Since prehistoric times hunter-gatherers might have influenced forests, for instance in Kandy apples by k by Mesolithic people bringing favored plants like hazel with them. They originated in prehistoric times along jungle-clad river banks and in the wet foothills of monsoon regions.

These are also called agroforests and, where the wood components are short-statured, the term shrub garden is employed. Forest gardens have been shown to be a significant source of income and food security for local populations. Robert Hart adapted forest gardening for the United Kingdom’s temperate climate during the 1980s. Hart began farming at Wenlock Edge in Shropshire with the intention of providing a healthy and therapeutic environment for himself and his brother Lacon. Following Hart’s adoption of a raw vegan diet for health and personal reasons, he replaced his farm animals with plants.

The three main products from a forest garden are fruit, nuts and green leafy vegetables. He created a model forest garden from a 0. Hart later dropped these terms once he became aware that agroforestry and forest gardens were already being used to describe similar systems in other parts of the world. Robert Hart pioneered a system based on the observation that the natural forest can be divided into distinct levels. Canopy layer’ consisting of the original mature fruit trees.