Gardening in Small Spaces - NOFA Summer Conference 2015
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4 case studies of urban gardens designed and installed by A Yard & A Half Landscaping Cooperative bring permaculture lessons to bear on planning and designing small spaces. Includes sustainable technologies, edible plant lists, and resources for site assessment and planning.
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Gardening in Small Spaces - NOFA Summer Conference 2015
- 1. Gardening in Small Spaces Carolyn Edsell-Vetter, MCH, NOFA-AOLCP
- 2. Who’s Here?
- 3. Where is your “Small Space”?Remember: There are no design problems, only opportunities! • Urban yard • Patio or courtyard • Deck or balcony • Roof of house, shed, doghouse… • Fire escape • Window box • Entryway • Tree wells & crevices • Indoors
- 4. Permaculture PrinciplesRemember: There are no design problems, only opportunities! 1. Observe & Interact 2. Catch & Store Energy 3. Obtain a Yield 4. Apply Self-Regulation & Accept Feedback 5. Use & Value Renewable Resources and Services 6. Produce No Waste 7. Design from Patterns to Details 8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate 9. Use Small & Slow Solutions 10. Use & Value Diversity 11. Use Edges & the Marginal 12. Creatively Use & Respond to Change
- 5. Permaculture PrinciplesRemember: There are no design problems, only opportunities! 1. Observe & Interact 2. Catch & Store Energy 3. Obtain a Yield 4. Apply Self-Regulation & Accept Feedback 5. Use & Value Renewable Resources and Services 6. Produce No Waste 7. Design from Patterns to Details 8. Integrate Rather Than Segregate 9. Use Small & Slow Solutions 10. Use & Value Diversity 11. Use Edges & the Marginal 12. Creatively Use & Respond to Change
- 6. Why do I need to have a plan? A plan allows you to: • Make the most of opportunities created by natural and man-made aspects of a site • Identify and solve problems • Work with, preserve, and improve natural and human systems (hydrology, soils, air, ecosystems, plant & animal life, natural resources, human – individual & communal – health & well-being) • Avoid frustration down the road (sun-loving plants in a shady area, a flooded basement from bad grading & impervious surfaces…) • Maximize beauty & aesthetics of the space • Communicate with those helping you to install and/or manage the landscape
- 7. The Planning Process 1. Base map 2. Site assessment & analysis 3. Schematic/Use map 4. Plan development 5. Final plan & cost estimates 6. Implementation 7. Evaluation & adjustment
- 8. Making a Base Map • Plot plan • Municipal assessor’s database • GIS mapping • Survey • Detailed field measurements
- 9. 1. Hillside Driveway All photos by Jesse or Carolyn Edsell-Vetter; landscape design by Carolyn Edsell-Vetter & installation by A Yard & A Half Landscaping Co-Op, unless otherwise noted.
- 11. Calculating Grade Change You will need: • Stake or buddy • Tape measure • String • Line level
- 12. Boundaries • Structures • Walls & fences • Curbs, sidewalks, roads • When in doubt, get a survey!
- 13. Orientation Image courtesy of University of Oregon
- 14. Types of Shade Part-shade Dappled shade High shade Deep shade
- 15. Drainage Where does the water come from? Where does it end up? Downspouts, gutters, overhangs, topography, yards of neighbors Erosion, pooling, wet & dry areas Problems can be more intense in smaller yards!
- 17. 2. The “Tree House”
- 18. From Base Map to Concept: Vision & Values How do you want to use the space? What do you envision this space becoming? What values do you want to guide your plan?
- 19. What are your values? 1. Friends & family: entertaining, play space 2. Self: orderly space for hobbies & soul-fulfilling activities 3. Spirit: beauty, relaxing view, plantings & reclaimed materials demonstrate oneness with the earth 4. Body/health: lead-free raised bed to grow veggies, groundcovers to reduce risk 5. Community: friendly fences; wildlife value; local, low-impact materials; installers with good ethics around employment & sustainability 1 2 3 4 5
- 20. Do you need/want… • Lawn • Parking • Play structures • Open play areas • Paved areas • Privacy or screening • Protection from sun/wind • Edible plants • Groundcover • Habitat for pollinators? Birds? Bats? Frogs? • Storage for bikes, toys, strollers, furniture, tools… • Utility area for fixing things, washing the dog, hobbies… • Space for garbage, recycling • Compost pile/enclosure • Dining or sitting areas • Cooking area • Fire • Water
- 21. Site Analysis & Use Plan • Zones of use: What will you do where? • Circulation: Where do you need to go? How will you get there?
- 22. Clear Definition
- 23. Subdivided Spaces • Makes each space seem larger • Defines different spaces for different uses • Helps keep spaces orderly • Changes in elevation • Screening & suspense
- 24. Squeezing in Functionality •Kinetic, creative play •Water sounds •Sculptural element •Water for birds & pollinators
- 25. Plants Everywhere! Planting hardscapes: •Manages water •Softens edges •Adds fragrance & color Design:ChristieDustman&Co.
- 26. 3. Sacred Space, Shared Space
- 27. Circulation
- 29. Multi-purpose Plants • Food/medicine • Architectural use (shade, windbreak, focal point) • Nectar source • Nitrogen fixer • Companion plant • Critter cover or feed • Beauty Photo:JocelynHayes-Chilvers Photo:wildflowerrevolution.com
- 30. 4. Urban Container Garden Look, urban soil! I think that’s dog poo.
- 31. Raised Bed Benefits Design&installationbytheEdsell-Vetterfamily. •Soil safety •Ergonomics •If you have a paved lot… •Warms up earlier in spring •Lifts plants up to the sun
- 32. One piece, many uses Raised Planter & Trellis •Screening from busy street •Shade for dining room window •Support for vines •Lead-free planting area for food •Seating •Pollinator value…
- 34. Raised Bed ROI Size: 66 sf of planting area, 2’-3’ deep Time: 2 weekends for family of 4, May 2015 ROI (so far): 15 trays of sundried tomatoes & zucchini, a summer of salads, herbs, 2 pints raspberries, 4 pints pickles, 2 batches of pesto, some kick-butt mojitos… Intangibles: bees, butterflies, lowered blood pressure, kids eating their veggies
- 35. Closing the Circle More ideas for sustainable, small-scale gardening
- 36. Hanging Baskets Hydroponic Window Farm Upside-down Tomato Bucket •Tomatoes •Strawberries •Bush beans •Cucumbers •Herbs •Nasturtiums & edible flowers
- 37. Pocket Gardening
- 38. Rain Gardens Raingarden irrigating fruit trees in suburban Chicago front yard Urban entryway rain garden with aqueduct
- 39. Rain-Water Recovery 55-gallon rain barrel Urn-fountain installed over 1,000 gallon storage system
- 40. Water Gardens
- 41. Bioshelters •Passive solar + thermal mass from stored water & masonry •Warmer winter temps allow for year-round growing & aquaculture •When connected to a dwelling, provides supplemental heat & humidity
- 42. Tiny Composting Sealed outdoor composter Bokashi (fermentation) bin Worm bin Check to see if public or private compost pick-up is available
- 43. Container Gardening: The Nitty-Gritty Planting mix w/ low N-P-K Use reputable organic potting soil (e.g. VT Compost or Ideal) or make your own Coir, newsprint as alternatives to peat Weight of planting medium Fertilize w/ 4-4-2 or lower organic fertilizer (e.g. fish, cottonseed meal, compost tea)
- 44. Self-Watering Containers Drainage Water reservoir Soil foot or wick Tube for adding water Sand if growing root veg
- 45. Plants for Containers Cold-hardy perennials & woody plants (z3-4) Dwarf varieties Annual vegetables Group plants w/ similar needs
- 46. Hanging Planters Strawberry ‘Patio Temptation’ Tomatoes ‘Tumbling Tom’, ‘Robin’s Egg’, ‘Tiny Tom’ Bush beans Cucumber ‘Cool Breeze’ Herbs
- 47. Window Boxes Tomatoes from previous Scallions Radishes Mesclun mix Carrot ‘Suko’ or ‘Parmex’ Herbs Strawberries
- 48. Coldframes Lettuce, mesclun Spinach Scallions Radishes Chard (prefers to be in the ground) Mini carrots ‘Kinko’, ‘Nelson’, ‘Purple Haze’ Endive
- 49. Large Containers > 20”x26” Corn ‘Luther Hill’ Squash, melon Kale, kohlrabi Potatoes & leeks – start w/ container ½ full, then hill up as they grow
- 50. Fruit for Small Spaces Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums grown on dwarf rootstock, e.g. ‘Urban Apple’ series Dwarf citrus (move indoors; humidify) Blueberries, Thornless Blackberries, ‘Brazelberries’ serries Currants where available
- 51. Grow On! Carolyn Edsell-Vetter, MCH, AOLCP Blog/handouts: http://ayardandahalf.wordpress.com Email: carolyn [at] ayardandahalf [dot] com W: 781-788-8855