As organic gardeners, we aspire to garden in ways which are sustainable and ecologically sound, with minimal environmental impact. We seek to work with Nature rather than against her, and to treat all life with reverence and respect. These goals and values have been shared by ethical communities worldwide, by people who have lived in harmony with the planet, all the way through human history.
What if we could gather their wisdom, and make it accessible to the modern world by systematizing it and explaining it scientifically? Imagine if we combined what they knew with our current knowledge of ecology, the scientific study of the relationships of living organisms to one another and to their environment. This would be something very innovative and exciting. Here’s a little secret, it’s actually been done… and it’s called Permaculture!
The Revolutionary Beginnings
The 1970s were a time of major changes, both for good and bad. During this time, we saw the emergence of unsustainable corporate agribusiness, with its heavy reliance on agricultural chemicals and primary focus on profits. This departure from traditional organic farming methods had its consequences – a reduction in food quality, chemical contamination of food and damage to the environment.
Many recognised the dangers of the new direction agriculture was taking, and some dared to challenge it. In 1974, two visionary Australian ecologists, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren realized that the solution was to shift agriculture back towards Nature, and to go one step further beyond where organic agriculture had already gone.
A new perspective was necessary to drive this much needed change. To quote the ‘Father of Permaculture’ Bill Mollison, “Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labour; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single product system”
Looking to change the paradigm of modern agriculture, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren devised a system for designing self-sustaining agriculture which emulated natural living ecosystems to achieve similar efficiencies. They called this system Permaculture, a portmanteau of ‘permanent agriculture’ and ‘permanent culture’.
Why model natural ecosystems? They’re 100% sustainable and are proven to be able to sustain themselves over hundreds of millions of years without human intervention!
In Bill Mollison’s own words, “Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way. Without permanent agriculture there is no possibility of a stable social order.”
Since Permaculture deals holistically with the relationships between people, plants, animals and the environment, and seeks to make them work together harmonious through intentional design, it is often described as ‘ecological engineering’ or ‘cultivated ecology’.
Sustainability by Design
Permaculture utilises a set of universal design principles which are a drawn from a wide variety of disciplines, such as ecology, landscape design, environmental science and energy conservation. These design principles serve as tools to integrate of all the separate parts of a design into a functional, synergistic whole system, where the parts can interact harmoniously and work together in the most efficient way possible.
Being universal, these principles can be applied to any location, climate and culture, as well as any scale from an apartment balcony to a large-scale farm or village, making Permaculture useful in a broad range of applications.
Permaculture as a Design Framework
Permaculture is not about techniques such as no-dig gardening or composting, it’s a design framework which sits at a conceptual level above these useful tools. We can think of Permaculture as a ‘lens’ through which we view the world, design our systems and apply our chosen techniques.
There’s a simple way to understand this subtle distinction. The techniques tell us how to do what we need to do, whereas Permaculture design tells us which techniques to use, where to best use them, and why.
Permaculture can incorporate techniques such as organic gardening, no-dig gardening, food forest gardening, backyard orchard culture, biodynamic gardening, composting and many other sustainable gardening practices in the range if tools available to the designer. Other techniques such as energy-efficient building design, water harvesting, waste-water treatment and recycling can also be utilized within a Permaculture framework.
Keeping Things Ethical
One of the distinguishing features of Permaculture as a design system and as an applied science, is its inclusion of three ethical principles which seek to guide our activities, and encourage us to live sustainably, to preserve the Earth’s living systems which sustain our lives and all other life on the planet.
Care of the Earth, which is about recognising that all living and non-living systems are interconnected and interdependent, when one is affected, all are affected.
Care of People, which is about promoting self-reliance and responsibility towards the greater community. We are reminded that humans are interdependent communal and social creatures who function best in cooperative groups.
Fair Share, also described as the ethical principle of “Return of surplus to Earth and people” reminds us that if we take only our fair share of the world’s finite resources, then there is enough for everybody, and there will continue to be in the future too. Furthermore, when we share our skills, knowledge and surplus produce, we build bonds between people which foster a sense of stable, collaborative community.
More than Food Production
Permaculture started off as a design system and has grown to also become a worldwide social movement, so we really need two separate definitions here!
As a design system, Permaculture emulates systems that exist in Nature to create sustainable human settlements and food production systems which integrate harmoniously with the natural environment. It has expanded to include economic and social systems which support stable communities, such as credit co-ops, local exchange trading systems and eco-villages.
As a social movement, Permaculture is concerned with sustainable, environmentally sound land use and the building of stable communities, through the harmonious interrelationship of humans, plants, animals and the Earth.
Even though Australia is the home of Permaculture, many Australians have never heard of it, but over the last few decades it has become a global phenomenon which is continuing to grow worldwide. Permaculture has a lot to offer the organic gardener, as I have found from my own personal experience, it’s definitely worth looking into!
I don’t know If I said it already but …Excellent site, keep up the good work. I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks, 🙂
A definite great read..Jim Bean
Fantastic site.
You’ve done a great job on the garden, and your knowledge is obvious,
Thanks for sharing this information.
Very inspiring.
Thanks guys, appreciate to positive feedback!
I hope to visit you folks in 9 or so days with the NERPG mob. david hicks……..
Looking forward to the visit, glad to take you all through the garden and explain how it all works!
Thanks so much for your open garden yesterday, I learnt so much in such a short time…very inspirational and thank you too for all the plants…very unexpected and welcome gifts……am now enjoying your website, which is going to be such a help in getting our garden established……
Thanks so much for showing us through your garden this afternoon. What a fantastic inspiration – am off to explore the rest of your site now!
You’re welcome!
Just discovered your site.. it is wonderful!
very interested in what your doing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter ,
thankyou Dave
Hi Dave,
Thanks! To subscribe, you can either put a tick in the ‘Subscribe by email to this site’ box at the bottom of the page when you type in your comment, or receive update notifications via RSS by clicking on the ‘Entries (RSS)’ link at the very bottom of the page
Regards
Thanks for the great site and info!
Great site… Thanks for sharing…
First time here, very exciting.
I have a peach tree. It chose its own spot, so I decided to leave it. I guess
is is about 3 years old now. Healthy enough, until a few months ago when I noticed leaves dropping and small yellow spots on the leaf surface and brown dusty ones on the underside. Peach rust. After a bit of on-line research I discovered that the prognosis is not good over time for my tree, unless I do something i.e stripping and burn the leaves and spray with Lime sulphur in winter.
What is your opinion on the use of Lime Sulphur? And if too toxic, do you have any other suggestions?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best to all and happy growing.
Dianne M
Hi Diane,
Unfortunately, due to climate here in Melbourne, peach and nectarine trees do need seasonal spraying of fungicide, and organic gardeneres use eithe Lime Sulphur or the copper based Bordeaux mixture.
Both are OK, I’ve used Lime Sulphur before, it smells terrible but it does work well. It’s not one of those nasty toxic systemic fungicides, it’s mineral based, a recognised organic fungicide, and is simply made by boiling lime (calcium hydroxide) and sulfur together. I’ve seen organic gardening workshops that show people how to make this up at home. I definitely recommend using this or one of the copper based fungicides, otherwise the tree will be progressively weakened by the fungal attacks. Use the Lime Sulphur when the tree is dormant, before the buds swell. I do whatever I can to save a good tree!
Regards
Hi, what a lovely, informative site. We are hoping to visit your garden tomorrow for permaculture day. One thing I really like about what you have done is provide actual usable information about how to do stuff. Applying a bit of feng shui for information, let it flow out so more flows in – you should be expecting a lovely bubbling stream! cheers jodie
Thanks! ( :
Was there at your talk at the permaculture conference on the weekend. Wanted to say it has put back some inspiration I was missing. Thanks.
You’re welcome! There’s nothing more satisfying than insiring people to make a difference. Thanks! ( :
I was at the Sustainable Food Workshop in Preston last night. Your presentation was excellent. You also mentioned a tour of your garden later this month. I’d really like to join the tour if it indeed goes ahead. thanks again Kerrie
Hi Kerrie,
I’ve posted the details of our next garden tour under Upcoming Events on the website, I’ve listed it here: http://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2011/05/17/backyard-urban-food-forest-tour/
See you there!
You are such an inspiration! It is uncommon to uncover such thoughtful and informative blogs. Please keep writing!
Thanks for the wonderful information here, an inspiration
Great teaching at the permaculture convergence this weekend
Thanks, glad you enjoyed my presentation!
I rarely comment on websites, but this has been amazing. I’m setting up my first garden, a courtyard 8m x 5m, following permaculture principles and the extra proviso that every plant will be “scented, edible, or both”. Thank you so much for putting the work into not only creating your garden, but into the blog design and clear explanations that make it possible for the rest of us to follow suit. You’ve been a great help!
Thank you very much for information on your site. It is helping me very very much. We started with a project for people living with disability in South Africa & companion planting and organic is still in its baby phase this side, so I know that I will spend a lot of time on your site. Thanks again for the effort.
I logged on this morning with the intent to find something I needed vs. wanted and here it is! So glad to have found you. I read about Permaculture in SageWoman and Crone magazines. I have a decent yard and a congenital green thumb. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. I suppose I need to get outdoors, dust off these “closed-in” blues and get busy. Yee haw!
you are surely the best site about permaculture ive ever seen.
thank you.
very interesting this site about permaculture.I want to learning every think about this kind of life. Thank you.
I m having a new deep green conscience .thanks
Hi,
I admire you for sharing your discoveries. Permaculture is the way to go indeed. As one famous inventor said “comprehend and copy nature”. After reading through your pages I went into my forest and studied it. A word of caution, “beware of over designing”. The forest is made by nature via a poo and forget scheme by birds and other small animals.Man is far better. I had actually came up with a plant and forget scheme after a few days of learning. This is because the knowledge you imparted has served as spring board for me. So to you and of course to Bill, Tons of thanks.
Julian
I have only just got interested in Permaculture and find that your site has a lot of useful and interesting information. I think I will be visiting quite often to borrow from your experience. I hope I will be able to contribute in a small way, too.
Wonderful to hear. This will surely be useful in my involvement in a self sustaining community in Tamil Nadu, India.
Hi. I am going to India in April. Would there be any possibility to visit your community? I am a designer and artist who create play and artistic projects as art therapy for kids and patients. I would like to visit you and maybe do a workshop for a day if you want. Cheers. Ruth
Hi all. Such a great project and movement. I am a designer who loves natural alternative medicine and food. Thank you so much for Permaculture. Willing to start my garden!! Ta!
Dear Mr.Lawton, you are a real King in your own right. This is the way forward. Once I get myself more established (real estate, etc. somewhere in this world) I plan to personally get in touch with you for advice on Deep Green Permaculture and sustainable organic gardening for self-sufficient people. Well done, and keep up your good work…. Thanks. Philip.
Hi Philip,
Deep Green Permaculture is my website, Geoff Lawton is my teacher, his websites are http://www.geofflawton.com and http://permaculturenews.org/
Yes, Geoff Lawton’s work is brilliant and totally inspiring!
Regards
Angelo
Hi Angelo, I have found your blog so inspirational. I live in central France (not mediterranean), please keep us updated with your garden and other projects. You have a great way of communicating all this knowledge you have, if only I could have a fraction of this!
I read your blog like a book, love every bit of it. I wish we had a warmer climate to graft the aubergines onto the devil plant, the only solution here would be under glass. I have just made a hot compost heap today!
All the best, please put something on youtube every month, or just keep posting blogs.
How would your garden look like in our climate I wonder? What would you try and grow?
I have to say that is the most succinct definition I have seen so far. Thank you.
Hello Angelo, your wonderful site and easy to follow instructions inspired me to build a hot compost 8 days ago, I was so excited to feel the heat growing daily, and have started turning it. I may have overheated it because it was just so damn exciting to be generating that heat! It looks like it’s working though and today I built 2 more heaps. Many thanks for the fabulous information, Michele
great site. Keep up the hard work this is serving as my main goto source now after reading this site almost start to finish. Love the projects and all the hard work you have done, thanks for sharing.
Hi, I am so glad to see that at least some people are into permaculture which is much older than mentioned here. I wrote articles on this subject for the Horticultural society when it was in Canterbury before its move out west (1986) under the names of Breda Wede & Petal Pusher (now hijacked by a Malvern Nursery) and have been trying to push these concepts to drought, bushfire and salinity affected properties since winning a Science Talent Search prize in 1953 on the Natural control of Pests to counter the introduction of Myxomatosis and pesticide/weedkiller poisons. So keep up the good work while I continue to try and influence Councils and landscapers to really investigate the benefits of biodiversified permaculture and safe/suitable trees for varying areas. Rosemary Courtier (nee Horton) rosejhorton@gmail.com
Hi Angelo, Your site just keeps getting better. I visited your garden a while back with Pete the Permie and found your garden to be one of the most inspirational I have ever seen. Sorry I missed the Open Gardens Day. (I still have to drop the photos and audio over to you) Mine is not nearly as good, but then I am really a now and again gardener (when time, weather and health allow) and my biggest issue is Morning Glory [Monster]. Everything is still in pots in Year 3 and I just can’t help but add more, with many sitting on my front fence for the western sun heating the stone and brick. The birds are winning the fruit harvesting race and the possums are eating all my passionfruit leaves and shoots. This year I hope to finally complete my star picket and wire mesh fruit tree cage (two years in the building) and place a chook house inside it for a few bantams with fox protection. Keep up the wonderful work – regards, Ania
This looks like a great blog! We are currently awaiting a public housing transfer which we have no idea about when we will get minimal notice about moving, but my head is overflowing with ideas to get started with after moving and I think I will get some more exciting ideas now I have subscribed to your blog through RSS 🙂
awesome! I’m one with you in keeping the Movement. We are to work and replicate your permaculture thoughts in our farm in sogod, Cebu, Philippines. should you guys visit cebu, pm me and I will be glad exchange thoughts. God bless our our endeavor!
Great work ! Getting it done now on our farm.
Great Work!! I became a fan of your DIY projects. Keep it up……………
Thanks! 🙂
Many more articles on the way!
Please add me to the Deep Green Permaculture Blog Email List. I enjoy what I am reading and would like to learn more!
Thanks so much,
Benjy
I am looking forward to learning new gardening ideas.
You’ll find plenty here, enjoy! 🙂
Hi,
May I know what is the cost of building a typical food forest like this ?
What are the major cost elements involved?
THANKS!!
Even do permaculture is a pretty old term, going back to the 1970’s, people still don’t use it’s blessings for the better of all mankind. In the last few years we finally started to put into practice some ecological terms like renewable energy sources and recycling waste managment, green cities etc., but we are still living in the industrial age that continues to pollute our Mother Earth.