	4	Apr, May	30	120
White Imperial Currant	shrub	2	May	52	104
Wild Columbine	perennial	3	Apr, May, Jun	33	98
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	vine	1	May, Jun	92	92
Blackberry	vine	2	May, Jun	40	80
Blue False Indigo	perennial	1	May, Jun	71	71
Creamy False Indigo (leadplant)	perennial	1	Jun, Jul	50	50

Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs — fruit and flower breakdown

87 fruiting plants, mature output 960 lb/yr. 201 flowering plants, about 23,472 flowers per season.

Breakdown by layer

Layer	Fruit lb/yr (mature)	Flowers/season (mature)
canopy	501	6,362
shrub	311	6,889
herbaceous	60	9,169
groundcover	88	1,052

Fruit detail

Fruiting plant	Type	Qty	lb/plant at maturity	Total lb/yr
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	shrub	8	10	80
Callery Pear (Asian Pear)	tree	2	40	80
Shagbark Hickory	tree	2	40	80
Pawpaw	tree	2	35	70
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	shrub	5	12	60
Asparagus	perennial	15	4	60
Peach	tree	2	30	60
Apple 'Enterprise'	tree	1	50	50
Apple (Honeycrisp type)	tree	1	50	50
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	tree	2	20	40
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	shrub	5	8	40
Aronia 'Viking'	shrub	4	9	36
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	tree	3	12	36
Strawberry 'Honeoye'	groundcover	10	3	30
Black Currant 'Consort'	shrub	3	8	24
Blackberry	vine	3	8	24
Elderberry 'Adams'	shrub	2	12	24
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	groundcover	8	3	24
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)	shrub	2	10	20
Chicago Hardy Fig	tree	1	15	15
American Hazelnut	tree	1	12	12
Elderberry 'Marge'	shrub	1	12	12
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	vine	1	10	10
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	tree	1	8	8
Nannyberry Viburnum	shrub	1	8	8
White Imperial Currant	shrub	1	7	7

Flower detail

Flowering plant	Type	Qty	Bloom	Flowers/plant	Total
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	shrub	8	May, Jun	240	1,920
Comfrey	herb	6	May, Jun, Jul, Aug	260	1,562
Hardy Geranium 'Rozanne'	perennial	10	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct	121	1,205
Russian Sage	perennial	7	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep	141	989
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	tree	3	Feb, Mar	325	975
Pawpaw	tree	2	Apr, May	459	918
Shagbark Hickory	tree	2	May	392	784
Peach	tree	2	Mar, Apr	391	782
Asparagus	perennial	15	May, Jun	50	750
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	shrub	5	Apr, May	137	683
Callery Pear (Asian Pear)	tree	2	Apr	336	673
Elderberry 'Adams'	shrub	2	Jun, Jul	314	627
Apple 'Enterprise'	tree	1	Apr, May	529	529
Apple (Honeycrisp type)	tree	1	Apr, May	529	529
Woodland Sage	perennial	11	May, Jun, Jul	46	507
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)	shrub	2	Feb, Mar	240	480
Cliffbrush Locust (Rose Acacia)	shrub	2	May, Jun	240	480
Thyme	herb	4	May, Jun, Jul	120	480
Witch Hazel	shrub	1	Oct, Nov, Dec	471	471
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	shrub	5	May	85	425
Common Sage (Culinary)	herb	4	May, Jun	105	418
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	tree	2	Apr	196	391
Yarrow	perennial	5	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep	77	384
Purple Coneflower	perennial	8	Jun, Jul, Aug	46	369
Buttonbush	shrub	1	Jun, Jul, Aug	360	360
Carolina Allspice (Sweetshrub)	shrub	1	May, Jun, Jul	360	360
Oregano	herb	3	Jun, Jul, Aug	120	360
American Hazelnut	tree	1	Feb, Mar	325	325
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	tree	1	Apr, May	325	325
Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'	perennial	8	Sep, Oct	40	321
Elderberry 'Marge'	shrub	1	Jun, Jul	314	314
Strawberry 'Honeoye'	groundcover	10	May, Jun	30	300
Rosemary	herb	1	Mar, Apr, May	276	276
Aronia 'Viking'	shrub	4	May	68	273
Bee Balm	perennial	4	Jun, Jul, Aug	60	241
Nannyberry Viburnum	shrub	1	May, Jun	240	240
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	groundcover	8	Apr, May	30	240
Blue False Indigo	perennial	3	May, Jun	71	212
Chives	herb	6	Apr, May	35	209
Black Currant 'Consort'	shrub	3	May	68	205
English Lavender 'Hidcote'	perennial	4	Jun, Jul	50	200
New England Aster	perennial	4	Sep, Oct	50	200
Plantain Lily	perennial	4	Jul, Aug	50	200
Barrenwort	groundcover	6	Apr, May	30	180
Rough Goldenrod	perennial	3	Aug, Sep, Oct	46	138
Chicago Hardy Fig	tree	1	Jun	131	131
Canadian Wild Ginger	groundcover	4	Apr, May	30	120
Blackberry	vine	3	May, Jun	40	120
Wild Columbine	perennial	3	Apr, May, Jun	33	98
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	vine	1	May, Jun	92	92
White Imperial Currant	shrub	1	May	52	52
Creamy False Indigo (leadplant)	perennial	1	Jun, Jul	50	50

Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden — fruit and flower breakdown

53 fruiting plants, mature output 618 lb/yr. 173 flowering plants, about 20,274 flowers per season.

Breakdown by layer

Layer	Fruit lb/yr (mature)	Flowers/season (mature)
canopy	346	4,977
shrub	214	7,782
herbaceous	0	6,643
groundcover	58	872

Fruit detail

Fruiting plant	Type	Qty	lb/plant at maturity	Total lb/yr
Pecan	tree	2	60	120
Shagbark Hickory	tree	2	40	80
Red Mulberry	tree	2	25	50
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	groundcover	16	3	48
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	tree	2	20	40
Nannyberry Viburnum	shrub	5	8	40
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	tree	3	12	36
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	shrub	4	8	32
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)	shrub	3	10	30
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	shrub	2	12	24
Elderberry 'Adams'	shrub	2	12	24
Elderberry 'Marge'	shrub	2	12	24
Apple Serviceberry	shrub	2	8	16
Serviceberry (multi-stem form)	shrub	2	7	14
American Hazelnut	tree	1	12	12
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	shrub	1	10	10
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	vine	1	10	10
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	tree	1	8	8

Flower detail

Flowering plant	Type	Qty	Bloom	Flowers/plant	Total
Hardy Geranium 'Rozanne'	perennial	10	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct	121	1,205
Nannyberry Viburnum	shrub	5	May, Jun	240	1,200
Red Mulberry	tree	2	Apr, May	600	1,200
Yarrow	perennial	14	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep	77	1,076
Apple Serviceberry	shrub	2	Apr, May	510	1,021
Pecan	tree	2	May	488	976
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	tree	3	Feb, Mar	325	975
Cliffbrush Locust (Rose Acacia)	shrub	4	May, Jun	240	960
Shagbark Hickory	tree	2	May	392	784
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)	shrub	3	Feb, Mar	240	720
Elderberry 'Adams'	shrub	2	Jun, Jul	314	627
Elderberry 'Marge'	shrub	2	Jun, Jul	314	627
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	shrub	4	Apr, May	137	546
Rough Goldenrod	perennial	11	Aug, Sep, Oct	46	507
Serviceberry (multi-stem form)	shrub	2	Apr, May	240	480
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	groundcover	16	Apr, May	30	480
Thyme	herb	4	May, Jun, Jul	120	480
Witch Hazel	shrub	1	Oct, Nov, Dec	471	471
Purple Coneflower	perennial	9	Jun, Jul, Aug	46	415
New England Aster	perennial	8	Sep, Oct	50	400
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	tree	2	Apr	196	391
Woodland Sage	perennial	8	May, Jun, Jul	46	369
Smooth Blue Aster	perennial	9	Sep, Oct	40	362
Buttonbush	shrub	1	Jun, Jul, Aug	360	360
Carolina Allspice (Sweetshrub)	shrub	1	May, Jun, Jul	360	360
American Hazelnut	tree	1	Feb, Mar	325	325
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	tree	1	Apr, May	325	325
Common Sage (Culinary)	herb	3	May, Jun	105	314
Russian Sage	perennial	2	Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep	141	282
Bee Balm	perennial	4	Jun, Jul, Aug	60	241
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	shrub	1	May, Jun	240	240
Oregano	herb	2	Jun, Jul, Aug	120	240
Creamy False Indigo (leadplant)	perennial	4	Jun, Jul	50	200
Barrenwort	groundcover	6	Apr, May	30	180
Chives	herb	5	Apr, May	35	174
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	shrub	2	May	85	170
Plantain Lily	perennial	3	Jul, Aug	50	150
Coral Bells	perennial	4	May, Jun, Jul	33	131
Canadian Wild Ginger	groundcover	4	Apr, May	30	120
Wild Columbine	perennial	3	Apr, May, Jun	33	98
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	vine	1	May, Jun	92	92

Compare a zone across drafts

Pick a zone to see the common names and quantities planted in that zone in each draft, side by side.

Zone

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	1	2
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)			1
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)		3	2
Aronia 'Viking'	3	4
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry			1
Blue False Indigo		3
Callery Pear (Asian Pear)	2	2
Carolina Allspice (Sweetshrub)			1
Chicago Hardy Fig	1
Coral Bells	3
Coreopsis (Tickseed)	4
Creamy False Indigo (leadplant)			2
English Lavender 'Hidcote'	4	4
Nannyberry Viburnum			2
Rough Goldenrod			3
Smooth Blue Aster			4
Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'	4	4
Woodland Sage	4	5	3
Yarrow	4		5

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)			1
Autumn Olive / Goumi	1
Buttonbush		1	1
Carolina Allspice (Sweetshrub)	1	1
Coreopsis (Tickseed)	4
Creamy False Indigo (leadplant)	1	1	2
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'			1
Nannyberry Viburnum		1	1
New England Aster			4
Purple Coneflower	4	3	4
Rough Goldenrod	3	3
Russian Sage	3	4	2
Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'	3
Woodland Sage	4
Yarrow	4	5	4

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	1	2	1
Aronia 'Nero' (black chokeberry)	2	2
Chives	4	6	5
Comfrey	2	2
Common Sage (Culinary)	3	4	3
Elderberry 'Adams'			1
Elderberry 'Marge'			1
Oregano	2	3	2
Rosemary		1
Spearmint	1
Strawberry 'Earliglow'			10
Strawberry 'Honeoye'	8	10
Thyme	3	4	4
White Imperial Currant		1

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Cranberrybush Viburnum	3	4
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)		1
Apple Serviceberry			1
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry	1	1
Bee Balm	4	4	4
Blue False Indigo	1
Butterfly Bush	1
Chicago Hardy Fig	1	1
Coral Bells	4		4
Hardy Geranium 'Rozanne'	4	5	5
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'		1
Nannyberry Viburnum			2
New England Aster	4	4	4
Purple Coneflower	5	5	5
Rough Goldenrod	3		3
Russian Sage		3
Serviceberry (multi-stem form)			2
Stonecrop 'Autumn Joy'	3	4
Woodland Sage	5	6	5

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Hazelnut (multi-stem shrub form)		1	2
Barrenwort	5	6	6
Black Currant 'Consort'		3
Canadian Wild Ginger	4	4	4
Comfrey	2
Coral Bells	3
Gooseberry 'Amish Red'	4	5	4
Hardy Geranium 'Rozanne'	4	5	5
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'		1	1
Plantain Lily	3	4	3
White Imperial Currant	2
Wild Columbine	3	3	3
Witch Hazel	1	1	1

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)			1
Apple 'Enterprise'	1	1
Apple (Honeycrisp type)	1	1
Blackberry	2	3
Cliffbrush Locust (Rose Acacia)			2
Comfrey	3	4
Elderberry 'Adams'	1	2	1
Elderberry 'Marge'	1	1	1
Peach	2	2
Red Mulberry			2
Shagbark Hickory			1
Strawberry 'Earliglow'	6	8	6
Sweet Cherry	2

Plant	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
Asparagus	15
Rough Goldenrod		5
Smooth Blue Aster		5
Yarrow		5

Plant	Draft 1 - Balanced Food Forest	Draft 2 - Deer-Proof Berries and Kitchen Herbs	Draft 3 - Native Woodland Garden
American Hazelnut	1	1	1
American Plum (Chickasaw Plum)	2	2
Apple Serviceberry			1
Cliffbrush Locust (Rose Acacia)	1	2	2
Grape 'Mars' (table grape)	1	1	1
Hardy Kiwi	1
Hardy Kiwi (male pollinizer)	1
Hazelnut 'Jefferson'	1	1	1
Pawpaw	2	2
Pecan			2
Shagbark Hickory		2	1

How these estimates are calculated

Fruit yield

Each plant's `lbs` figure is its mature annual fruit output; new plantings reach it over time.
Fruit yield ramps with an establishment curve per plant type (trees bear slowly, berry shrubs bear quickly).
Totals assume every planting survives and establishes, in a good year, with no frost, hail or wildlife losses.
Figures are potential yield before any losses to deer, birds or insects.

Flower estimate

The plant library records bloom months, not flower counts, so the flower total is a derived estimate.
Flowers per plant per season = bloom months x a per-type base x a size factor based on mature spread.
Treat the figure as a planning-scale comparison between drafts, not a botanical count of blooms.

Every fruit and flower figure on this page is a planning estimate for comparison between drafts. Confirm actual yields with the nursery and with your own records as the garden matures.