Workings
So I had decided at the start of this project report that it would suit my goals to find a place to design that was public. This would be beneficial as it would have multiple functions, benefits and the chance of more ease with inputs. Also good potential to link with my other projects. The hope was that I could implement part of my PR2 design and stack functions by looking for a space that was public and also had an indoors space that I could use for training in. I found some perfect un-used spaces and applied to them. No luck. So I found some more places without the indoors space and asked them. No luck. Places just didn't get back to me. So I moved on to seeking out people in the town who might know places, very little came out of many phone calls and visits. I got very disheartened with my lack of progress, people just weren't very open at all, I slowed right down with diploma work too. So I decided, the deadline was coming very fast, so was spring and I NEEDED to get on and design. So I asked my housemates if I could do our garden.
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Finally I realised I should let the people who are actually interested come to me. So I put up posters. Super idea. Work with nature not against. I had many responses, and loads of people wanting their own gardens done (I know the word free has a lot to do with it but this is good news for the future of a PC designer in Lewes)
The most response was in my shop, so I got to talk to people on the spot, very lovely. At least a few people a day would chat about it, say they knew somewhere I could check out or that I could do their garden. A week or so went past. Then a few days before project deadline Matthew left me his email.
I shall put posters up again! An interesting experiment in getting into dialogue with people you never usually would and sourcing what you need.
The most response was in my shop, so I got to talk to people on the spot, very lovely. At least a few people a day would chat about it, say they knew somewhere I could check out or that I could do their garden. A week or so went past. Then a few days before project deadline Matthew left me his email.
I shall put posters up again! An interesting experiment in getting into dialogue with people you never usually would and sourcing what you need.
So what I had wanted came together in the end but unfortunately I wasted a lot of project time waiting and losing courage. So learning from this I would definitely get these things going way before you need them...and way before the growing season!! I also learned quite a bit about getting opportunities...It's about seeing people face to face. And that it's very important to know when to shift your energies from a approach that isn't working. Apply self regulation and accept feedback!
Above is a quick brainstorm I did looking at the two garden design projects. Where to focus my energy. I decided to focus my energy on the community garden as it has many of the same benefits plus some!
Visits and people I met....
Please check the volunteer page for more on this, below will be some notes from visits and chats with people who helped me with my work for this garden.
Resources used for this project
Books
On the whole I have been planting with the moon, as it makes a lot of sense for me to do so...why not eh!
These little PDFs were really useful to dip into and get the basics on the subjects
Month by month callendar from verticalveg.com
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This forest garden book was invaluable for me in the speed at which I was able to work through all the plants I had and wanted and place them due to their properties, a great book for a beginner.
Pippa gave loads of these great little pamphlets, they've been perfect for learning the basics, for mulch for example.
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Tools
Elements of the design; Details
Succession
"Succession is very important in contemporary permaculture because it is the natural process from getting from a damaged condition to a well condition."The first changes are often the most dramatic, that is what I am aiming for, so that the rest of the changes will be slow and maturing, because in a way I am skipping succession, I want to make sure that the plants I put in are protected, that's why putting them in with supporting guilds is important. "Sometimes succession tries to happen too fast and you see the prunus at the edge pruned back by tent caterpillars etc. As we get closer and closer to the vision, the resource efficient mature ecosystem, change gets slower and slower." (ibiblio.org)
"I cannot overemphasize the importance of schematic sketches" (tcpermaculture) I need to remember during my design the size that each plant will eventually become and also the life span of the support crops.
"Succession is very important in contemporary permaculture because it is the natural process from getting from a damaged condition to a well condition."The first changes are often the most dramatic, that is what I am aiming for, so that the rest of the changes will be slow and maturing, because in a way I am skipping succession, I want to make sure that the plants I put in are protected, that's why putting them in with supporting guilds is important. "Sometimes succession tries to happen too fast and you see the prunus at the edge pruned back by tent caterpillars etc. As we get closer and closer to the vision, the resource efficient mature ecosystem, change gets slower and slower." (ibiblio.org)
"I cannot overemphasize the importance of schematic sketches" (tcpermaculture) I need to remember during my design the size that each plant will eventually become and also the life span of the support crops.
Alleopathy
I have been finding out a bit about alliopathic plants, these are ones that can affect the growth of other species around them. I started to realize about this whilst researching where to plat my fennel, which is an alleopathic plant. It is not a recommended companion plant for anything really, except dill! But nevertheless it is a useful plant, for attracting beneficial insects, use in cooking and teas and aesthetically. This lead me to the decision to plant my fennel on the outer edge of the site, to create a soft screen in the summer and attract insects into the site but not interfere with other plants as it is separated by a fence. This is an interesting article which looks at ideas of how alleop
I have been finding out a bit about alliopathic plants, these are ones that can affect the growth of other species around them. I started to realize about this whilst researching where to plat my fennel, which is an alleopathic plant. It is not a recommended companion plant for anything really, except dill! But nevertheless it is a useful plant, for attracting beneficial insects, use in cooking and teas and aesthetically. This lead me to the decision to plant my fennel on the outer edge of the site, to create a soft screen in the summer and attract insects into the site but not interfere with other plants as it is separated by a fence. This is an interesting article which looks at ideas of how alleop
Seeds
After good advice, I bought all my seeds from Tamar Organics and The Real Seed Company. Both were very prompt, well priced and I hugely appreciate the way they advise how to save seed from the crops they provide. I also got a few bits from Lewes Seedy saturday and Thomas Etty Esq. Heratage Seeds (he does a lovely newsletter too!)
After good advice, I bought all my seeds from Tamar Organics and The Real Seed Company. Both were very prompt, well priced and I hugely appreciate the way they advise how to save seed from the crops they provide. I also got a few bits from Lewes Seedy saturday and Thomas Etty Esq. Heratage Seeds (he does a lovely newsletter too!)
Guilds Research
After reading up about the different functions performed and niches filled by different elements in a food forrest I tried to order plants I thought would work in my garden into their sections so that I could place them easily within the design, picking them from each section to create guilds, working also with the environment they'd be in and ideas of companion planting. I added more plants to my design after I made this list, but here it is as an example!
NITROGEN FIXERS
Lupin
Petit pois
Runner bean
Sweet pea
Perennial sweet pea
Clover
vetch
MINERAL ACCUMULATORS
Lemon balm
Lupin
Borage
Clover
Comfrey
Mint
Rhubarb
INSECT PLANTS
Echinatia
Chamomile
Sweet pea perennial
BEE PLANTS
marigold
vetch
nasturtiums
AROMATIC PLANTS
Sweet cicely
Sorrel
GROUND COVER
Clover
Vetch
Violets
Periwinkle
Feverfew
Cat mint
Rhubarb
TREES
Apple
Pear
SHRUBS
Borage
Currant
Gooseberry
Raspberry
Rosemary
Sage
Lavender
HERBACIOUS PERENNIALS AND EVERGREEN PLANTS
Feverfew
Mint
Comfrey
Greater periwinkle
Red valerian
Fennel
Lovage
Sweet cicely
Sorrel
rhubarb
Lupin
Echinatia
GROUND COVER
Strawberries
Violets
Lesser periwinkle
Cat mint
Feverfew
Vetch
clover
nasturtiums
CLIMBERS
Sweet pea
Sweet pea perennial
Petit pois
Runner bean
Hop
Tomatoes
ANNUAL
Sunflower
Purslane summer and winter
Rainbow chard
Marigold
Gardeners delight tomato
Kale
Petit pois
Squash
Coriander
Courgette
Runner bean
Mizuna lettuce
Sweet pea
After reading up about the different functions performed and niches filled by different elements in a food forrest I tried to order plants I thought would work in my garden into their sections so that I could place them easily within the design, picking them from each section to create guilds, working also with the environment they'd be in and ideas of companion planting. I added more plants to my design after I made this list, but here it is as an example!
NITROGEN FIXERS
Lupin
Petit pois
Runner bean
Sweet pea
Perennial sweet pea
Clover
vetch
MINERAL ACCUMULATORS
Lemon balm
Lupin
Borage
Clover
Comfrey
Mint
Rhubarb
INSECT PLANTS
Echinatia
Chamomile
Sweet pea perennial
BEE PLANTS
marigold
vetch
nasturtiums
AROMATIC PLANTS
Sweet cicely
Sorrel
GROUND COVER
Clover
Vetch
Violets
Periwinkle
Feverfew
Cat mint
Rhubarb
TREES
Apple
Pear
SHRUBS
Borage
Currant
Gooseberry
Raspberry
Rosemary
Sage
Lavender
HERBACIOUS PERENNIALS AND EVERGREEN PLANTS
Feverfew
Mint
Comfrey
Greater periwinkle
Red valerian
Fennel
Lovage
Sweet cicely
Sorrel
rhubarb
Lupin
Echinatia
GROUND COVER
Strawberries
Violets
Lesser periwinkle
Cat mint
Feverfew
Vetch
clover
nasturtiums
CLIMBERS
Sweet pea
Sweet pea perennial
Petit pois
Runner bean
Hop
Tomatoes
ANNUAL
Sunflower
Purslane summer and winter
Rainbow chard
Marigold
Gardeners delight tomato
Kale
Petit pois
Squash
Coriander
Courgette
Runner bean
Mizuna lettuce
Sweet pea
Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway lists the many uses of plants, it's a lovely list to look at to remind us why we consciously design gardens, it enables us to put elements together to get far more benefit from the same amount of space.
Environment use animal forage erosion control fortress, barrier insectary mulch maker nitrogen fixer nitrogen scavenger nurse scaffold chaperone nutrient ac pest repel soil builder spike root toxin absorption wildlife food wildlife habitat windbreak |
Human use basket weaving cut flower die compost aromatic food medicine oil wax resin Polish wood He says that only rarely do plants have negative impacts, so whilst the downside is slight, "the up side; brilliant synergies, serendipitous benefits, superb habitat is enormous" |
Web sites
Costing
So far costs have been:
Compost large bag £55
Potting compost £7
Seeds £30I am hoping that some money from the council will come my way for this and future costs. It is an investment for me however and the value is converted, and some crops will certainly come my way too.
Compost large bag £55
Potting compost £7
Seeds £30I am hoping that some money from the council will come my way for this and future costs. It is an investment for me however and the value is converted, and some crops will certainly come my way too.