Sweden's oldest forest garden?

Expectations were from the beginning quite high when I and three other plants interested Stjärnsundsbor would go to Medelpad in search of the elusive Loiko-walnut. We would visit Ove Johansson, who in the early 2000s somehow managed to get 100 hardy walnut seedlings from Belarus to Sweden. We knew that he was also interested in growing grapes and he had some hazel bushes that might be interesting. That we would find Sweden's probably both the oldest and largest forest garden none of us had anticipated.

On the way through Indalsälven beautiful valley we began to suspect that we were on the way to something special. The landscape is more reminiscent of Norway than Sweden. The finest farms have steep rock walls behind it to the north and endlessly long slopes with a few hundred meters height difference especially to the south and down toward Indalsälven. Everything indicated an exceptional microclimate in this valley.

Already in the small town of Indal we were met by a surprise. By chance we saw some walnut trees glimpse of a small park. It was Manchurian walnuts that had plenty of fruits. When we looked around, we discovered even hazel bushes, various apples, cherries, havtorn, quince and many edible and non-edible perennials. We had ended up in a pretty raised garden planted with trees, even if it consisted of more decorative plants and had straighter paths than what we were used to. We suspected that Ove Johansson had had their fingers in the pie and indeed it turned out that he was one of the initiators Indalspark the which was built 2003 in cooperation with the municipality.

When we began to approach us Ove and Margaret's house in Östloning we saw only a wall of greenery where the house would have been. Stately hazel bushes were dotted with nuts hanging out over the road. Vine poured over the bushes and behind hasslarna we saw great winds, echoes and even booking. In the ditch grew a walnut tree. The driveway led us into a hardwood forest that might have belonged in Southern Sweden, but certainly not in Medelpad.

During the dinner, explains Ove he began planting deciduous trees in the early 1970s when they bought the farm with their 10 ha mark. Over 2 have of what was open grasslands which has now turned into hardwood. It was "the dream of the South" as Ove express what was the driving force behind his creativity all these years. What is remarkable about the garden is that it does not really feel like an arboretum, it can easily do with other plant collectors. Ove explains that he has always thought in different layers: Tall trees, low trees, high bushes, low shrubs, herbs and ground cover. Just like in a forest garden then.

To create this garden has Ove collected seeds and plants from a variety of locations throughout the country. For him, it was about finding the hardiest and most well-adjusted oaks, Lönn, winds, soldiers, book and hazel bushes. These are the core of his garden, but there are also many exothermic and Ove cultivate both walnut, blackberry, mulberries and even figs in the open field. Climate change has been at Ove's page. Oaks, which previously could not put fruit in these parts, started to rejuvenate itself 1998 and everywhere we see small seedlings. His lifelong dream is to see the books start to set seed,, but so far they have not come so far. Most notable perhaps is that hasslarna is so tremendously productive at this high latitude.

In the next post: How Ove managed to get Sweden's best fruit set at its hazel bushes.