What is Permaculture?
Here at Fresh Perceptions we run a Permaculture based Nursery, but what does that mean? What is Permaculture for a start and how does that change how we run the Nursery?
Permaculture as an idea was developed in Australia in the 1970’s by Environmental Psychology lecturer Bill Mollison and graduate student of Environmental Design, David Holmgren. The term was originally a combination of the words ‘permanent agriculture’ which hints at the long term sustainability and viability of the system. It has since also been expanded to stand for ‘permanent culture’ due to the important inclusion of social aspects in a truly sustainable system.
There are many definitions of Permaculture but in defining something, I think it makes the most sense to go back to the original creators of the idea.
“The conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of the landscape with people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.”
BILL MOLLISON
When focusing purely on the agricultural side of permaculture, we like to think of it as the ultimate in low maintenance gardening. Not saying that there isn’t any work to do, but by choosing plants & designing wisely the need to irrigate, weed, spray and replace plants can be negated. From a social point of view we see Permaculture as a system that encourages community, sharing and only taking what you need. Something that feels like it should be promoted widely in our world at the moment.
The Ethics of Permaculture
At the base of Permaculture, there are three key ethics which the whole system is based on. Every part of permaculture design & living can be traced back to these three key values.
Even without going any further into Permaculture and how it relates to food production, these are all things that we should be able to appreciate as human beings. Caring for the world around us and everything that lives in it.
Principles of Design
When it comes to actually implementing Permaculture in your life, there are 12 design principles which are used to guide the design process.
- Observe & Interact (watch nature)
- Catch & Store Energy (eg.solar)
- Obtain a yield (work with nature to get what you need)
- Apply self regulation & feedback (what is working, what isn’t)
- Use & Value Renewables (recycle, reuse etc)
- Produce no waste (circular use, look at life cycles)
- Design from patterns to details (big picture first)
- Integrate don’t Segregate (diversity)
- Use small, slow solutions (incremental change so it’s less risk & not so overwhelming)
- Use & Value Diversity (in life as well as in the garden)
- Use Edges & Value the Marginal (make use of all resources at our disposal – neglected corners & spaces)
- Creatively Use & Respond to Change (seasons, climate, attitudes)
How we use Permaculture on our site.
Stacked Functions
Multi-purpose & stacked planting. Windbreaks that produce food & firewood. Edible plants that attract pollinators for other plants.
Planting in layers.
Perennial
Crops
Reducing garden workload by planting once & harvesting for years rather than planting every year. Fruit trees, shrubs & vines, nut trees and perennial vegetables.
Renewable Resources
Making the most of what nature gives us that can be renewed easily.
Solar power. Rainwater harvesting for irrigation. Timber for building & heating.
Eco-friendly Earthworks
Working with the shape of the site rather than against it. Using swales and terracing to control rainwater and keep it on site, in the ground where we want it.
Closed Loop Systems
The ultimate in recycling. What comes off or out of the land, goes back in. For example – crops are grown and any scraps are returned to the soil as compost.
Nature’s
Design
If we have a problem, nature probably already has the answer. How does nature support itself and interact? How do certain insects, plants & animals co-exist?
Want to know more about Permaculture? A great place to start is Permaculture in NZ for local information or head over to Holmgren Design to see what one of the creators has to say about it.
If you have any questions for us about how we apply Permaculture to our lives, leave a comment below. Ideas for how we could do things differently are also welcome.
