I’m a seasoned front yard gardener, and novice front yard orchardist, growing southern pear and apple espalier trees in the Piedmont of North Carolina. I also grow figs, paw paws, some cold hardy lemons, and a Hana Gosho persimmon from Edible Landscaping.

I’m especially interested in growing fruit in small areas, such as my front yard. My backyard is a bamboo forest (not my choice, but impossible to eradicate completely) so the front yard is my only option. There are a number of trees that people say don’t do well in this area of the South, so I’m usually on here looking for heat and humidity tolerant varieties, and learning from other people’s experiences.

I have worked on farms at different times in my life, but am definitely not a scientist. I try to cultivate as much biodiversity as I can, and as a result, my garden tends to look a little weedy. My biggest influence, besides this very helpful online community, is The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillips.