When people are new to growing their own, they tend to focus on growing typical annual plants. But by choosing a range of perennial plants, you can make a low-maintenance forest garden which requires far less effort and time long-term. Harvesting in a forest garden can often be more like foraging than harvesting. Yields canContinue reading “Creating a Forager’s Forest Garden”
Author Archives: Elizabeth Waddington
Managing Risk – Creating Anti-Fragile Systems
Whether we are talking about businesses, communities or individual homes – risk is a big part of life. In these difficult times, risk is ever-present. We might not all be aware of it all the time, but we are all managing risk on a daily basis. Every time we take a decision about whether weContinue reading “Managing Risk – Creating Anti-Fragile Systems”
Sustainable Projects To Take on Before Winter
In a sustainable home, it is always a good idea to be one step ahead. There are a number of things you could do before the coldest weather arrives to boost your household sustainability over the winter. One thing you could do, of course, is add extra insulation to your home. The better insulated yourContinue reading “Sustainable Projects To Take on Before Winter”
Case Study: Simple Example Garden Layout
This is one part of a series of garden layout plans I created recently. In this image, you can see a potential layout for a small 4×4 ft garden bed for USDA zones 7-8. (I also created sample layout plans for zones 5-6 and 9-10, for full sun and for more shaded spots.) The clientContinue reading “Case Study: Simple Example Garden Layout”
Practical Tips for Crop Rotation
New gardeners often sow for summer without thinking about what comes next. But in gardening, we should always be looking ahead. Planning can be important, though of course we should be flexible and adapt to change, and not stick too rigorously to the plans we make. This combination of planning and flexibility can be challengingContinue reading “Practical Tips for Crop Rotation”
Make The Most of Fallen Leaves
Gardeners and all nature lovers are no doubt already aware of the vital role that trees and deciduous plants play in natural cycles. Leaves fall, and through a series of mechanisms and with the aid of earthworms, fungi, bacteria and other life, the nutrients within them return to the soil, where they can be usedContinue reading “Make The Most of Fallen Leaves”
Saving Time for Sustainability
Permaculture zoning is all about analysing our patterns of human movement, and how we use our time. When we carry out an analysis of the inputs, outputs and characteristics or each element in a garden (or in another system), we can work out where to place them to make most efficient use of our time.Continue reading “Saving Time for Sustainability”
Time Poor? Sustainability and Work/Life Balance
I have written before about how not having much money is not necessarily a barrier to sustainable change. But what about being time poor? One of the things that comes up time and time again when I speak to people about sustainability, permaculture and organic gardening is – time. Many people simply feel they doContinue reading “Time Poor? Sustainability and Work/Life Balance”
Back to ‘Business as Usual’?
As many people are being told to get back to work, it is important that we don’t just rush headlong into our old lives. We need to pause, reflect, and think about what ‘business as usual’ means. What was wrong with our former ways of life? And what might we be able to change forContinue reading “Back to ‘Business as Usual’?”
Preparing the Polytunnel for Autumn
This is a busy time in the polytunnel. This is the time when I begin to clear out summer crops, add fertility ready for the colder months to come, and plant in some of the crops that will remain in the undercover growing area over the autumn and winter months. We are still harvesting summerContinue reading “Preparing the Polytunnel for Autumn”
EWSP Consultancy 