No two permaculture gardens are the same, as one of the central elements of permaculture is making the most of the available resources, orientations and conditions. Therefore, every permaculture garden is unique. Nevertheless, there are a few reference points that are explained here as examples, such as the division into zones. Below are examples of plants and elements that you can implement in your permaculture garden.

The herb snail is a typical element in permaculture

The division into zones

A permaculture garden is divided into zones that ensure optimal management and use. These six zones are:

  • the residential area: Here are mostly buildings where the permaculture gardener lives. This is the central point of the garden and should be easily accessible from all important points.
  • the kitchen garden: The kitchen garden is right next to the living area, so that all the important foods are within easy reach. This area is the most maintenance intensive.
  • the vegetable garden: There are significantly more plants here than in the small kitchen garden, but they need a little less care. Most often, a greenhouse is also set up here
  • Agriculture, Trees and Animals: This zone is intended for larger scale cultivation. Here there are fruit trees, animals live and wheat or maize is grown.
  • Pasture, wood, trees: This area needs almost no maintenance. Animals graze here and there are trees for growing fruit and for wood supply.
  • Natural Zone: This area should not be touched by the gardener. Here, nature grows as it wants and thus offers insects and other animals a natural habitat.

Example elements for the permaculture garden

A few elements have emerged for high-yield cultivation in the permaculture garden and have become practically a must. Here are a few examples of elements found in almost every permaculture garden:

  • herb snail
  • raised bed
  • mound bed
  • natural pond

Fruits, vegetables and other plants in the permaculture garden: examples

Of course, what you plant in the permaculture garden mainly depends on what you want to eat. It is important that the cultivation is staggered so that you can harvest all year round. Above all, local wild varieties and old varieties of vegetables and fruit are grown in the permaculture garden in order to promote natural biodiversity as it used to be. Mixed culture is extremely important in permaculture. You can read more about good combinations here.
Here are a few examples of fruits, herbs and vegetables:

  • Tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, beans, squash, cucumbers…
  • Wild berries, wild strawberries…
  • fruit and nut trees
  • Wild herbs such as buckhorn, dandelion, watercress, chickweed, nettle…

Category:

Garden design