Edible Gardens & Fruit Tree Orchards in Los Angeles
Grow food and habitat in the same garden.
Los Angeles is one of the best places in the country to grow fruit. Citrus, avocados, figs, pomegranates, guavas and persimmons all thrive here with the right design. Living Systems Studio creates edible gardens and backyard orchards that produce a harvest and support the wildlife around you. We pair fruit trees and vegetable beds with California native plants that bring in pollinators, build healthy soil, and keep water use in check.
What we design
Backyard orchards
From a few trees along a fence line to a small orchard, we choose varieties suited to your microclimate. That includes low-chill stone fruit and apples bred for LA's mild winters. We also plan spacing, pruning height, and harvest timing so you won't be buried in fruit all at once.
Edible gardens
& kitchen beds
Raised beds, herb gardens, and perennial food plants are placed where they get the sun they need and are easy to reach from the kitchen.
Edible natives
Many California natives are edible too: elderberry, currants, California blackberry, wild strawberry, sages, and wild grapes. We blend them in so your garden feeds you and local wildlife.
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Fruit trees need more water than native plants. We group plants by their water needs and set up drip irrigation for each zone, so thirsty trees get enough and natives aren't overwatered.
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Native flowering plants bring bees, hoverflies and butterflies close to your fruit trees, which helps pollination and keeps pests in check naturally.
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Mulch, compost and leaf litter build soil that holds water and feeds your trees without synthetic fertilizers.
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Your edible garden should be as beautiful as the rest of your landscape, all year round.
