Will Harvill

Here is what hopefully some have been waiting for. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I9O-EjTj4IlBWuWM21h0txDr_NXvM9Ux/view?usp=sharing  I'm looking to put in more fruit-bearing perennials and maybe a couple edible flowers and vegetable perennials. If you have any suggestions, please leave a recommendation of what else I should put in this space.

Thank you, Stephen! I appreciate your kind words and great recommendations. I think I might just have to try some daffodils. They come up super early, too, so that's always another benefit.

For anyone interested in seeing a winter update and making some suggestions about what should be planted next, here is a Google Drive link to a video overview of the backyard as it currently looks:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19g0-w5u7_oP-IeX0ZgO5I2ETklaN6_iJ/view?usp=sharing
I'm hoping for suggestions about what multi-functional perennials should I place in the empty spaces I currently have. I need perennials that work well in zone 5b, preferably perennials that will benefit apple trees and then perennials that will work well on the southern side of the garage (toward the end of the video). Thank you in advance to anyone who might be able to offer ideas!

For anyone interested in seeing a winter update and making some suggestions about what should be planted next, here is a Google Drive link to a video overview of the backyard as it currently looks:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19g0-w5u7_oP-IeX0ZgO5I2ETklaN6_iJ/view?usp=sharing
I'm hoping for suggestions about what multi-functional perennials should I place in the empty spaces I currently have. I need perennials that work well in zone 5b, preferably perennials that will benefit apple trees and then perennials that will work well on the southern side of the garage (toward the end of the video). Thank you in advance to anyone who might be able to offer ideas!

Here's my 2018 Spring update. I apologize in advance for my impromptu narration, as it rambles in parts, and uses the conjunctive "but" too often, but (ha) I figured it was a good time to capture the scene. I didn't have time to cover everything that is planted, but when it's lighter outside, I'll get a more thorough walk through. Let me know if you have questions, interesting insights, or suggestions.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f2BWGOR7hgB6Dkre0MpjDX8099CAZwDI/view?usp=drivesdk

Here's my 2018 Spring update. I apologize in advance for my impromptu narration, as it rambles in parts, and uses the conjunctive "but" too often, but (ha) I figured it was a good time to capture the scene. I didn't have time to cover everything that is planted, but when it's lighter outside, I'll get a more thorough walk through. Let me know if you have questions, interesting insights, or suggestions.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f2BWGOR7hgB6Dkre0MpjDX8099CAZwDI/view?usp=drivesdk

Long time no write, all. I'm just circling back to this post to let you know that I anticipate recording and uploading a video update in the next week or so. The hugelkulture swale has exceeded my expectations after just a year. Once our severe rains die down, I will take a video to provide an overview of the system, detailing the perennials that have been added to what I hope becomes a regenerative system.

Thanks for the comments, Mike and Todd. As for my Mulberry, I have this particular one: https://www.jungseed.com/P/30940/Illinois+Everbearing+Mulberry and it indicates it doesn't grow as tall. Given its requirements, I think it will do well in its current location, but now that I have it in the ground, I am concerned about it staining the neighborhood purple with bird droppings. I might end up uprooting and relocating it, if it were to survive, to one of our garden sites in a different area, and putting this https://www.jungseed.com/P/20772/Nanking+Bush+Cherry in its place. This would provide the Cornelian Cherry Redstone Fruiting Dogwood next to it with more direct sunlight. The paw paws would get more as well then, but I'm gonna have to sleep on this one for a bit. After the annuals are done this season, I will put more fruit-bearing perennials-shrubs and vines-in the largest hugelkulture, which will finish off the first major development phase of the property. I am excited to see what is in store for it next, because I definitely want to increase the number of hardy kiwi vines and small deciduous berry bushes. I'll keep you posted if you all are interested in following this thread. I appreciate the feedback and insight. All the best - Will

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the kind words. One or two more fruits just emerged on the largest zucchini plant, but they still have a bit to go before eating. I will have to figure out what to make with them. I might try fries.
Yes, you are right about the paw paws, at least from what I have read and seen. My understanding is Southeastern WI is the border, but I have heard of a guy doing them further North. In this link  

Yes, you have a great sense of direction, even with my disorienting camera work. Hah! The paw paws are on the north end toward the northwest corner. The mulberry cultivar (Illinois Everbearing) grows between fifteen and twenty feet. It is shorter than the Cornelian cherry redstone fruiting dogwood, which grows north of it and should reach twenty feet. Both of these trees are west of the paw paws. Since the paw paws prefer to be understory trees and they will still get considerable a.m. direct sunlight from the rising sun in the east and the mid-day sun in the south, they should be okay. The two paw paws that are furthest west might eventually get shaded out from the south by an extra long lateral branch from the Cherry or Mulberry, but I can always trim those branches if need be.

Thanks for sharing the images of your raspberries and strawberries; it definitely looks like they have filled out the space provided to them! I gave my raspberries a little room to run, but I will definitely be vigilante and rein them in when they begin running elsewhere. The runners will be relocated to a community garden or sold at a farmers market. Any remaining survivors will be composted. I'm thinking my strawberries will serve as a ground cover understory, so I am hoping they spread out like yours. It would be great to harvest them every few days like you are. I'll have to see what your chokeberry looks like this time next year, because I just planted a Nero Aronia a few weeks back as a bare root. It budded and flowered within just a few weeks, which was incredible to see. I don't expect it to produce fruit next year, but I'm hoping it continues to establish itself along the edge of the hugelkulture. Thanks for the feedback and happy growing!

Happy growing to everyone. I'm just circling back with an update on this project. If you are interested in seeing a full tour of the backyard permaculture project, here it is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3HkpU13x-7fX25GaGNMQXIzRlk/view?usp=sharing I will be excited to see how this progresses and looks next year as this continues to establish itself and the hugelkulture swales begin to really break down, creating the conditions for increased microbial life and nutrient availability, among other things. If you have suggestions for what I could do to improve the system, I am definitely open to suggestions and exploring other's ideas. Thank you in advance to anyone who views the video in its entirety and provides constructive feedback. All the best. - Will