Bit by bit our yard is transforming into my permie vision. If you're not familiar with the term "permaculture" it is, as simply as I can put it, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. When you get all Dave Jacke on the topic you start to consider root shape, plant function and the details. I'm not a details kind of gal, so I think one of the easiest ways to understand permaculture principals is through the 3 Sisters Gardening technique: growing corn, beans, and squash together.
The beans accumulate nutrients to share with the heavy eater (corn), while the cucurbit (squash, cucmbers, winter squash) uses the height of the corn as a trellis. It's a little more complex than that, I imagine, but the simplified explanation works well for illustrative purposes, garden planning, and my meager brain. Each plant serves several purposes beyond providing food--some plants repel pests, others serve as a trellis, while others act like a living fertilizer. All the while they provide beauty!
Not only that, the keyhole shape of the bed will be a fun and imaginative little hideaway for playtime with Mabel. Can you imagine a better nook to read a book, hidden on three sides by a small jungle of food? I think that's a pretty good way to grow, don't you?
Renee Garner has a passion to make things grow, although her brownish thumb wants her to believe otherwise. When mud pies aren't on the menu, you can find her doodling the days away at Wolfie and the Sneak.
