Case Study: Shared Tenement Garden

Shared gardens can often be boring and largely featureless spaces, which, in attempting to please everyone, actually please no-one. These spaces have to do a lot. But careful collaboration between all stakeholders or garden users can create truly abundant, productive and beautiful spaces. This is my design for a garden in Scotland shared by fourContinue reading “Case Study: Shared Tenement Garden”

Case Study: Wisconsin Permaculture Design

This Wisconsin property, in Juneau County, is in USDA zone 5. It has largely Boone-Tarr soils, c. 6-15 percent slopes, some with high runoff and excessive drainage. Mean annual precipitation is 28 to 33 inches. Mean annual air temperature: 46 to 52 degrees F. Frost-free period: 135 to 160 days. Most of the property isContinue reading “Case Study: Wisconsin Permaculture Design”

The Parts of Common Vegetable Garden Crops People Don’t Know They Can Eat

Are you accidentally composting parts of common vegetable crops from your garden that you could be eating? There are many plants which offer secondary yields – and other parts of a plant beyond the main harvested parts can often also become a part of your home grown diet. Some parts of common vegetable garden cropsContinue reading “The Parts of Common Vegetable Garden Crops People Don’t Know They Can Eat”

Growing Brassicas

Those who already grow their own in a temperate climate will no doubt be familiar with brassicas – members of the cabbage family. These crops are important ones in temperate climates, and are often an important crop family in annual gardens. Where I live, March is the time to sow a range of Brassica plantsContinue reading “Growing Brassicas”

What is a Polyculture and Why Create One?

A polyculture is a diverse companion planting scheme which incorporates a number of carefully chosen plants. In your garden, it is important to avoid mono-cropping. Just as on a farm, mono-cropping in a garden can increase the likelihood of pests and disease taking hold. And when you plant just potatoes in one bed, for example,Continue reading “What is a Polyculture and Why Create One?”

Case Study: Kansas Garden

I won’t share full details of my permaculture designs on this site. But I do want to give an occasional glimpse into the varied work that I do for gardeners and growers around the world. This case study is an example of one part of a permaculture design I completed for a client in Kansas. Continue reading “Case Study: Kansas Garden”