Edible forest designed for 6th Ward Park

Helena is the first city in Montana to design an edible forest garden, which will be located at the 6th Ward Park.

This coming week Dave Jacke, a national leader this type of garden design and author of “Edible Forest Gardens,” will lead a Helena workshop, July 9-14,  with 33 people from around the country who will help design the new park.

Edible forest gardens mimic the structure and function of forest ecosystems through all their stages of development and grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, ‘farmaceuticals’ and fun.

Jacke gives a public talk 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. The cost is $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

To register go to www.insideedgedesigners.com/register.

Jacke’s talk will introduce the vision of forest gardening with scientific background and a sampling of useful perennial edibles you can grow in your garden.

The 6th Ward Park is a 1.1-acre piece of land behind the HATS Bus Station on Montana Avenue, between Gallatin and Bozeman avenues.

St. Paul’s is located at the corner of Cruse and Lawrence.