Permaculture Principle No. 1: “Observe and Interact”

Permaculture Principle No. 1: “Observe and Interact”

Permaculture, in simple terms, is a way of designing and creating systems – like gardens or farms working in harmony with nature.

The word “permaculture” itself comes from combining “permanent” and “agriculture” or “culture,” reflecting a focus on sustainability and long-term thinking.

Permaculture was co-founded by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in Tasmania, Australia, in the 1970s. Both Mollison and Holmgren played significant roles in developing and popularising permaculture.

Bill Mollison, an Australian ecologist, researcher, and teacher, was a driving force behind the development of permaculture. He observed natural ecosystems and traditional agricultural practices, inspiring the creation of a holistic design system.

David Holmgren, also an Australian ecologist, collaborated with Bill Mollison in refining and expanding permaculture principles. Holmgren’s contributions have been crucial in shaping the design framework and principles of permaculture.

In a nutshell, permaculture is like learning from nature’s playbook to create sustainable, efficient, and harmonious systems that support both the environment and people.

It’s about being smart, observing, and working together with the Earth to create a better way of living.

There are 12 Permaculture Principles and we will be looking each each one every month over the year and how we use it in our garden

Permaculture Principle No. 1:

Observe and Interact

Before making any changes or interventions, take time to observe and understand the natural patterns and processes of the site

This involves studying the land, climate, water flows, and existing ecosystems

Interact with the environment to gain insights and connect with the elements at play.

Spend significant time in the area you plan to work with.

Observe the movement of the sun, wind patterns, water drainage, and the interactions among plants and animals

This deep observation informs thoughtful and context-specific design decisions.

By carefully observing and interacting with the environment, you can design systems that are better attuned to the natural rhythms of the site

This can lead to more effective and sustainable solutions that work with, rather than against, the existing patterns and processes.

There are 12 permaculture Principles we will be looking at each one every month

When looking at implementing the design into our garden we looked at

1. Sun Direction
2. Wind Direction and Wind Breaks
3. Water and Water Flow

This is a shot of our home showing the surrounding area. We are on a hill, at the top of the hill and behind us the fields you see are an even steeper hill

1. Sun Direction

We are lucky enough to get the sun all day, rising on one side and following across the garden all day to set on the other side. Winter the sun is so low though that during the day it doesn’t hit the bottom area due to our trees.

2. Wind Direction and Wind Breaks

We have large trees all the way round the edge and hedges underneath. There have been issues with the bottom set of trees due to neighbours removing the middle section of them which has given us no choice but to cut them down in size. We have added a 2nd row of Cherry Laurel in front so in time will cover that area again. In the mean time we will be adding tall willow whips to fill the gaps.

There is a section that needs to be addressed that has limited tree protection at the side of our house as during the winter the stormy months these hedges are bare with no ever greens here. We will be addressing this this year too (2024)

3. Water and Water Flow

The garden being on a slope allows for the rain to run downhill causing us no water lag. The top 2 tiers are flat with sloped areas to the next but the food forest, growing area is all sloped. We collect drain water with water butts to use where possible. Looking at adding some low down in the garden to collect water to use, but with Scottish weather we rarely water the garden as it rains so often.

How We Use It In Our Garden Video Reel

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A post shared by KATRINA & CLAYTON | Food Forest Gardening (@buildingafoodforest_scotland)

PDC Permaculture Design Certificate

Peter received his Permaculture Design Certificate online in 2019 with Oregon State Uni. Certified by the Permaculture Institute of North America. Taught by: World Renowned Permaculturist Andrew Millison 

Peter designed our garden using the Permaculture Design processes and the 12 Permaculture Principles.

Katrina finished her Permaculture Design Certificate Professional PDC PRO in 2024 to continue the process and pass all the knowledge onto Clayton and others.

Happy Gardening!

Katrina & Clayton and family live in East Ayrshire and share their daily life in the garden on instagram. They practice permaculture principles in the garden, reducing & repurposing waste whenever they can. Katrina shows how home educating in nature has helped Clayton thrive. 

Clayton Completed The 2 Grow and Learn Courses with the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. He is Autistic, Non Verbal & has been Home Educated since 2018. Katrina & Peter hold their PDC & PDC PRO Permaculture Design Course from Oregon State University 

They featured on BBC Beechgrove Gardens Ep23 2022 and returned in 2023 for an update,Katrina & Clayton are also columnists for ScotlandGrows Magazine, Guest Blog for Caledonian Horticulture as well as working with Gardeners’ World Magazine and many other brands. They are also Authors of the new children’s book: Clayton’s New Garden Journey: A Story of Autism and Growing available on Amazon & Kindle. Listen in on our Guest Podcast to learn more about us.

Our Children’s Book Series

Author of the new children’s book series: Clayton’s Garden Journey: A Story of Autism and Gardening. Topics on Growing, Harvesting, Sowing & Composting and 108 Page Weather and Seasons Weekly Gardening Record Book available on Amazon and Kindle

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