By Amelia Glynn

Even if you live in the heart of the concrete jungle, it’s still possible to carve out a sliver of soil to call your own. With a little plant know-how and some creativity you can turn that empty window box, large flower pot or sad strip of grass by your driveway into a beautiful and functional “food forest.”

Food forests are edible landscapes modeled after the natural layers of a forest. Trees, shrubs, perennials, groundcovers and vines grow together in one place where each plant layer has enough space — above and below ground — to thrive. Rather than organizing plants into segregated rows, a food forest lets you play with height and variety — pairing fruit trees with lettuces or strawberries underneath, and then throwing in some artichokes, potatoes, an errant tomato plant and a handful of herbs. (Kids especially love foraging through these unconventional “forests” for the hidden treasures they hold.) The best part is that they can be planted in postage-stamp-sized plots and produce an abundance of nourishment — both aesthetically and gastronomically speaking.

Fruit trees are commonly used to form the upper canopy, while berries grow beneath as the shrub layer, herbs or lettuces create the groundcover, and vines (such as grapes or kiwi) climb the tree. If you are land-challenged, a wine barrel can provide the perfect home for your food forest. (Plus it’s mobile in case you move — just be sure to attach wheels or handles before you plant.)

Penny Livingston-Stark, a permaculture expert who lives with her husband James live in the middle of their own “garden of Eden” in Bolinas, California, recommends a combination of the following plants for each layer:

Canopy: apricot, plum, apple, lemon, or pear trees
Shrubs: pineapple guava, rhubarb, artichokes, asparagus, currents, raspberries, or gooseberries.
Ground cover: strawberries, lettuces or chard, or calendula and other edible flowers — pansies, nasturtiums, and violets.

For smaller flower boxes, she recommends planting an assortment of herbs including dill, basil, chives, parsley and rosemary. Strawberries are also a good choice.

For more information about food forests or other permaculture practices, visit regenerativedesign.org for a list of classes.