Robert Hart (horticulturist) - Revision history

Evan692365: improved citations to improve readability as per guidelines

2026-02-19T14:12:09Z

improved citations to improve readability as per guidelines

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:42, 19 February 2026
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	[[Image:Robert Hart (horticulturist).jpg\|thumb\|250px\|Robert Hart pictured in his forest garden, July 1997]]		[[Image:Robert Hart (horticulturist).jpg\|thumb\|250px\|Robert Hart pictured in his forest garden, July 1997]]
	'''Robert Adrian de Jauralde Hart''' (1 April 1913 – 7 March 2000) was an English pioneer of [[forest gardening]] in [[Temperateness\|temperate zones]]. He created a model forest garden from a 0.12 acre (500 m²) orchard on his farm.<ref name=Forest>{{cite book\|title=Forest Gardening\|~~author~~=Robert ~~Hart~~\|year=1996\|~~page~~=45\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N01940btQAQC&q=forest%20gardening%20robert%20hart%20simple%20living&pg=PA45\|isbn=9781603580502}}</ref> He credits the inspiration for his work to an article by James Sholto Douglas, which was in turn inspired by the work of [[Toyohiko Kagawa]].<ref name=Forest/~~><sup>(page 41)</sup~~>		'''Robert Adrian de Jauralde Hart''' (1 April 1913 – 7 March 2000) was an English pioneer of [[forest gardening]] in [[Temperateness\|temperate zones]]. He created a model forest garden from a 0.12 acre (500 m²) orchard on his farm.<ref name=Forest>{{cite book \|title=Forest Gardening \|last=Hart \|first=Robert \|year=1996 \|pages=41, 45 \|publisher=Chelsea Green \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N01940btQAQC&q=forest%20gardening%20robert%20hart%20simple%20living&pg=PA45 \|isbn=9781603580502}}</ref> He credits the inspiration for his work to an article by James Sholto Douglas, which was in turn inspired by the work of [[Toyohiko Kagawa]].<ref name=Forest/>

	==Early life==		==Early life==
	Hart, son of a lawyer father and a [[soprano]] mother, was born in London and educated at [[Westminster School]], after which he was employed at [[Reuters]] news agency in charge of special Indian mails, work which involved compiling digests of weekly articles by [[Mahatma Gandhi]], whose nonviolence philosophy he took on board.

	At the outbreak of [[World War II]] he considered registering as a [[conscientious objector]] but changed mind following [[Operation Dynamo\|retreat from Dunkirk]] in 1940 and enlisted in the [[Royal Military Police\|Corps of Military Police]], later transferring to the [[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)\|Intelligence Corps]] to work in code-breaking.		Hart, son of a lawyer father and a [[soprano]] mother, was born in London and educated at [[Westminster School]], after which he was employed at [[Reuters]] news agency in charge of special Indian mails, work which involved compiling digests of weekly articles by [[Mahatma Gandhi]], whose nonviolence philosophy he took on board.<ref name=Guardian>{{cite web\|title=Obituary - Robert Hart\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,178796,00.html Obituary\|website=theguardian.com\|access-date=19 February 2026}}</ref>

			At the outbreak of [[World War II]] he considered registering as a [[conscientious objector]] but changed mind following [[Operation Dynamo\|retreat from Dunkirk]] in 1940 and enlisted in the [[Royal Military Police\|Corps of Military Police]], later transferring to the [[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)\|Intelligence Corps]] to work in code-breaking.<ref name=Guardian/>

	After demobilisation, he was a dairy farmer in [[Norfolk]] and [[Somerset]] before moving to [[Shropshire]] where he took on a smallholding on [[Wenlock Edge]].		After demobilisation, he was a dairy farmer in [[Norfolk]] and [[Somerset]] before moving to [[Shropshire]] where he took on a smallholding on [[Wenlock Edge]].

	==Wenlock Edge==		==Wenlock Edge==

	Robert Hart began with a [[smallholding]] called Highwood Hill farm at Wenlock Edge. His intention was to provide a healthy and therapeutic environment for himself and his brother Lacon, who was born with severe [[learning disabilities]].		Robert Hart began with a [[smallholding]] called Highwood Hill farm at Wenlock Edge. His intention was to provide a healthy and therapeutic environment for himself and his brother Lacon, who was born with severe [[learning disabilities]].

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	==Forest garden project==		==Forest garden project==

	[[Image:Forestgarden2.jpg\|thumb\|Robert Hart's forest garden in Shropshire, England]]		[[Image:Forestgarden2.jpg\|thumb\|Robert Hart's forest garden in Shropshire, England]]
	Noting the maxim of [[Hippocrates]] to "make food your medicine and medicine your food", Hart adopted a [[veganism\|vegan]], 90% [[raw veganism\|raw food diet]]. The three main products from a forest garden are fruit, nuts and [[Leaf vegetable\|green leafy vegetables]].<ref>{{cite book\|title=How to Make a Forest Garden\|author=Patrick Whitefield\|year=2002\|page=5\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3rd3e69BnC8C\|isbn=9781856230087}}</ref> Hart's forest garden at Wenlock Edge was a [[Vegan organic gardening\|vegan organic]] food production system.		Noting the maxim of [[Hippocrates]] to "make food your medicine and medicine your food", Hart adopted a [[veganism\|vegan]], 90% [[raw veganism\|raw food diet]]. The three main products from a forest garden are fruit, nuts and [[Leaf vegetable\|green leafy vegetables]].<ref>{{cite book\|title=How to Make a Forest Garden\|author=Patrick Whitefield\|year=2002\|page=5\|publisher=Permanent Publications \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3rd3e69BnC8C\|isbn=9781856230087}}</ref> Hart's forest garden at Wenlock Edge was a [[Vegan organic gardening\|vegan organic]] food production system.

	He also began to examine the interactions and relationships that take place between plants in natural systems, particularly in [[woodland]], the climax [[ecosystem]] of a cool temperate region such as the [[British Isles]]. This led him to evolve the [[agroforestry]] concept of the "Forest Garden": Based on the observation that the natural forest can be divided into distinct layers or 'storeys', he developed an existing small orchard of apples and pears into an edible landscape consisting of seven dimensions;		He also began to examine the interactions and relationships that take place between plants in natural systems, particularly in [[woodland]], the climax [[ecosystem]] of a cool temperate region such as the [[British Isles]]. This led him to evolve the [[agroforestry]] concept of the "Forest Garden": Based on the observation that the natural forest can be divided into distinct layers or 'storeys', he developed an existing small orchard of apples and pears into an edible landscape consisting of seven dimensions;
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	==Later life==		==Later life==

	Hart died in March 2000 aged 86 and is buried in St Peter's churchyard at [[Rushbury]], Shropshire.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/naturewise/355393329] Robert Hart's grave photo on Flickr.</ref>		Hart died in March 2000 aged 86 and is buried in St Peter's churchyard at [[Rushbury]], Shropshire.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/naturewise/355393329] Robert Hart's grave photo on Flickr.</ref>

	==Bibliography==		==Bibliography==

	* ''Inviolable Hills: Ecology, Conservation and Regeneration of the British Uplands'', Stuart & W (1968). {{ISBN\|0-7224-0101-9}}.		* ''Inviolable Hills: Ecology, Conservation and Regeneration of the British Uplands'', Stuart & W (1968). {{ISBN\|0-7224-0101-9}}.
	* ''Forest Farming: Towards a Solution to Problems of World Hunger and Conservation'', co-authored with James Sholto Douglas, Rodale Press (1976). {{ISBN\|0-7224-0142-6}}.		* ''Forest Farming: Towards a Solution to Problems of World Hunger and Conservation'', co-authored with James Sholto Douglas, Rodale Press (1976). {{ISBN\|0-7224-0142-6}}.
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	==References==		==References==

	{{reflist\|30em}}		{{reflist\|30em}}

	==External links==		==External links==
	*{{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716180149/http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/forestgarden/ \|date=16 July 2012 \|title=A web tribute to Robert Hart }}
	*[http://www.pfaf.org/User/cmspage.aspx?pageid=93 The Garden of Love] an article on Robert Hart's garden by Ken Fern of [[Plants for a Future]].		* {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716180149/http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/forestgarden/ \|date=16 July 2012 \|title=A web tribute to Robert Hart }}
	*[https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,178796,00.html Obituary] and [https://www.theguardian.com/comment/story/0,,211914,00.html A forest garden legacy], ''[[The Guardian]]'', April 2000		* [http://www.pfaf.org/User/cmspage.aspx?pageid=93 The Garden of Love] an article on Robert Hart's garden by Ken Fern of [[Plants for a Future]].
	*[http://www.permaculture.co.uk/info/News/RHart.html Obituary in permaculture magazine]		* [https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,178796,00.html Obituary] and [https://www.theguardian.com/comment/story/0,,211914,00.html A forest garden legacy], ''[[The Guardian]]'', April 2000
	*[http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/grahamwp/?cat=3 Robert Hart and Forest Gardens]		* [http://www.permaculture.co.uk/info/News/RHart.html Obituary in permaculture magazine] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204734/http://www.permaculture.co.uk/info/News/RHart.html \|date=27 September 2007 }}
			* [http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/grahamwp/?cat=3 Robert Hart and Forest Gardens] {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203065448/http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/grahamwp/?cat=3 \|date=3 February 2018 }}

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	[[Category:Permaculturalists]]		[[Category:Permaculturalists]]
	[[Category:Gandhians]]		[[Category:Gandhians]]
	[[Category:~~Non-Indian Gandhians]]~~		[[Category:British nonviolence advocates]]
	~~[[Category:Nonviolence~~ advocates]]
	[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]		[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
	[[Category:English conscientious objectors]]		[[Category:English conscientious objectors]]

->Psychologist Guy: /* External links */

2021-11-28T21:02:01Z

External links

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{{Short description|British gardener}}
{{About|a botanist|other people|Robert Hart (disambiguation)}}
{{Hatnote|Not to be confused with [[Robert Hartig]], a botanist who wrote the first forest pathology text book}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
[[Image:Robert Hart (horticulturist).jpg|thumb|250px|Robert Hart pictured in his forest garden, July 1997]]
'''Robert Adrian de Jauralde Hart''' (1 April 1913 – 7 March 2000) was an English pioneer of [[forest gardening]] in [[Temperateness|temperate zones]]. He created a model forest garden from a 0.12 acre (500 m²) orchard on his farm.<ref name=Forest>{{cite book|title=Forest Gardening|author=Robert Hart|year=1996|page=45|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N01940btQAQC&q=forest%20gardening%20robert%20hart%20simple%20living&pg=PA45|isbn=9781603580502}}</ref> He credits the inspiration for his work to an article by James Sholto Douglas, which was in turn inspired by the work of [[Toyohiko Kagawa]].<ref name=Forest/><sup>(page 41)</sup>

==Early life==
Hart, son of a lawyer father and a [[soprano]] mother, was born in London and educated at [[Westminster School]], after which he was employed at [[Reuters]] news agency in charge of special Indian mails, work which involved compiling digests of weekly articles by [[Mahatma Gandhi]], whose nonviolence philosophy he took on board.

At the outbreak of [[World War II]] he considered registering as a [[conscientious objector]] but changed mind following [[Operation Dynamo|retreat from Dunkirk]] in 1940 and enlisted in the [[Royal Military Police|Corps of Military Police]], later transferring to the [[Intelligence Corps (United Kingdom)|Intelligence Corps]] to work in code-breaking.

After demobilisation, he was a dairy farmer in [[Norfolk]] and [[Somerset]] before moving to [[Shropshire]] where he took on a smallholding on [[Wenlock Edge]].

==Wenlock Edge==
Robert Hart began with a [[smallholding]] called Highwood Hill farm at Wenlock Edge. His intention was to provide a healthy and therapeutic environment for himself and his brother Lacon, who was born with severe [[learning disabilities]].

Hart though soon discovered that maintaining large [[annual plant|annual]] vegetable beds, rearing livestock and taking care of an [[orchard]] were tasks beyond his strength. However, he also observed that a small bed of [[perennial vegetable]]s and herbs he had planted was looking after itself with little or no intervention. Furthermore, these plants provided interesting and unusual additions to the diet, and seemed to promote health and vigour in both body and mind.

==Forest garden project==
[[Image:Forestgarden2.jpg|thumb|Robert Hart's forest garden in Shropshire, England]]
Noting the maxim of [[Hippocrates]] to "make food your medicine and medicine your food", Hart adopted a [[veganism|vegan]], 90% [[raw veganism|raw food diet]]. The three main products from a forest garden are fruit, nuts and [[Leaf vegetable|green leafy vegetables]].<ref>{{cite book|title=How to Make a Forest Garden|author=Patrick Whitefield|year=2002|page=5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3rd3e69BnC8C|isbn=9781856230087}}</ref> Hart's forest garden at Wenlock Edge was a [[Vegan organic gardening|vegan organic]] food production system.

He also began to examine the interactions and relationships that take place between plants in natural systems, particularly in [[woodland]], the climax [[ecosystem]] of a cool temperate region such as the [[British Isles]]. This led him to evolve the [[agroforestry]] concept of the "Forest Garden": Based on the observation that the natural forest can be divided into distinct layers or 'storeys', he developed an existing small orchard of apples and pears into an edible landscape consisting of seven dimensions;

#A '[[canopy (trees)|canopy]]' layer consisting of the original mature fruit trees.
#A '[[low-tree layer]]' of smaller nut and fruit trees on dwarfing root stocks.
#A '[[shrub layer]]' of fruit bushes such as currants and berries.
#A '[[herbaceous layer]]' of perennial vegetables and herbs.
#A '[[ground cover]]' layer of edible plants that spread horizontally.
#A '[[rhizosphere]]' or 'underground' dimension of plants grown for their roots and tubers.
#A vertical 'layer' of vines and climbers.

Hart had a vision for the spread of the forest garden throughout even the most heavily built up areas, as he explains:

{{quote|Obviously, few of us are in a position to restore the forests…But tens of millions of us have gardens, or access to open spaces such as industrial wastelands, where trees can be planted…and if full advantage can be taken of the potentialities that are available even in heavily built up areas, new 'city forests' can arise.}}

==Later life==
Hart died in March 2000 aged 86 and is buried in St Peter's churchyard at [[Rushbury]], Shropshire.<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/naturewise/355393329] Robert Hart's grave photo on Flickr.</ref>

==Bibliography==
* ''Inviolable Hills: Ecology, Conservation and Regeneration of the British Uplands'', Stuart & W (1968). {{ISBN|0-7224-0101-9}}.
* ''Forest Farming: Towards a Solution to Problems of World Hunger and Conservation'', co-authored with James Sholto Douglas, Rodale Press (1976). {{ISBN|0-7224-0142-6}}.
* ''Ecosociety: A historical study of ecological man'', Natraj (1984). ISBN B0006EHVPW.
* ''The Forest Garden'', Institute for Social Inventions (1987). {{ISBN|0-948826-02-9}}.
* ''Forest Gardening: Rediscovering Nature and Community in a Post-Industrial Age'', Green Books (UK) (1991, 1996 revised). {{ISBN|1-900322-02-1}}.
* [http://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/various-authors-deep-ecology-anarchism ''Can Life Survive?''], essay published in ''Deep Ecology and Anarchism'' by Freedom Press (1993). {{ISBN|0-900384-67-0}}.
* ''Beyond the Forest Garden'', Gaia Books, London (1996). {{ISBN|1-85675-037-X}}.

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716180149/http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/forestgarden/ |date=16 July 2012 |title=A web tribute to Robert Hart }}
*[http://www.pfaf.org/User/cmspage.aspx?pageid=93 The Garden of Love] an article on Robert Hart's garden by Ken Fern of [[Plants for a Future]].
*[https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,,178796,00.html Obituary] and [https://www.theguardian.com/comment/story/0,,211914,00.html A forest garden legacy], ''[[The Guardian]]'', April 2000
*[http://www.permaculture.co.uk/info/News/RHart.html Obituary in permaculture magazine]
*[http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/grahamwp/?cat=3 Robert Hart and Forest Gardens]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Robert}}
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:English gardeners]]
[[Category:20th-century English non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Organic gardeners]]
[[Category:Permaculturalists]]
[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:Non-Indian Gandhians]]
[[Category:Nonviolence advocates]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:English conscientious objectors]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Military Police soldiers]]
[[Category:Intelligence Corps soldiers]]