This is the concept plan for a project I am working on for a client in Turkey, who is planning to convert the barn on this piece of land, and create a homestead with a forest garden and vines. The primary concern was to create water systems to retain water on the property while alsoContinue reading “Case Study: Collaborative Permaculture Plan – Turkey”
Tag Archives: swales
Coping With Slope: Permaculture Ideas Can Help
Tomorrow, I will share a small case study which shows a solution for a steep slope in a tropical climate. More on that tomorrow. But today, I thought I would share some of the key solutions permaculture offers to deal with sloping sites. Where slopes are not so extreme, and where the conditions are suitable,Continue reading “Coping With Slope: Permaculture Ideas Can Help”
Case Study: Community Garden
This case study (from last month) is a concept for an existing community garden in north eastern Scotland, which wishes to improve the smaller existing space and expand into an adjacent site. The area shown to the west of the site, with the annual beds, currently has a number of raised beds. This design maximisesContinue reading “Case Study: Community 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”
Case Study: Mediterranean Agroforestry Community
This is the initial concept plan for an exciting 22 acre property in southern France, in a Mediterranean climate zone. There is an existing farmhouse, with a gite, ruined barn and existing walled kitchen garden which is overgrown and disused. Behind the farmhouse are several fields of grape vines which are also in need ofContinue reading “Case Study: Mediterranean Agroforestry Community”
Reasons to Dig in a ‘No Dig’ Garden
I’ve already spoken before on this site about the concept of a ‘no dig’ garden. In a no dig garden, the key is to create and manage growing areas so that we disturb the soil ecosystem as little as possible (and take steps to improve it). This involves strategies like making lasagna gardens, hugelkultur moundsContinue reading “Reasons to Dig in a ‘No Dig’ Garden”
Case Study: Alabama Permaculture Design
This is a quick design for a domestic backyard in Alabama. The site slopes downwards towards the east, and the client asked for a design that would allow them to make the most of the site and grow their own fruit and vegetables. The swales in this design are paired with hugelkultur techniques. And IContinue reading “Case Study: Alabama Permaculture Design”
Case Study: Terraced Site
This plan is for a domestic property in Port Townsend, Washington. The Site The property is in USDA planting zone 8b. The frost-free period is typically 225-250 days. The area typically has lower precipitation than is usual for the state. There are typically around 21 inches per year of rainfall, and 2.1 inches of snow.Continue reading “Case Study: Terraced Site”
Managing Water Flow in Permaculture Design
In permaculture, one of the basic design principles is use and value renewable resources. One of the most vital natural resources we have is fresh water. Permaculture approaches to all facets of life must take into account the pathways of fresh water. Those designing sustainable landscapes and food producing systems must think about how freshContinue reading “Managing Water Flow in Permaculture Design”
Sustainable Watering Solutions for an Organic Garden
There are a lot of new gardeners out there, tending their new food producing gardens for the first time. So today, I’d like to take a moment to go back to basics. Providing plants with the water they need to grow is, of course crucial. But many new gardeners make a few basic mistakes whenContinue reading “Sustainable Watering Solutions for an Organic Garden”