O
u t d o o r s
! ! ! ™
I
g a r d e n
S
ure, you’ve heard of picket fences. But
have you heard of pick-your-own fences?
When Roberta Brown Root and Randy
Hoehn of Seattle planted a living fence of
apple trees in their yard, they got more
than an attractive feature—they also got
an amazing small-space orchard.
Roberta and Randy planted the trees on a trellis system
that Randy designed. “We joined them like they were
holding hands,” says Roberta. They’re pruned and trained
(using a method called espalier) to grow horizontally as a
fence shape, called a cordon. This makes the fruit easy to
pick, not up and out of reach.
When the apples are ripe, Randy hauls out the cider press
and gives the grandkids the green light to pick. “They’re
just giddy,” says Randy. “We pick baskets full of apples, and
the kids throw them into the grinder.” Randy works the
cider press as everyone gathers close to see the first trickle
of liquid emerge and to taste the sweet flavors of another
season’s harvest.
TH E FAMILY TREE
Triple-tiered cordoned trees,
top,
provide the apples. Roberta and Randy's extended
family,
above,
puts the fruit to good use: baskets
heaped with kid-picked apples, pitchers of sweet fresh
cider, and Roberta’s applesauce spice cake.
122
SEPTEMBER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
