We are not separate from the wild world. We are as wild as it is.

Roberty Guyton

Twenty years of nurture has gone into Robert and Robyn Guyton’s beautiful forest garden in South Island. Their 2-acres has been transformed from a barren plot covered in rubbish into an endless, living feast through permaculture. With over a hundred heritage fruit trees sheltering soft fruit bushes, wild root crops and culinary and medicinal herbs, and providing a framework for vine fruit, the garden is full of insects and birdlife. And food.

It has now reached a point where there is little ongoing work to be done. If Robert sees a potential problem, his tendency is to wait for nature to sort it out, which it invariably does. Cow Parsley is simply suppressed by crushing underfoot until the surrounding plants have a first chance at the sunshine.

This garden is your supermarket… and your chemist.

Robyn Guyton

Cover Photo by Rachael Holzman from Pexels