Garden and greenhouse experts study forest growth concept

15:46 19th March 2010

Welsh scientists are studying the benefits of mimicking a forest layer system when growing fruit and vegetables.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the Centre for Alternative Technology has picked up on a concept first floated by ecologist Robert Hart in the 1970s.

The idea is to grow food in layers with a view to using natural processes to maximise the benefits taken from the earth.

"You can take advantage of all the soil life such as mycorrhizal fungi, and the soil is also generally covered all the time, so you don't suffer erosion like you do with normal vegetable patches," garden designer Chloe Ward explained.

The top layer consists of fruit trees, which provide shelter for the middle section of berries grown around archways.

Underneath is the ground level, which is densely covered in salad leaves, garlic and sorrel to keep weeding requirements to a minimum.

Meanwhile, the RHS has revealed that UK scientists are helping to keep an endangered species of Vietnamese tree alive.