Principles of permaculture as applied to landscape architecture.

1. At Southwoods Forest Gardens
By: Kelly Jo Kokaisel

3.  Recognize patterns and
details.
Southwoods Forest Gardens is a
wonderful example of permaculture
principles in action. This is why I
chose to visit and take a tour of the
property and see first hand how it
works.

4.  Solar, biomass, water,
photosynthesis,
respiration.
This pond collects rainwater from
the rooftop catchment. In it are
koi fish that eat the scum on the
surface, cattails, poplar, willow,
and spiderwort. When it fills with
water, it is diverted to the swale
and berm system which is home to
the orchard trees and their
polyculture systems.

5.  Store energy, provide
feedback, recycle, instill
control mechanisms.
This space has been recycled to
make a potato tower. A small,
vertical space like this makes it
easier to obtain a yield in a limited
space.

6.  Tripartite Altruism
When one is obtaining a yield,
everyone gets enough. Some fruit will
be eaten by us, some will be eaten by
animals who support the system, and
some will simply fall to the ground
and become food for the decomposers,
microorganisms, and eventually the
fruit tree itself.

7.  Solar, plants, animals,
water, compost.
These beehives provide endless
cycles of honey, as well as help
pollinate the plants, all with
relatively minimal maintenance.

8.  Exchange, Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle.
The food and yard waste goes into
the worm bin. The worms help
break down the material which
goes to fertilizing the plants, which
will in turn feed us.

9.  Space, Time, Landscape,
Guilds.
Microclimates and guilds, like corn
squash and beans, or daffodils
buckthorn and apple trees, benefit
the whole by protecting each other
from enemies and providing each
other with nutrients.

10.  Each element performs
many functions,
supports many
elements.
The berm and swale landscape
design prevents water run off and
redirects it to nourish the plants.

11.  Scale & Speed.
Propagating plants from seeds
instead of buying plants may take
longer but is much cheaper,
allowing you to generate more,
creating a yield.

12.  Generalist, Community,
Genetics.
Trial and error can often lead to
well working systems.

13.  Keyhole Garden Beds,
Ponds, Dams,
Agroforestry.
Plants that are used on a regular
basis are placed nearest the home
for quick and easy access. This
microgreens box is designed for
easy access to the plants and to
keep weeds down in between rows.

14.  Conserve, Release,
Reorganize, Exploit,
Flexibility, Chaos
Theory, Ecosynthesis.
This lower pond has been
overcome with weeds and scum
due to years of taking in run off
water containing phosphorous.
This abandoned pool pump has
been repurposed to help obtain to
stored water, and a little creativity
will find a creative use for the
energy in the scum.