Plantpro & Sons are dedicated to enhancing New Zealand’s landscapes, weaving fruit trees seamlessly into the outdoor design. Nestled in Whangarei, we approach each project with a keen eye for balance—ensuring beauty and bounty coexist.
In the hands of our skilled team, a garden isn’t just a space; it’s a living, fruitful sanctuary echoing New Zealand’s natural splendor. We value the individual character of each landscape, nurturing spaces where fruit trees not only grow but flourish.
Join us in exploring landscapes where each tree, pathway, and feature is a step towards a haven of greenery and vitality, underlined by the touch of skilled craftsmanship and the lush offerings of nature.
The Concept of Edible Landscaping
Understanding Edible Landscaping
Edible landscaping is a gardening approach that beautifully combines aesthetic allure with the practical benefit of enjoying homegrown fruits. It’s a practice where visual appeal and daily bounty meet, offering homeowners not just a vibrant landscape but also a source of fresh, organic fruits.
Benefits of Edible Landscaping
- Aesthetic Variety: Fruit trees and bushes come in a range of colours, shapes, and sizes, offering a dynamic visual experience across seasons. The blossoming flowers in spring and the changing hues of leaves add to the garden’s visual appeal.
- Functional Use: The satisfaction of strolling through your garden and plucking fresh fruits is unparalleled. It’s not just a visual treat but a sensory experience, where the flavours of freshly harvested fruits can be enjoyed.
- Environmental Impact: Fruit-bearing plants, like all greenery, contribute to better air quality, biodiversity, and a reduced carbon footprint.
Merging Aesthetics with Functionality
In the world of edible landscaping, fruit trees and bushes can be integral. They can be strategically placed to enhance the visual appeal of gardens, while also providing shade and, of course, fruits. Whether you have a large yard or a small patch of green, there’s potential for incorporating fruit-bearing plants to make the space both beautiful and productive.
Choosing the Right Plants for New Zealand’s Climate
New Zealand’s Diverse Microclimates
The North Island of New Zealand is blessed with a variety of microclimates, making it a favourable environment for a range of fruit trees. From the warm, humid air in the north to the cooler, temperate zones further south, there’s a suitable niche for a variety of fruit species.
Fruit Trees Adapted to New Zealand’s Conditions
- Kiwifruit: This iconic fruit, synonymous with New Zealand, thrives in the mild winters and warm, humid summers characteristic of the North Island.
- Feijoa: The pineapple guava flourishes in many parts of the North Island, given its hardiness and love for sun.
- Passionfruit: With a preference for frost-free zones and abundant sunshine, passionfruit is an excellent choice for the warmer locales.
Adapting to Local Conditions
The key to a thriving edible landscape lies in selecting fruit trees adapted to the specific microclimate of your location. By understanding the local weather patterns, soil conditions, and temperature ranges, homeowners can choose species that will not only survive but thrive and produce abundantly.
The shifts in temperature, rainfall, and soil types across the North Island allow for the cultivation of a diverse array of fruit trees, each contributing to the visual and sensory appeal of your garden.
Design Principles for Edible Landscaping
Creating Fruitful Arrangements
Designing an edible garden is about more than planting fruit trees; it’s about creating a harmonious balance where aesthetic appeal and fruitful bounty coexist.
- Colour Coordination: Fruit trees offer a variety of colours and shapes. The blossoming flowers and the lush greenery of leaves can enhance any garden’s visual appeal.
- Texture and Form: Different fruit trees present diverse textures and forms. Integrating varied species adds depth and visual interest to the landscape.
- Height Dynamics: Utilising fruit trees of different heights can create a layered look, offering visual appeal and optimising space.
Integrating Fruit Trees
Fruit trees, with their seasonal blossoms and varied fruit types, can be central elements in your garden.
- Placement: Strategically placing fruit trees to optimise sun exposure, soil quality, and aesthetics. Consideration for growth patterns ensures each tree has adequate space to flourish.
- Companion Planting: While focusing on fruit trees, integrating companion plants that enhance growth, soil quality, or pest resistance can be considered.
Innovative Design Elements
- Orchard Design: For those with more space, creating a small orchard can be both aesthetically pleasing and productive.
- Espalier Trees: Training fruit trees to grow in patterns against walls or fences not only saves space but also adds a decorative element.
- Tree Placement: Considering sun exposure, soil type, and drainage to place trees where they’ll thrive while contributing to the garden’s overall design.
Sensory Appeal
Fruit trees offer visual beauty, the aroma of blossoms, and the tactile experience of harvesting. Each element contributes to the multi-sensory appeal of the garden.
Practical Tips and Maintenance
Soil Preparation for Fruit Trees
A thriving fruit garden begins with soil that is rich and well-prepared.
- Testing: Assess the soil’s pH and nutrient levels to ensure it is conducive for the growth of specific fruit trees.
- Organic Matter: Incorporate compost or well-rotted manure to enrich the soil, enhancing fertility and drainage.
- Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil quality as it breaks down over time.
Pruning and Training for Optimal Fruit Production
Regular pruning and training are crucial to the health and productivity of fruit trees.
- Shaping Trees: Annual pruning helps in shaping the trees, ensuring better air circulation and sunlight penetration, promoting healthier fruits.
- Training Branches: Guide the growth of branches to create a balanced, open canopy that allows for easy harvesting and maintenance.
Natural Pest Control for Fruit Trees
It’s essential to manage pests in ways that are effective yet safe for the fruit and the environment.
- Beneficial Insects: Encourage natural predators like ladybugs and lacewings to the garden to control pest populations.
- Physical Barriers: Use nets or row covers to protect fruit trees from birds and certain pests without resorting to chemicals.
Watering Practices
While fruit trees have diverse water needs, some general practices can support their health and productivity.
- Consistency: Most fruit trees benefit from deep, consistent watering schedules that encourage deeper root growth.
- Drip Irrigation: This system is efficient, conserving water while ensuring that the trees receive the moisture they need.
Track Construction & Accessibility: Crafting Navigable Edible Gardens
Pathways for Productive Gardening
With Plantpro & Sons at the helm, your edible garden becomes more than just a space for plants—it transforms into an accessible, easy-to-navigate haven. Proper track construction ensures not only accessibility for maintenance and harvest but also adds a touch of elegance to the overall landscape.
Planting with Purpose and History
Sourcing and Trends: Plantpro & Sons keeps a keen eye on trends, ensuring clients have access to what’s “on-trend.” Sourcing primarily from wholesale nurseries and occasionally growing to order ensures quality and adaptability, especially for large-scale projects.- A Nod to New Zealand’s History: Reflecting on colonial times, households in New Zealand once relied on mail orders, giving birth to the famed “cottage garden.” Today, with a deeper appreciation for the land, Plantpro & Sons aids in planting thousands of native New Zealand shrubs and trees like Manuka, Kanuka, Coprosma, and flax, echoing the land’s natural regeneration process.
Sourcing and Trends: Plantpro & Sons keeps a keen eye on trends, ensuring clients have access to what’s “on-trend.” Sourcing primarily from wholesale nurseries and occasionally growing to order ensures quality and adaptability, especially for large-scale projects.Laying the Foundation with Paving
In Northland’s predominant clay soils, the sub-soil’s mobility demands detailed attention to foundation preparation, especially for roads, paving, and buildings.
- Concrete Slabs: Ideal for domestic traffic, a 100mm thick slab ensures durability. While adding reinforcing steel might not entirely prevent cracks, it ensures the slab remains intact if they do occur. For heavier loads, the slab’s strength and thickness are adjusted accordingly.
- Paving Flexibility: Recognizing the inherent flexibility of paving, Plantpro & Sons prioritises foundation depth, starting at 100mm compacted gravel for domestic situations, with adjustments made based on load requirements. This meticulous approach applies to both sealing and hotmix surfaces, ensuring long-lasting integrity.
- Paving Options for Every Dream: Whether it’s a mowing strip, backyard patio, poolside paving, or stepping stones leading to a clothesline, Plantpro & Sons collaborates with renowned suppliers like Firth and Premier Pavers to realise every client’s unique vision.
With Plantpro & Sons, the journey from an edible garden concept to a fully accessible, aesthetic masterpiece is not only seamless but deeply rooted in New Zealand’s rich heritage and modern techniques. Clients can rest assured that every path laid and plant sowed is done with precision, passion, and a nod to the land’s legacy.
Conclusion: A Fruitful Journey with Plantpro & Sons
Creating a landscape that seamlessly blends the aesthetic grace of design with the natural bounty of fruit trees is an art and a science. Each fruit tree, with its blossoms and fruits, becomes a part of a living tapestry that not only beautifies your space but also offers the delightful experience of fresh, homegrown fruits.
At Plantpro & Sons, we’re privileged to be a part of your journey in turning this vision into reality. Every landscape designed and nurtured by us embodies the unique harmony of New Zealand’s stunning natural backdrop and the personalised touch of the homeowners. Our approach is grounded in a profound respect for the land and a commitment to bringing to life gardens where nature’s generosity is felt and relished.
Each fruit tree planted, each pathway constructed, and each design realised isn’t just a service rendered but a partnership formed. We walk with you from concept to completion, ensuring that your landscape is not just seen but also felt and experienced.
