Look Inside
This book explains how you can practice permaculture in even the smallest home garden. As the cost of land and housing increases, the size of home gardens decreases in urban areas. The idea of permaculture however is more attractive than ever offering possibilities for a more productive, sustainable and ethical approach to managing the home garden.
Explore the principles and techniques used more often in permaculture on larger properties, and discover how these ideas can be incorporated into gardens that might be as little as a small courtyard.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 APPLYING PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES IN SMALL SPACES
Introduction
Ethical underpinning
Permaculture principles
Zones and sectors
Central place theory
Multi owner developments and urban permaculture
CHAPTER 2 ECOLOGY AND SYSTEMS
Ecology in the garden
Designing with systems
Start with the soil microbiome
Microclimates & ecosystems
Creating microclimates
CHAPTER 3 DESIGNING THE SMALL PERMACULTURE GARDEN
Design considerations
Topography, structures, sun and wind
Formulating ideas
Circular designs
Mandala gardens
Keyhole design
Herb spiral
Use of scale
CHAPTER 4 PLANTS FOR SMALL SPACES
Deciding what to grow
Prioritise your criteria
Fruits and berries
Vegetables
Herbs
Other plants
Polycultures
Interplanting
Guilds
Companion planting
CHAPTER 5 SUSTAINABILITY
What is meant by sustainability?
Minimising or eliminating inputs
Composting
Worm farming
Sheet mulching
Mulching
Repurposing
Water recycling
CHAPTER 6 OTHER WAYS TO GET MORE FROM LIMITED SPACE
Value-adding
Protective structures
Windbreaks
Container growing
Aquaponics
Stacking or layering
Stacking containers
Vertical gardens
Living roofs
Raised beds
Mushroom cultivation
Domesticated animals
Snail farming
Micro-greens
CHAPTER 7 NATURAL CONTROL MEASURES
Strategies to reduce pest and disease problems
Using plants
Protecting plants
Pruning
Natural weed control
CHAPTER 8 THE PERMACULTURE COMMUNITY
Introduction
Connecting with others
Consider trading with neighbours
Consider community gardens
Consider public land
Consider neighbour’s land
Getting local businesses onboard
Sharing seeds
Thinking long-term
Spreading the word
Further reading and study
More ebooks available
Courses available