Permaculture Principle No. 8 is “Integrate Rather Than Segregate”

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 at each one every month over the year and how we use it in our garden

Permaculture Principle No. 8:

“Integrate Rather Than Segregate”

This principle focuses on the importance of creating connections between elements in a system to foster collaboration and mutual support, rather than isolating components. Here’s a breakdown of this principle, divided into explanation, application, and expected outcome:

“Integrate rather than segregate” emphasises the value of creating interconnected systems where the various components work together to enhance overall functionality and resilience. In nature, different elements plants, animals, microorganisms interact in ways that support each other.

This principle encourages designing systems where relationships between elements are prioritised, ensuring that they contribute to the system’s overall health, efficiency, and productivity. By fostering connections, we can create more resilient and self-sustaining systems.

Gardening

Companion Planting: Plant complementary species together, such as beans, corn, and squash (the “Three Sisters”), where each plant supports the others by providing nutrients, shade, or structural support. Check out our blog on Companion Planting

Polyculture: Instead of monocultures, cultivate a diverse range of crops in the same area. This diversity reduces pest and disease outbreaks and improves soil health by mimicking natural ecosystems. Check out our blog on Guilds

Community and Social Systems:

Community Networks: Encourage the integration of different community groups and networks to create a more cohesive and supportive social fabric. For example, connect local food producers with consumers through farmers’ markets or community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs.

Shared Resources: Promote the sharing of tools, knowledge, and skills within a community. Tool libraries, cooperative workshops, and community gardens are examples of integrated systems that reduce waste and increase access to resources.

Building and Infrastructure:

Water Systems: Use integrated water management systems that combine rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, and natural filtration to efficiently manage water resources within a property or community.

Integrated Design: Design buildings and infrastructure to be multifunctional, where elements serve multiple purposes. For example, green roofs provide insulation, reduce stormwater runoff, and create habitats for wildlife.

Enhanced Efficiency:

Integrated systems are often more efficient because they make use of the outputs of one element as inputs for another. This reduces waste and optimizes the use of resources.

Increased Resilience:

Systems that are well integrated are more resilient to disruptions because the failure of one component can be mitigated by the support of others. For example, a diverse garden with multiple plant species is less likely to be devastated by pests than a monoculture.

Sustainability:

By fostering connections between elements, systems become more self-sustaining, requiring fewer external inputs and interventions. This leads to a more sustainable use of resources over time.

Improved Community Cohesion:

When communities integrate resources and collaborate, they build stronger social bonds, increase mutual support, and enhance collective well-being.

Holistic Development:

Integrated systems lead to holistic development where the physical, social, and economic aspects of a community or system are developed in tandem, ensuring that progress in one area supports and enhances others.

By applying the principle of “Integrate rather than segregate,” permaculture practitioners can create systems that are more sustainable, resilient, and productive. This principle encourages a holistic approach to design and management, ensuring that all elements work together harmoniously to support the greater whole.

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 setting our sections up into different areas that suited, we have

1. Food Forest Area
2. Raised Bed Area
3. Kitchen Courtyard

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

This is a long term project that will take time to grow and fill out, but we are adding to it each year and still getting harvests from the berries. Last year was our first year getting some apples from the trees. Observing and self regulating as we go along.

Take a look at some of the starting blogs for more details of how we got started and what we have added A Little About Us and Where The Food Forest Has Started From – 2022 Update and Food Forest Area- New Fruit Trees Planted For 2023

We integrate plants, companion planting and guilds throughout our areas from the larger spaces of the food forest down to the smaller raised beds. There is always a mix of crops planted next to each other to support each of them, from pest control companion planting such as chives, nasturtium and calendula to nitrogen fixing plants like lupins, peas and beans. Take a look at our tour to see what we plant up in these areas

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.

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 This Year. Clayton has just turned 17, Autistic, Non Verbal & has been Home Educated for the last 7yrs. Katrina & Peter both hold their PDC 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 

Author of the new children’s book series: Clayton’s Garden Journey: A Story of Autism and Gardening and Sowing, Growing, Weather and Seasons Weekly Gardening Record Book available on Amazon