The PermaDesign Weblog, with Nate Downey and Melissa McDonald!
Archives from August 2017
SLIDE 56: Herb Spiral Cometh
Just above the patio you’ll see some fruit trees on either side of the path. Look carefully and you’ll pick out some other edibles like strawberries, rhubarb, fennel, and Egyptian walking onions. Just out side the client’s backdoor is a space for an herb spiral which the client intends to install on his own.
08/18/2017 | (0) Comments
SLIDE 55: The Soft Approach
Another nice effect of having boulders help retain the slopes around this patio is that the gaps among the boulders allow for plants to intermingle with people. As the title to one of my monthly column reads, “Biophilia? I feel ya.” These plants are only a could of months old. I look forward to going back and taking more pictures now that more time for the plants to do their thing has occurred.
08/16/2017 | (0) Comments
ASLA 2017
This year’s meeting of the American Society of Landscape Architects is fast approaching. Founded in 1899 and with more than 15,000 members in 42 countries the ALSA’s mission includes the stewardship, planning, and design of our built and natural environments. This year’s meeting and expo will be held in Los Angeles October 20-23. For more information and registration visit their website.
08/15/2017 | (0) Comments
Reconnect on October 14th
I will be speaking on a panel with Charlie Shultz at the Economics of Happiness Conference October 12-14th. From 3:30 until 5:00 that Saturday, the Panel will be discussing local food and water. Make it if you can!
08/14/2017 | (0) Comments
SLIDE 54: Growing Up and Out
Here’s a look at our plan showing plant material nearing their mature sizes.
08/14/2017 | (0) Comments
SFCC Classes Begin the 21st
The fall semester at the Santa Fe Community College starts soon, so reserve your spot in one or more the interesting classes available. Courses for Greenhouse Technologies are listed under the category of Controlled Environment Agriculture. My column back in March talks about the part of the program, so for some inspiration check it out!
08/11/2017 | (0) Comments
SLIDE 53: Free Furniture
Drawing people out of their homes and into their landscapes is an important part of our work, but we also know we need to keep projects with in budget. One of my favorite ways to do this is with boulders. Here boulders not only retain the soil for fewer dollars than a stucco or rock wall would use (no need for foundation, skilled masonry, etc.), and the maintenance cost for a boulder are nonexistent. Stucco walls in the garden tend to take lots of abuse, so they need maintenance more often than stucco walls that are part of a house. Meanwhile, these boulders become furniture to sit on, to place a plate, a drink, a phone, or a book on. And this furniture is FREE. It’s part of the package, and it never needs to be stained, painted, or washed like wood, metal, and plastic outdoor furniture inevitably requires.
08/11/2017 | (0) Comments
SLIDE 52: Path to Patio
Here you can see how runoff will end up on the patio. Note that all of the canales direct roof water to wicks, so in most cases roof water will be diverted away from the patio. Fortunately, it gets to the roots of other plants via the wick.
08/09/2017 | (0) Comments
Let Nurses Nurse Again
From my latest Permaculture in Practice column:
After finally catching last month’s viral video of Senator John McCain’s dramatic floor vote, I wanted to watch reruns all weekend. Part of me enjoyed the well-known maverick’s just-in-time entrance from another round of pressure from the vice president. Part of me relished the former POW’s extended arm and fingers cocked as if casting a spell, but McCain’s protracted use of an already pregnant pause was what really did it for me. Of course, the former navy pilot’s swift and dauntless thumbs-down followed by a brief gaze at his colleagues on the other side of the aisle added to the political theater, as did the senator’s Santa-style exeunt. Done with his work, he turned with a jerk.
08/09/2017 | (0) Comments
SLIDE 51: Patio Drain
Here a patio drain is covered by smaller stones to prevent sediment from entering the drain box and its associated pipe. Occasionally these rocks and the drain box will have to be cleaned out.
08/07/2017 | (0) Comments
