Elizabeth Waddington

Land Ownership – We Are Custodians

Thinking about what is possible even on rented property has led me to think about land ownership and what that really means. It is important to consider that even those of us who are lucky enough to own our own properties still have to remember that we are only ever really custodians of that land.Continue reading “Land Ownership – We Are Custodians”

Permaculture Design For Rented Spaces

Even if you are renting your home, there is still plenty of potential to include permaculture design in your life. It can, of course, be frustrating when we do not have full control over what we can and cannot do where we live. But permaculture can allow us to improve our situations, and live moreContinue reading “Permaculture Design For Rented Spaces”

Case Study: Small Space Container Garden

What is you only have a small paved area to play with? Can you still garden when you have a very limited budget and don’t even have access to an area of soil? Permaculture provides solutions even for rather unpromising sites. The image above is a case study that demonstrates how we can make theContinue reading “Case Study: Small Space Container Garden”

What is a Co-operative Paradigm?

Permaculture espouses the idea that a co-operative paradigm provides the best pathway to a stable, sustainable future in which permaculture ethics and principles are maintained. Within the framework of a co-operative paradigm, people can switch from being the cause for the world’s major problems to the basis for solving them. By finding a common seriesContinue reading “What is a Co-operative Paradigm?”

Keeping Things Going: Building Long-Term Resilience in a Garden

Many people have taken to gardening during lockdown in a big way. Seed sales etc. went through the roof and I have been approached by many people who are gardening and growing food in earnest for the first time. But now that lockdown is easing in many areas, it would be easy to let thatContinue reading “Keeping Things Going: Building Long-Term Resilience in a Garden”

Stinging Nettles: Why They’re A Boon Not a Bane

Many gardeners hate stinging nettles. They lurk between other plants, and catch the unwary with their stings. But I want to take a moment to explain why they are a boon – not a bane. And why we should all value their contributions to our gardens and our lives. The Benefits of Stinging Nettles TheContinue reading “Stinging Nettles: Why They’re A Boon Not a Bane”

Why You Should Not Be Too Tidy in Your Garden

There is a natural human instinct to want to control our environment. But in an organic garden, imposing too much control can be a negative thing. If we keep things too tidy and orderly, this can have a detrimental effect. It can reduce biodiversity and fertility over time. Don’t Remove All Brush/ Vegetative Litter ClearingContinue reading “Why You Should Not Be Too Tidy in Your Garden”

Using Unripe Windfall Apples From the Garden

Fruit trees are self-regulating. The ‘June drop’ is a tree’s natural way of ridding itself of excess fruits it cannot support. Where I live, here in Scotland, the ‘June drop’ actually usually occurs some time in July. Some new gardeners are alarmed to see unripe fruits. littering the ground below their trees. But not onlyContinue reading “Using Unripe Windfall Apples From the Garden”

July in the Forest Garden

July in the forest garden is an abundant time. Soft fruits are the stars of the show. We have plenty of red currants, blackcurrants, raspberries, as well as the last of the strawberries and gooseberries. Harvesting and preserving are the order of the day. Even in a low maintenance garden like a forest garden, thereContinue reading “July in the Forest Garden”

Case Study: Community Resilience

For today’s case study, we’re returning to the New York permaculture design that we have already explored in previous weeks. But I wanted to zone in now on the community barn and surrounding lot. This area allows us to explore what a community needs for resilience. The multi-function space that the community barn will provideContinue reading “Case Study: Community Resilience”