On the menu
The southern part of the plot is where we
grow our annual vegetables. We have 12
large and four small raised no-dig beds,
plus a greenhouse for tomatoes, melons
and sweet potatoes in the summer and
hardy salads during the winter. The rest
of the plot is planted as an edible forest,
modelled on a natural woodland, with
different layers: fruit and nut trees, soft
fruit and nut bushes, and perennial
vegetables and herbs. It moves gradually
from the most fussy trees (peach and
apricot) to the less demanding plants such
as pawpaw, Japanese dogwood and medlar.
We also grow lots of berries, the usuals
such as gooseberries and currants, but also
lesser-known fruits such as honeyberries,
hardy kiwis and boysenberries. The herb
layer is a mix of perennial herbs, edible
f lowers and perennial vegetables.My approach to gardening changed in 1999
when I discovered permaculture and it just
immediately clicked for me. Permaculture
is a design system for creating sustainable
human environments, and it’s inspired by
natural ecosystems. It’s a very pragmatic
system that you can use in any area of your
life, not just in gardening. For example, the
principle that ‘every element in a design
should fulfill multiple functions, and every
function should be fulfilled by several
elements’ can be applied to anything from
water supply for your garden or a mixed
hedge to the way you generate income.
I’ve been applying permaculture principles
to gardening – and to life – ever since.The principle
Flowers, fruit trees
(above, centre) and
the varied plants
in the edible forest
(right) are all good
for wildlife as well
as providing Vera
and her family with
homegrown food.A greenhouse, pond
and pergola complete
the plot’s layout
(below). Radishes,
ready for a spring
salad (right).On the menu
Thesouthernpartoftheplotiswherewe
growourannualvegetables.Wehave 12
largeandfoursmallraisedno-digbeds,
plusa greenhousefortomatoes,melons
andsweetpotatoesinthesummerand
hardysaladsduringthewinter.Therest
oftheplotisplantedasanedibleforest,
modelledona naturalwoodland,with
differentlayers:fruitandnuttrees,soft
fruitandnutbushes,andperennial
vegetablesandherbs.Itmovesgradually
fromthemostfussytrees(peachand
apricot)tothelessdemandingplantssuch
aspawpaw,Japanesedogwoodandmedlar.
Wealsogrowlotsofberries,theusuals
suchasgooseberriesandcurrants,butalso
lesser-knownfruitssuchashoneyberries,
hardykiwisandboysenberries.Theherb
layer is a mix of perennial herbs, edible
f lowers and perennial vegetables.Myapproachtogardeningchanged in 1999
whenI discoveredpermaculture and it just
immediatelyclickedforme.Permaculture
isa designsystemforcreating sustainable
humanenvironments,andit’s inspired by
naturalecosystems.It’sa very pragmatic
systemthatyoucanuseinany area of your
life,notjustingardening.For example, the
principlethat‘everyelementin a design
shouldfulfillmultiplefunctions, and every
functionshouldbefulfilledby several
elements’canbeappliedtoanything from
watersupplyforyourgardenor a mixed
hedgetothewayyougenerate income.
I’vebeenapplyingpermaculture principles
togardening– andtolife– ever since.The principle
Flowers,fruittrees
(above,centre)and
thevariedplants
in theedibleforest
(right)areallgood
forwildlifeaswell
asprovidingVera
andherfamilywith
homegrownfood.A greenhouse, pond
and pergola complete
the plot’s layout
(below). Radishes,
ready for a spring
salad (right).