Gardening in the pnw?
This page is for anyone gardening in the PNW and surrounding areas. These are our favorite methods and plants for working with the land. We will help you know what to grow and how to replicate Mother Nature’s patterns and designs!
In Permaculture, a core principle is to observe and interact with your environment… who knew you could garden by watching the land. If you plan to grow in a space, spend some time there first. Interact with the soil. Move a little soil. Hang out for a while! Did you know touching the soil is good for you?
The skill of observation is instrumental in growing a garden with ease.
“The quieter you become, the more you can hear” - Ram Dass
Mother Nature is an excellent teacher and has a vast amount of patterns/designs/knowledge waiting for us. Replicating patterns seen in nature will bring immense benefit to a growing garden. Another principle in permaculture is to take small and slow solutions, remember it was the tortoise that won the race. When working with the land, taking small, slow steps allows one time to observe. Learn what works and doesn’t, integrate with nature, and create an abundant expanding system.
loVE your LAND
“The greatest change we need to make is from consumption to production, even on a small scale, in our own gardens” - Bill Mollison
In our backyard, it is essential to move away from our consumptive ways and become more responsible with our waste. We have become disconnected from the land, our home, and destroyed the Garden of Eden we have read about.
There are many ways to convert our waste into a benefit to the land. Our favorites, compost piles, compost teas, and worm bins, provide leachate or worm tea for the garden, but they scratch the surface in ways to give back to Mother Nature.
Our health depends on the health of the soil. Our coexistence with and regeneration of the land will immensely impact the health and nutrients of the plants we grow.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” - Hippocrates
It is beyond time to move away from using pesticides and toxins in our yards. Our homes are filled with toxic waste, our soil is devoid of life, and above all else, Mother Nature cannot be stopped, so we must change our ways and end the fight between us.
Mother Nature is a resilient and abundant power that will exist beyond our time. Believing in her will only add to the regeneration process of your land. Belief is a powerful thing, so put your intention into the superpowers of Mother Nature, and you will soon believe in magic. In permaculture, our goal is to transition from a destructive member of the ecosystem to the most beneficial.
What is a Guild?
Just like us, plants work better together. A guild is a grouping of plants that support each other in a variety of ways, layering strengths from individual species.
A guild replicates the 7 layers of a little forest. We plant trees that will become the overstory and the understory. Fruit bushes and shrubs become the shrub layer. Then, strengthen the system with the herbaceous layer, vine layer, ground cover layer, and root layer. Even looking deep into the mycelium network!
All these layers grow together in the wild! We can plant all 7 together, creating a community of nutrient support, beneficial pollinators, protective aphids, or fragrant plants for protection and chemical warfare.
Trees and plants, down to the root layer, can be a bit cliquey, so we would love to help you navigate the PNW plant social scene.
FLOW
OF WATER
Understanding the flow of water on the land
Water is a powerful life force. Controlling the flow of water is crucial in developing abundance and resiliency. By understanding how to direct and store water, we can mitigate floods, improve stormwater retention, regenerate the landscape, and plant the rain! Another principle in permaculture is to catch and store energy. Water is full of energy, and your garden will gratefully accept its power.
Observe what happens when it rains! Where do your gutters drain? Where does water pool up? Where does water flow when it floods? How does the land respond?… just the first couple of raindrops in what you could ask water.
Building rain basins is an excellent way to provide passive irrigation to your garden, resulting in wanted growth and less maintenance.
Planting with intention
Hugelkultur and Biochar
We love planting with intention, especially when it comes to planting for a greener future for generations to come. When bringing a new friend to your land, make sure to give them a warm welcome.
We love using Hügelkultur, a German farming method, to create long rows of layered beds with wood, plant debris, and compost. These raised mounds provided additional surface area to farm on and a world of magic below ground. Logs decompose into humus, a building block of healthy soil, providing a home for mycelium to transfer nutrients and water. The logs also behave like sponges, holding onto water when the soil is saturated and slowly releasing water when the soil becomes dehydrated. Much like a nurse log in the wild, Hügelkultur provides a safe home for young seedlings.
Biochar is similar, but uses charcoal-like material. It can be inoculated in a variety of ways and is excellent at uptaking and sharing nutrients. There are many treasures you can plant with your new friend, but these are our go-tos! Hit us up to learn more about material choice, inoculation methods, or how to plant with intention. Ask us about our square holes!
Nursery Resources