This permaculture design proposes a resilient, climate-appropriate land system for this 1-hectare desert site in central Saudi Arabia. The plan integrates water harvesting earthworks, windbreak establishment, drought-tolerant native tree systems, rotational grazing paddocks, and intensive food production areas supported by stored rainwater (underground cisterns) and greywater reuse. The design is specifically adapted to the harshContinue reading “Saudi Arabia – Desert Permaculture”
Author Archives: Elizabeth Waddington
Forest Garden Design Goals: How to Build a Low-Maintenance, High-Function System
A forest garden should do more than grow food. It should also reduce your workload over time while improving the land. In this guide, we break down the key forest garden design goals that create a low-maintenance, high-function system built for long-term resilience. As a designer, I focus on two core outcomes when designing forestContinue reading “Forest Garden Design Goals: How to Build a Low-Maintenance, High-Function System”
Utah Native Plant Nursery Demonstration Garden
This project from late last year sets out to create a beautiful, welcoming, and inspiring native plant demonstration garden that celebrates the unique character of northern Utah’s native landscapes. The goal is to show how gardens and community spaces in the region can thrive with less water, fewer inputs, and greater ecological sensitivity while stillContinue reading “Utah Native Plant Nursery Demonstration Garden”
Ecosystem Restoration – Hope for a Damaged Planet
In environmentalism, we often focus on the damage that humanity has done and is doing to our planet home. But it is important to remember that as a species we also have the capacity to leave the world around us in a better shape than we find it. We have the power to alter theContinue reading “Ecosystem Restoration – Hope for a Damaged Planet”
An Introduction to Agroforestry
Contemporary farming faces a huge range of challenges. The urgent need to protect the soil, decarbonise, reduce pollution in all its forms, protect the wildlife on which we depend, adapt to our changing climate, and create more resilient agricultural systems means that radical solutions are required. Agroforestry provides many of the sustainable solutions we seek.Continue reading “An Introduction to Agroforestry”
What is Permaculture? Ethics, Principles and Practices for a Better Future
In an era marked by ecological crisis, climate emergency, and growing inequality, more and more people are searching for systems that heal rather than harm. Permaculture is one such system—a holistic, regenerative design philosophy that offers practical solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time. So what is permaculture? At its heart,Continue reading “What is Permaculture? Ethics, Principles and Practices for a Better Future”
Cerritos, California Garden Design
Cerritos has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Average annual precipitation is about 12–14 inches, most falling November–March. The soil conditions are characterised by good drainage, modest natural fertility. There is a need for irrigation in summer, and occasional soil amendments (of organic matter) to boost water-holding capacity andContinue reading “Cerritos, California Garden Design”
Setting SMARTER Goals for 2026
Happy New Year! Back to work and ready to go, I am excited to work on more permaculture projects over the year to come. From home gardens to farms, community projects to regenerative rewilding schemes, I am excited to discover more amazing people, places, and projects over the coming months. This is a time ofContinue reading “Setting SMARTER Goals for 2026”
Portugal Permaculture Design
This case study outlines my comprehensive permaculture plan for a riverside property close to Coimbra, in Portugal. The design aims to regenerate degraded areas, enhance food security, diversify land use, and create a resilient, ecologically rich landscape that supports both productive agriculture and long-term environmental stewardship. The project site features gently sloping terrain running downContinue reading “Portugal Permaculture Design”
Oregon Urban Permaculture Garden Design
The image above shows my design for a relatively small city garden in Oregon. At present, the area is neglected, with a small yard outside the back door of the property to the south of the space, and a scrubby, overgrown slope, gentle at first then becoming much steeper, up to a fence at theContinue reading “Oregon Urban Permaculture Garden Design”
EWSP Consultancy 