The Miyawaki Forest
1850 Riverside Dr
Glendale, CA 91201
Established:
2021
Size:
1,000 sq. ft
Designed by:
Seed to landscape
Features:
Cool little path
Experimental planting methods
Best time to visit:
All year
While the Micro Forest does not have the spectacular blooming plants that some of our other spaces have, the experience of suddenly being transported into another world is fun anytime. Spring brings blooms from the Elderberries, toyons and coffee berries which then turn into beautifully colored berries that feed so much wildlife.
The Miyawaki Forest is surprisingly magical. This little island of forest in the sea of lawn covers only 1,00 square feet, but it feels like a completely different location. The forest is filled with Mexican elderberry, lemonade berry, California wild rose, mugwort, climbing penstemon and coastal live oak. Ninety precent of these plants were collected from Griffith Park and started in the Commonwealth Nursery.
Planted in June of 2021, the Miyawaki Forest was created by the executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Carolyn Ramsay, the president of the Hancock Garden Club, Michaela Burschinger, and the program manager of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Katherine Pakradouni, and was planted by volunteers. The forest originally was planted with 145 plants planted two feet apart. It was important not to place plants of similar species or heights next to each other and to avoid making rows. This helps create healthy competition between the plants and accelerates the growing process.
The forest is bisected by a decomposed granite path. Walking down the path is a short but intense experience as
Planted in June of 2021, the Miyawaki Forest was created by the executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Carolyn Ramsay, the president of the Hancock Garden Club, Michaela Burschinger, and the program manager of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Katherine Pakradouni, and was planted by volunteers. The forest originally was planted with 145 plants planted two feet apart. It was important not to place plants of similar species or heights next to each other and to avoid making rows. This helps create healthy competition between the plants and accelerates the growing process.
The forest is bisected by a decomposed granite path. Walking down the path is a short but intense experience as
visitors suddenly enter a beautiful world filled with dappled sunlight, lizards, bugs and ground squirrels.
The forest is organized according to plant height. A map of the planted layers can be found here. In its first year of life the forest was dominated by fast small fast growing plants. Many of which are often found in disturbed areas, like sacred datura, black american nightshade and pitseed goosefoot (these plants as they do not appear on any of the maps most likely volunteered themselves).
“As time goes on, these will be slowly out-competed by the coast live oaks as it becomes a mature forest.”
These plants are now mostly all gone, save for a few sacred daturas that are growing on the edges. It is now the time of the shrubs and smaller trees. Elderberries, toyons, coffee berries and lemonade berries have created a thicket and the perfect beginning of an understory. As time goes on, these will be slowly out-competed by the coast live oaks as it becomes a mature forest.
The Miyawaki Method was developed by Japanese botanist, Akira Miyawaki, in the 1980s. he method uses densely planted native trees and shrubs to create a multi-story micro forest. The density encourages plants to grow faster and create stronger mycorrhiza connections.
The plot is monitored, watered and weeded for the first two years and then it becomes self-sufficient. This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings. There is said to be a huge increase in biodiversity and this can help restore depletion after destructive deforestation.
The plot is monitored, watered and weeded for the first two years and then it becomes self-sufficient. This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings. There is said to be a huge increase in biodiversity and this can help restore depletion after destructive deforestation.
The Miyawaki Method has been used all over the world, in over 15 different countries, and now there is a micro forest in Griffith Park.
“This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings.”
There are plans to create other micro forests in other parts of the city, specifically in urban areas that currently have no biodiversity, and then to monitor the micro forest for its impact on the area.
More Information
Opening Hours:
6AM – 10 PM
The Miyawaki Forest
1850 Riverside Dr
Glendale, CA 91201
Established:
2021
Size:
1,000 sq. ft
Designed by:
Seed to landscape
Features:
Cool little path
Experimental planting methods
Best Time to visit:
All year
While the Micro Forest does not have the spectacular blooming plants that some of our other spaces have, the experience of suddenly being transported into another world is fun anytime. Spring brings blooms from the Elderberries, toyons and coffee berries which then turn into beautifully colored berries that feed so much wildlife.
The Miyawaki Forest is surprisingly magical.This little island of forest in the sea of lawn covers only 1,00 square feet, but it feels like a completely different location. The forest is filled with Mexican elderberry, lemonade berry, California wild rose, mugwort, climbing penstemon and coastal live oak. Ninety precent of these plants were collected from Griffith Park and started in the Commonwealth Nursery.
Planted in June of 2021, the Miyawaki Forest was created by the executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Carolyn Ramsay, the president of the Hancock Garden Club, Michaela Burschinger, and the program manager of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Katherine Pakradouni, and was planted by volunteers. The forest originally was planted with 145 plants planted two feet apart. It was important not to place plants of similar species or heights next to each other and to avoid making rows. This helps create healthy competition between the plants and accelerates the growing process.
The forest is bisected by a decomposed granite path. Walking down the path is a short but intense experience as
Planted in June of 2021, the Miyawaki Forest was created by the executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Carolyn Ramsay, the president of the Hancock Garden Club, Michaela Burschinger, and the program manager of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Katherine Pakradouni, and was planted by volunteers. The forest originally was planted with 145 plants planted two feet apart. It was important not to place plants of similar species or heights next to each other and to avoid making rows. This helps create healthy competition between the plants and accelerates the growing process.
The forest is bisected by a decomposed granite path. Walking down the path is a short but intense experience as
visitors suddenly enter a beautiful world filled with dappled sunlight, lizards, bugs and ground squirrels.
The forest is organized according to plant height. A map of the planted layers can be found here. In its first year of life the forest was dominated by fast small fast growing plants. Many of which are often found in disturbed areas, like sacred datura, black american nightshade and pitseed goosefoot (these plants as they do not appear on any of the maps most likely volunteered themselves).
“As time goes on, these will be slowly out-competed by the coast live oaks as it becomes a mature forest.”
These plants are now mostly all gone, save for a few sacred daturas that are growing on the edges. It is now the time of the shrubs and smaller trees. Elderberries, toyons, coffee berries and lemonade berries have created a thicket and the perfect beginning of an understory. As time goes on, these will be slowly out-competed by the coast live oaks as it becomes a mature forest.
The Miyawaki Method was developed by Japanese botanist, Akira Miyawaki, in the 1980s. The method uses densely planted native trees and shrubs to create a multi-story micro forest. The density encourages plants to grow faster and create stronger mycorrhiza connections.
The plot is monitored, watered and weeded for the first two years and then it becomes self-sufficient. This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings. There is said to be a huge increase in biodiversity and this can help restore depletion after destructive deforestation.
The plot is monitored, watered and weeded for the first two years and then it becomes self-sufficient. This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings. There is said to be a huge increase in biodiversity and this can help restore depletion after destructive deforestation.
The Miyawaki Method has been used all over the world, in over 15 different countries, and now there is a micro forest in Griffith Park.
“This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings.”
The design of the garden was heavily influenced by Jan Smithen’s book “Sun-Drenched Gardens: The Mediterranean Style”. It was originally designed as a more water-wise and “climate appropriate” mediterranean garden. As the garden has grown and aged, it has shifted to placing more importance on native plants and increasing biodiversity.
More Information
Opening Hours:
6AM – 10 PM
The Miyawaki Forest
1850 Riverside Dr
Glendale, CA 91201
Established:
2021
Size:
1,000 sq. ft
Designed by:
Seed to landscape
Features:
Cool little path
Experimental
planting methods
Best Time to visit:
All year
While the Micro Forest does not have the spectacular blooming plants that some of our other spaces have, the experience of suddenly being transported into another world is fun anytime. Spring brings blooms from the Elderberries, toyons and coffee berries which then turn into beautifully colored berries that feed so much wildlife.
The Miyawaki Forest is surprisingly magical. This little island of forest in the sea of lawn covers only 1,00 square feet, but it feels like a completely different location. The forest is filled with Mexican elderberry, lemonade berry, California wild rose, mugwort, climbing penstemon and coastal live oak. Ninety precent of these plants were collected from Griffith Park and started in the Commonwealth Nursery.
Planted in June of 2021, the Miyawaki Forest was created by the executive director of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Carolyn Ramsay, the president of the Hancock Garden Club, Michaela Burschinger, and the program manager of the Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Katherine Pakradouni, and was planted by volunteers. The forest originally was planted with 145 plants planted two feet apart. It was important not to place plants of similar species or heights next to each other and to avoid making rows. This helps create healthy competition between the plants and accelerates the growing process.
The forest is bisected by a decomposed granite path. Walking down the path is a short but intense experience as visitors suddenly enter a beautiful world filled with dappled sunlight, lizards, bugs and ground squirrels.
“As time goes on, these will be slowly out-competed by the coast live oaks as it becomes a mature forest.”
The forest is organized according to plant height. A map of the planted layers can be found here. In its first year of life the forest was dominated by fast small fast growing plants. Many of which are often found in disturbed areas, like sacred datura, black american nightshade and pitseed goosefoot (these plants as they do not appear on any of the maps most likely volunteered themselves).
These plants are now mostly all gone, save for a few sacred daturas that are growing on the edges. It is now the time of the shrubs and smaller trees. Elderberries, toyons, coffee berries and lemonade berries have created a thicket and the perfect beginning of an understory. As time goes on, these will be slowly out-competed by the coast live oaks as it becomes a mature forest.
The Miyawaki Method was developed by Japanese botanist, Akira Miyawaki, in the 1980s. The method uses densely planted native trees and shrubs to create a multi-story micro forest. The density encourages plants to grow faster and create stronger mycorrhiza connections.
The plot is monitored, watered and weeded for the first two years and then it becomes self-sufficient. This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings. There is said to be a huge increase in biodiversity and this can help restore depletion after destructive deforestation.
The Miyawaki Method has been used all over the world, in over 15 different countries, and now there is a micro forest in Griffith Park.
“This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings.”
The design of the garden was heavily influenced by Jan Smithen’s book “Sun-Drenched Gardens: The Mediterranean Style”. It was originally designed as a more water-wise and “climate appropriate” mediterranean garden. As the garden has grown and aged, it has shifted to placing more importance on native plants and increasing biodiversity.
The plot is monitored, watered and weeded for the first two years and then it becomes self-sufficient. This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings. There is said to be a huge increase in biodiversity and this can help restore depletion after destructive deforestation. The Miyawaki Method has been used all over the world, in over 15 different countries, and now there is a micro forest in Griffith Park.
“This method has provided interesting results. The dense plantings are said to produce mature forests in 20 years as opposed to the 200 year timeline of traditional forest plantings.”
The design of the garden was heavily influenced by Jan Smithen’s book “Sun-Drenched Gardens: The Mediterranean Style”. It was originally designed as a more water-wise and “climate appropriate” mediterranean garden. As the garden has grown and aged, it has shifted to placing more importance on native plants and increasing biodiversity.
More Information
Opening Hours:
6AM – 10 PM