Designing an Enclosed Fruit Orchard

Working in the orchard, below, at a client's last week, edging fruit trees, their guilds, and a few vegetable patches.

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A young orchard it has finally grown into some maintenance issues.  Client mentioned earlier this year she sees her man mowing in the orchard so fast she's sure he's going to sling himself off the riding mower.  Aside from asking her to youtube it, I was thinking it might be fun to mow the orchard fast too, once.

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Parked my little work van just outside the gate, below. First time noticing this framed view.

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She hadn't put in the pasture fence or sheep barn when the orchard was built.

Wrote a note on my drawing board for the Orchard, Listen to the Genius of the Place.  

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Working at my desk, below, I heard a stadium full of people shouting bad ideas.  Sadly, they were all my own.  

Disgusted with rotten ideas, I said to the orchard, "What would David Hicks do?"  

(Hicks' gate, below, had already inspired the gate, top.)

Pic, above, from here.

Immediately, David Hicks answered, I was out of my chair placing flags/tape. taking his dictation.

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Hicks said to put flags/tape at the walls first, below.

David Hicks then said to place flags/tape at the fruit trees, below.

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  Spooky, below, just googled pics for David Hicks garden.

Pic, above, from here.  

Another surprise, above, from David Hicks garden.  Flying buttress.  I designed flying buttress into my client's Orchard after seeing them at an antebellum cotton warehouse in Atlanta, now a restaurant.

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Pic above, from, News From Nowhere, in David Hicks garden.

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Garden & Be Well,   XO Tara

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My pics taken last week.  Still abiding in our new garden.   Patiently waiting for layers of work to be completed, in proper order, before we can gravel the parking court, drives & lanes, finally shaping the pleasure garden, orchard, potager.  

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Orchards, historically, were enclosed for several reasons.  They allowed earlier & later harvests, extending growing seasons, and kept predators out.  Including people.

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Studying Sir Walter Scott's historic garden in England, was amazed to discover his orchard walls were double built.  Boilers placed at the corners distributed steam into the walls, adding length to growing seasons.