Aspen forest

Some management and gardening in a high sierra aspen forest - a brief background with photos.

So, can a high altitude aspen forest be planted and co-exist with an edible landscape? Short answer, yes. For the long answer continue reading.

Background: With a little luck (actually the harder we work the luckier we get) we found ourselves a suitable homestead with an incredible backyard - and front!

The backyard was a wild aspen forest filled with multiple streams and creeks, 18 varieties of native wildflowers, and more trees and thorny rosebushes than I could shake a willow stick at.

First year - didn't touch a thing.

Second year - planted many fruit trees along the perimeter of the forest.

Third year - planted fruiting bushes along the perimeter.

Fourth year - bramble removal, some underbrush clearing, aspen limbing, planted shade tolerant fruiting bushes within the forest.

Fifth year - more fruiting bushes planted in forest along stream banks, took some photos of the wildflowers.

Sixth year - more fruit trees (almost out of room!) and a raspberry patch.

Seventh year - planning on more apples - they along with pears really shine up here.

Eighth year thru eighteenth year - nothing but eating going on... and chasing off bears!

Native plants and trees: currants, serviceberries, wild flowers, wild rose, aspen, willow, birch, dogwood, pine, and horsetail (as ground cover).

Edibles planted: apple trees, cherry trees, pears, plums, peach, apricot, currants, gooseberries, serviceberries, jostaberries, grapes, kiwis, chokecherries, strawberries, high-bush cranberry, sea berry, elderberries, blueberries, and herbs. Links to where we ordered below.

www.burntridgenursery.com - best value online that I've found, no frills catalog but their prices and quality of plants can't be beat.

www.raintreenursery.com - a bit more expensive, but a wider selection and a color catalog to drool over. Healthy plants too.

Our elevation is 7100 feet, summer highs to 95F, winter lows to -18F.

Enjoy the photos, when time permits I'll add captions with some more description.

The backyard still has plenty of thick ground cover, it is quite a chore to remove. Most of our wildflowers are found elsewhere throughout the Inyo National forest but at higher elevations. I believe the shade from the canopy of aspens allows the wildflowers to exist at our lower and hotter climate. Lots of water from the creek helps too!

In this photo above you can see a portion of our forest which has been cleared of rose thickets and other underbrush. Perfect for native wildflowers and fruit bushes. (Shade tolerant species preferred - though some sunlight makes it through)

Kelley's Tiger Lily

Lilium kelleyanum - Lily Family

Broad-Leaf Lupine

Lupinus polyphyllus - Pea Family

Bridge's Penstemon

Penstemon rostriflorus - Snapdragon Family

Sego Lily

Calochortus bruneaunis - Lily Family

Crimson Columbine

Aquilegia formosa - Buttercup Family

(with bug)

Richard's Geranium

Geranium richardsonii - Geranium Family

Wild Rose

Rosa woodsii - Rose Family

Kelley's Tiger Lily w/ moth

Desert Paintbrush and granite

Castilleja chromosa - Snapdragon family

Gooseberry

Chokecherry

Black Currant

White Currant

Stella Cherry - this tree actually has a name, Estella.