Back in Wellington and getting geared up for spring. The time of year that I like to call "first stirrings of spring" is just starting, with the first bulbs showing above soil surface and the first treebuds swelling slightly. Even though it's still cold, when it's sunny it's really enjoyable and my greenhouse becomes a... Continue Reading →

The first real autumn rain has finally come and the soil is moist and open. Time to prepare the ground for autumn and winter plantings! Perennials are plants that come back year after year, keeping the same roots. In terms of edibles, it can be anything from asparagus or artichokes, which die back every autumn,... Continue Reading →

I first ran into the permaculture design concept as a quite full-on environmental activist in 1999 in France. Since then, I've studied and practiced permaculture both over in France and here, and started teaching in 2009. I've done a lot of permaculture designs over the years, but I didn't have the level of organisation to... Continue Reading →

Today, I'm hanging out with Ashvin in Christchurch. I'm here for the annual Permaculture hui which starts tomorrow, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to discover the latest developments in urban food growing at the same time. Ashvin is the manager of Garden City 2.0, founded by Bailey Perryman. They're  connecting urbanites with local... Continue Reading →