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- D.I.Y. hurdles
- Unusual tree and shrub species grown
- Unusual fruit grown
- The Importance of BEES for fruit
Britannia Coconutters
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Uses for Trees

Many trees have uses which were once commonplace but have been largely forgotten, such as ropemaking from species such as lime. Others have uses which are becoming ever more applicable in the modern world, such as biomass production from willow species. This is a fascinating subject, and at Gawmless End we are growing many different varieties out of interest, to see which do best and might therefore have a place in the modern version of hillfarming.

Edible Uses

There are many trees and shrubs which produce fruit or nuts, or products such as oil from these, which are delicious raw or when processed, eg. for jam. Some trees produce edible saps, others edible leaves. Still others can be managed as useful forage crops for livestock.

We have several varieties of apple, pear, plum and cherry growing on, and a productive range of red- white- and blackcurrants, gooseberries and hybrid and other berries. Berry shrubs seem to do exceptionally well here with minimal attention, apart from the nurturing of any plant which provides nectar or pollen around their flowering time (in order to attract and encourage bees to pollinate the berry bushes). Different sorts of nut trees, including pine nuts and edible acorn varieties, are also present - see our unusual trees pages.

Other Uses

  • Trees can be grown as a crop in themselves, for timber, biomass, or basketry. Many trees and shrubs were formerly important for uses such as ropemaking or in medicinal preparations.
  • Trees and shrubs can represent a valuable soil stabilizing or windbreak resource, enabling adjacent crops, including grass and other fodder crops, to grow better.
  • Some trees fix nitrogen in the soil, which directly benefits adjoining crops, or enrich it by taking up scarce minerals and other nutrients from deep in the soil, where more shallow-rooted plants cannot reach them, and making them available through its leaves when they fall in autumn. Where particular soils are known to be poor in particular minerals, judicious planting of particular accumulator species of trees and shrubs can help redress this vital balance (indeed, in a Forest Garden setting, tree species and numbers are carefully chosen to obviate entirely any need for application of specific soil additives).
  • In careful plantings the benefit to surrounding soils is greater than any disadvantage such as shading by mature trees. Livestock benefits from both the improved shelter, and from improved forage quality and quantity.