So what is permaculture? Well permaculture – in a nutshell – is nature-inspired design that uses the patterns, processes, and systems we see in the natural world to guide us in creating resilient, productive, and beautiful spaces such as gardens, farms, and communities.
The foundation of permaculture is built upon 3 core ethics:
Earth care: protecting soil, water, and nature
People care: supporting human basic needs
Fair share: sharing resources and surplus with others
And then there are 12 core principles that are tools for making thoughtful, efficient, and regenerative choices in any design:
Observe and interact
Catch and store energy
Obtain a yield
Apply self-regulation and accept feedback
Use and value renewable resources and services
Produce no waste
Design from patterns to details
Integrate rather than segregate
Use small and slow solutions
Use and value diversity
Use edges and value the marginal
Creatively use and respond to change
These ethics and principles encourage critical and holistic thinking, which is then followed by practical application, and then each design forms an ever-evolving feedback loop to adjust and refine: no permaculture garden is stagnant.
In the same way that water becomes stagnant if it has no flow, a permaculture garden requires active participation and your role as the gardener to offer that flow of energy, ideas, and materials.
Permaculture is proactive. It’s creative. It’s about solving problems, finding opportunities, and thinking outside the box.
Unlike other gardening styles, permaculture isn’t about following rigid rules. It’s a framework that adapts to your unique situation – your soil, your climate, your goals. That’s why every permaculture garden is different, yet all are built on the same foundations.
Learn more about permaculture either here on my Instagram, on my channel, or getting yourself a copy of The Permaculture Garden: https://geni.us/ThePermacultureGarden