Case Study: SE England Wildlife Garden

This is my design for a garden of approximately 28 x 28m (784 sq m) in South Eastern England. The garden is currently mostly laid to lawn, with a marked slope upwards to the northern end. It is surrounded by a fairly low natural stone wall that has crumbled down in a couple of places,Continue reading “Case Study: SE England Wildlife Garden”

Case Study: Sloping Garden Design

This is a design for a sloping back garden in northern England. The site slopes steeply down from north to south, from the back of the home to the lower end. There is around 2.2m difference in elevation between the highest point outside the back door, to the lowest point close to the end ofContinue reading “Case Study: Sloping Garden Design”

Case Study: Formal French Potager Style Garden

I think there is an impression that in a permaculture garden, nothing can be straight or orderly. But in this design which I created for a client in Idaho who wanted a more formal and neat design, you can see that earth-friendly design and methodologies can be implemented in different styles. In the notes providedContinue reading “Case Study: Formal French Potager Style Garden”

Wildlife Pond Tips

I have spoken before about how wonderful a wildlife pond can be, and what a good idea it can often be to add a pond to your property. I recently wrote this article for Treehugger on the subject – with simple tips for anyone who is thinking about creating a wildlife pond and would likeContinue reading “Wildlife Pond Tips”

Reasons To Create a Pond On Your Property

Most people are very aware of the benefits of attracting wildlife to their gardens or farms. One of the very best ways to attract beneficial wildlife in many temperate climate locations is to make a wildlife pond. No matter how large or small your garden may be, you could create a small pond for wildlife.Continue reading “Reasons To Create a Pond On Your Property”

Additional Elements For a Food Producing Garden

For a typical food producing garden, creating the growing area or areas will be top of the agenda. But this month, as you are planning your new food producing garden, it could be helpful to think about other elements you should include. In addition to creating an area in your garden where you can growContinue reading “Additional Elements For a Food Producing Garden”

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: Indianapolis Permaculture Design

The plan above is for a large domestic garden in Indianapolis. According to permaculture principles, it has been designed with the site and location in mind. Site The design of course takes into account the local climate and conditions, and the soil of the area, which is typically in the inceptisols order, and the SycamoreContinue reading “Case Study: Indianapolis Permaculture Design”

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”