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”

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”

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”

Surrey Garden Design – Permaculture Design for a Wildlife-friendly Space

For many gardeners, it is a priority to welcome local wildlife into the space. The clients in this case were no exception, as the primary goal for the garden design shown above was to create a space that was as wildlife-friendly as possible. Food production was a secondary though also important goal. The clients appreciateContinue reading “Surrey Garden Design – Permaculture Design for a Wildlife-friendly Space”

Sustainable Garden Redesign in Chesterfield, Derbyshire

This plan shows my proposal for a redesign of the garden, in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England. Though the current garden is productive, with plenty of annual crops and some other plants growing successfully at present, the goals included developing a plan for the replacement of degraded concrete paths and driveway, and increasing permanent perennial planting forContinue reading “Sustainable Garden Redesign in Chesterfield, Derbyshire”

Family Garden Design – Al Ain, UAE

This is my design for a family-garden close to the Al Ain Oasis. Al Ain lies in the eastern region of Abu Dhabi Emirate, approximately 340 metres above sea level. The area experiences a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) with very high solar radiation, low annual rainfall, and high evaporation rates. Summers are extremely hot,Continue reading “Family Garden Design – Al Ain, UAE”

Arctic Retreat: a Concept Plan for Year-Round Beauty & Privacy

This is a design I created in the summer for a client creating an ‘Arctic Retreat’ just below the Arctic Circle in Arvidsjaur, Sweden. This is a challenging environment, though it can be a very beautiful one, in both summer and winter. Located just below the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, Arvidsjaur sits within theContinue reading “Arctic Retreat: a Concept Plan for Year-Round Beauty & Privacy”