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Forest gardening doesn’t need acres or a cabin dream; it needs a clear purpose, one smartly chosen tree, and a layered understory that works as hard as it looks good. We sit down with permaculture designer and author Pippa Chapman to show how small, everyday gardens can deliver big yields, rich wildlife habitat, and year-round beauty without chemicals or overwhelm.

Pippa traces her move from conventional head gardener to organic, permaculture-led practice, revealing why values shape method: no herbicides, more observation, and design that treats maintenance as development. If you’ve ever felt “forest” means “too many trees,” this conversation flips the script. One canopy can unlock space for the real engine room—shrubs, herbs, perennial vegetables and groundcovers—so your beds offer colour, food and pollinators across the seasons. We dig into practical plant choices: Geranium “Rozanne” for a six-month nectar run, yarrow for first aid and insects, Taunton Deane kale for flavour and structure, Hablitzia as a climbing spinach, and currants, gooseberries and Japanese wineberries for preserves and snacks.

The heart of Pippa’s new book "Permaculture Planting Designs" is purpose-led design. Start with what you want—jams, herbal teas, craft fibres, or a pollinator corridor—then lift a ready-made themed plan or adapt it to your site. You’ll hear candid notes on which perennials taste great and which to skip, how to establish layers without letting bullies take over, and why small spaces benefit from a hands-on, light-touch rhythm: dense planting, timely edits, and simple tools instead of sprays. We also talk about her YouTube teaching and a new podcast for time-poor growers who want results without fuss.

If you’re ready to turn a tiny plot into a resilient, edible, beautiful ecosystem, this episode is your blueprint. Subscribe, share with a gardening friend, and leave a review with the first plant you’d add to your understory.

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Until next week
Happy gardening
John