Another design from late last year, for a client in South Carolina, explores a range of exciting ideas, including sacred geometry, mandala gardens, herb spirals, forest gardens and other forms of agroforestry, while also focussing on family and ensuring a high-quality family life.
Zone 1:
Zone one focusses around two loci – the primary home is one. The other is a greenhouse/ conservatory structure that will be a central hub for all occupants on the site and perhaps for some educational/ guest-facing activities in future and the adjacent mandala garden that sits at the heart of the plans.
Mandala Garden
The mandala garden is designed to be a combination of annual production and visual appeal, with edible crops interspersed with some flowering plants to bring pollinators as well as beauty to the site.
At the heart of these gardens is a fire pit, surrounded by seating. (I suggested using wood to make benches.) Six paths lead out from this central seating area to six keyhole access points around the circular planting area. And spaces are further defined by suggested rows of alliums/ perennial onions.
Between areas of largely ornamental/ companion planting, this structure gives 12 key annual production zones – six accessed from the centre (and two paths leading outwards), and six accessed from and centred on the keyhole access points. I suggested using these areas to grow key crops and practicing a three-year rotational plan.
If desired, Cucurbitaceae (pumpkins, cucumbers etc…) and beans could be grown on support structures rather than on the ground and there could be some experimentation here with vertical growing techniques using natural materials from site and/or reclaimed materials.
To create these growing areas, I suggest taking a ‘no dig’ approach and layering organic matter on the soil (sheet mulching/ lasagna gardening).
Herb Spirals
To the south of the mandala garden, I have suggested creating an area with two herb spirals producing many culinary and medicinal herbs.
(The herb spirals are usually around 2-3m (6.5-c.10ft) in diameter and around 1-1.2m (3.2-4ft) high at the centre, but could be larger if you can walk up and around to the top on upright logs used like steps…)
Pollinator Garden with Summerhouse / Garden Building
South eastwards of the mandala garden and east of the herb spirals area is an area centred around a suggested summerhouse or garden building. I suggested making this a space with plenty of glazing to the south, and installing a rocket-mass stove and cob/clay bench using local and reclaimed materials within to make this a comfortable, year-round space.
Surrounding this garden building I suggested sowing meadow through which pathways can be mown/scythed if desired. A couple of different meadow mixes are suggested in the plant list document – one with pinks and purples in the forbs, and one with whites and yellows.
Bee hives can be installed in the fringes of this area for natural beekeeping. I suggested keeping these within a smaller wattle fenced area to protect dogs/ other animals if they enter this zone.
South of the summerhouse, looking out over the meadow, will be a view to the natural swimming pool.
Primary Home Garden Areas
Entirely surrounding the primary home, and to the west, are the relaxed and informal garden areas, where dogs can run and play, and there is space for relaxation. This area aims to provide visual appeal and interest looking out from the home.
Spaces to link the home with the garden, such as a pergola/ porch structure suggested, can provide space to look out over the garden. Climbing plants are suggested for such a structure.
Patio/decking could also provide space for seating and outdoors dining areas, and incorporate features like a cob pizza oven/ outdoors fireplace/ wood fired hot tub…
Natural Swimming Pool with Beach
The plants included in the natural swimming pool could include many of the same species as in the main pond.
I suggested having the main planting to the north of the bridge/deck across the pond (which would likely have aeration pump etc. underneath). Though there should also be planting around the sides of the main swimming area, which would have its main access points from the decking, and a beach area closest to the home.
Future Hubs
In future, there are plans to potentially add two further home sites, locations shown on the concept plan. I suggest creating garden grounds around these similar to the gardens around the primary home and integrating the same sustainable features.
An additional guest hub/ experimental space is also suggested to the north west of the mandala garden, beyond the forest garden. I suggest creating a large circular structure with timber and other natural materials at the centre of a circular clearing between two of the silvo-arable fields described below.
This structure can serve as a space for guest facilities, and as a meeting space/ event venue. It can also be used to demonstrate natural and sustainable building/ construction techniques, with spaces for resource collection (wood store and other storage spaces) nearby. Tiny home type guest spaces might also be created in this area in future.
ZONE TWO:
Forest Garden and Adjacent Growing Areas
This is a primary producing zone, but one that will require less intervention, time and attention once established. Fruit trees are supported by diverse, layered understory planting.
The plan shows a starting point for healthy ecological function and substantial yields, though of course the client can add to this and incorporate even more biodiversity as the years go by and the system begins to mature.
The areas between trees not shown as planted could be sown with native grasses and legumes or mulched, depending on the specifics of the species nearby and your preferences. Note that some groundcovering species suggested should also spread well…
(Ducks allowed access to this area would help keep pests down.)
Note: Citrus trees and some other crops would need protection in winter, though the design also aims to create micro-climate conditions and some experimentation would be interesting to stretch the limits, in this area, of what can typically be grown in this climate zone.
Note: tropical ginger grown experimentally – usually as an annual but may be able to get it to perennialize there with protection of a mulch in winter…
Note: keep moringa as a hedge and offer winter protection especially until it is established.
Note: I suggested adding a post and wire structure to support grape vines.
On-contour Swale Pathways
To retain water within this system and enable infiltration, I have suggested creating mulch-filled swales, topped with wood chip, that can be part of pathways. These will catch water and enable infiltration but should not create any areas of stagnant water.
Suggested dimensions: flat bottomed, around 3ft wide and 1ft deep. With an adjacent raised path also around 3ft wide to walk on when the water levels are high, creating generous pathways around 6ft wide. Generous pathways help allow light in, as well as providing easy access.
Pond and Wetland Garden
The pond and wetland garden planting plan incorporates plenty of aquatic and marginal plants to help boost biodiversity.
An island at the centre will also increase biodiversity and increase edge as well as providing a space for a duck house.
Workshop & Adjacent Work Areas
Within easy reach of the home is the workshop/ saw mill building. Close to this building I have suggested adding some more practical features including a main large-scale composting area, mushroom logs, a biochar retort and a hobby kiln.
ZONE THREE:
Nut trees and other Native Trees
Along main access routes, I have suggested planting a series of native shade trees and nut-bearing tree species. Though nut trees can take a long while to bear, they are an investment for the future, and help to define the layout of the space and provide shade even before they provide a yield.
Silvo-arable Fields for Sustainable Crop Production
In certain areas between future house sites tracks and pathways lined with nut trees, and other native trees, I have suggested creating small-scale and experimental silvo-arable fields to produce sustainable crops.
In one of these, shown on the concept plan, I have suggested cultivating bamboo. There are a number of different bamboos that might be grown for edible and constructional yields.
In another, I suggest experimenting with fibre crops – flax (perhaps as a winter crop), hemp and nettles are some options to grow on a small scale.
In a third, I suggest cultivating seeds for oil (sunflowers, canola), alongside small-scale experimentation with ancient/heritage grains and legumes intercropped.
Vegetated Swale
The vegetated swale shown on the concept plans should run alongside the track/paths. It should be around 3ft wide and 1ft deep, but unlike the on-contour swales, it should be created with a slight fall allowing for the direction of water travel shown.
And rather than being filled with mulch, this swale should be planted up with native grasses/sedges. I suggest Carex stricta and Carex cherokeensis alongside Juncus effusus for the base, and Schizachyrium scoparium and other native grasses and forbs verging up onto the sides and out of the swale itself.
Rescue Animal Housing and Paddocks
Adjacent to the picnic area and within the wattle-fenced area is housing for a variety of rescue animals (precise size and configuration of building to be decided, but I recommend incorporating rainwater harvesting and solar for lighting etc…in the building design.) A chicken coop might also be integrated, or placed close by.
To the north and west of this animal housing are five paddocks, which I have suggested surrounding with tree-rows/ hedges as shown, alongside broader tree placement plans, in Fig. 7. the trees/ hedges here can and should be coppiced for timber/ crafting materials and tree hay.
These meadows should be sown with a pasture mix suited to the animals kept, but using native plants similar to the meadow mixes discussed above, with a diverse mix of grasses, forbs and legumes. I suggest loosely adopting a rotational grazing plan through these fields to ensure good maintenance of the sward.
Horse Arena and Exercise Areas
These additional areas beyond the pastures offer an area for horses beyond the paddocks already described. This area also gives easy access to the trails surrounding the whole of the property.
ZONE FOUR:
Sustainably Managed Forest Zones
Transitional zones around the primary production areas allow for sustainable forest management, grading to part-managed land and then unmanaged, wilder areas around the site edges. There are some areas for coppicing, and some areas in which the existing tree cover can be selectively thinned/ enhanced and enriched for greater ecological complexity and greater natural synergy.
These areas can provide timber/ crafting material and also potentially mushrooms, wildcrafted/ foraged yields, and a range of other non-timber forest products, and provide further opportunities for relaxed recreational spaces for experience of nature immersion.
ZONE FIVE:
Wild Site Edges
Wild areas around the edges of the site will be left more or less undisturbed, for wildlife and natural processes to thrive. On the transition of zone 4-5 there is potential to add rustic campsites along the trail in future if desired.
The above gives an overview of the design. If you would like your own design, or consultancy on anything mentioned above, please do reach out to get started on your own project.
EWSP Consultancy 