Edible structure in every zone, ornamental at the street
The balanced option. A layered food forest: fruit trees anchor Zones A, D, F and H; deer-resistant berry shrubs form a protective collar in the front zones; herbaceous companions carry the bloom season from April to frost. Low-maintenance species only, with the owner's Zone A request honoured by putting an Asian pear on the street-facing (south) side of Zone A.
- Plants
- 183
- Approx. budget
- $5,106
- Your rating
- 5
Overview
Blueprint
Budget
Maximum edibility and browse resistance, minimum pruning
The hardiest option. Every front-zone plant is either extremely deer resistant or protected by thorny or dense neighbours, and the edible payload is pushed into berries, currents, gooseberries and herbs rather than into tender fruit trees. Zone G becomes a perennial asparagus bed, and the backyard leans on pawpaw, plum and hazelnut with a heavier understory.
- Plants
- 201
- Approx. budget
- $5,457
- Your rating
- —
Overview
Blueprint
Budget
Fewer plants, more natives, near-zero maintenance
The lowest-maintenance option and the most wildlife-friendly. The palette is almost entirely native to the Cincinnati bioregion: serviceberry, American plum, pawpaw, hickory, hazelnut, nannyberry, arrowwood, spicebush and native perennials. Fruit trees are fewer, the front zones lean on large native shrubs, and Zone G becomes a low-mow native strip instead of a lawn.
- Plants
- 173
- Approx. budget
- $4,517
- Your rating
- —
Overview
Blueprint
Budget