I know that most gardeners moan at the sight of even a single weed, and rip them all out as soon as they appear. But my garden has lots of weeds – and I love them. Yes, even in the vegetable beds. While not all weeds, of course, are desirable, there are plenty of weedsContinue reading “Chickweed: A Weed You Want in Your Garden”
Tag Archives: permaculture
Hedging Bets and Avoiding Losses in the Garden
This week, I have been very grateful for the fact that I have built up some resilience in my garden systems, and have been careful, through permaculture approaches and careful planning, not to put all my eggs in one basket. We have had a very late and rather unexpected cold snap, with night time temperaturesContinue reading “Hedging Bets and Avoiding Losses in the Garden”
Managing Time Effectively in a Busy Gardening Period
April is one of the busiest times in the gardening year where I live. And it is the same for many others too. There are so many seeds to sow this month, others to pot on or harden off and plant out, perennials to plant out and some to divide, general garden maintenance jobs, and,Continue reading “Managing Time Effectively in a Busy Gardening Period”
Case Study: Virginia Permaculture Design
In this case study, you can see my design for a domestic garden in Dayton, Virginia. Dayton is in USDA Hardiness Zone 6b. This is the broad concept plan and planting outline for the design. Further to this, I also provided the client with detailed planting plans for each of the main areas, and suggestedContinue reading “Case Study: Virginia Permaculture Design”
Tips for Gardens in Colder Planting Zones
As you may already be aware, USDA gardening zones are one of the factors to consider when choosing plants for your garden. Those living in colder climate zones, say zones 3, 4 or even 5 may sometimes feel a little disappointed not to be able to grow the range of plants available for warmer climateContinue reading “Tips for Gardens in Colder Planting Zones”
Common Mistakes When Placing a New Kitchen Garden
I recently wrote a piece for Treehugger, “Where Should You Place a New Kitchen Garden?” And this got me thinking about the mistakes I have seen people make. So here are some things you should not do when placing a new kitchen garden: Don’t hide away a vegetable plot at the far end of yourContinue reading “Common Mistakes When Placing a New Kitchen Garden”
Scaling Up and Scaling Down Permaculture Principles and Practice
One of the things that never fails to inspire me about permaculture is the fact that it can be scaled up to the largest of acreages, and scaled down to just a tiny patch or a few containers in someone’s backyard. The goals, ethics, ethos, principles and practices that play a big role in myContinue reading “Scaling Up and Scaling Down Permaculture Principles and Practice”
Case Study: Riparian Planting and Forest Garden
This plan is for a proposed eco-friendly architectural development in England. The proposed architectural plan seeks to minimise visual intrusion, and integrate a new home within the existing environment. This plan aims to show how landscaping on the site will further serve to integrate the natural and built environment, while also improving ecological benefit andContinue reading “Case Study: Riparian Planting and Forest Garden”
Designing for Different Climates and Conditions
Sometimes even experienced permaculture designers seem to fall into ruts when it comes to their recommendations and design choices. But it is always important to make sure that we really do respect both the site and the client – and design specifically for each individual project. Recently, I have been working on several different designsContinue reading “Designing for Different Climates and Conditions”
Case Study: Glamping Site
This permaculture design details planting and layout for a glamping site in Angus, Scotland. The site slopes gently down from the road towards a burn on the south east boundary of the site. Four camping cabins are planned, which will overlook the burn and neighbouring farm fields. As you can see from the plan above,Continue reading “Case Study: Glamping Site”
EWSP Consultancy 