They help us see how our actions affect the land. It focuses on understanding a place’s climate, soil, and native life. Permaculture is all about living in harmony with nature. These systems are self-sustaining, waste-reducing, and resource-efficient. It’s a holistic approach to living that can be applied at any scale, from small urban gardens to […]
Zones intelligently organize design elements in a human environment based on the frequency of human use and plant or animal needs. There are several types of guilds, such as community function guilds, mutual support guilds, and resource partitioning guilds. A guild is a mutually beneficial group of species that form a part of the larger […]
Use microclimates strategically—plant tender species on warm south-facing walls, hardy species in exposed areas. Gradually experiment with borderline species. For preservation crops like tomatoes, plant based on how many jars of sauce you’ll actually make. Fish waste becomes plant fertilizer. Aquaponics creates closed-loop fish and plant production. Some permaculturalists have also observed oversimplification, such as […]
Mix annuals and perennials, vegetables and herbs, domestic and native species. Let each element support multiple others. Instead of isolated components, create beneficial relationships. A swale follows the contour of land (pattern) before you decide which trees to plant casino ways along it (detail). Your kitchen scraps feed worms, which create castings that feed plants, […]
The design of an ecologically sound way of living is the essence of permaculture, within our households, gardens, communities and businesses. By thinking carefully about the way we use our resources – food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs – it is possible to get much more out of life by using less. […]