EDIBLE GARDEN DESIGN, with JUDY KEATS

> Part 1 - UNDERSTANDING PERMACULTURE & YOUR SITE - Saturday 11 June - 9:30am to 1:00pm (3.5 hours)

> Part 2 - SPECIES SELECTION & YOUR CONCEPTUAL DESIGN - Saturday 18 June - 9:30am to 1:00pm (3.5 hours)

Whether you're working with a small urban yard, a suburban section, a larger rural block, or any type of space in between, this course will bring you closer to understanding and achieving your vision for a sustainable, edible environment at home!

This two-part permaculture design course is arranged to help you reimagine your space and come away with the knowledge and practical steps to make your vision a reality. Join Judy Keats, master gardener and tree cropper, at Kelmarna Gardens to learn how to put permaculture principles into action in your specific space, to devise your own design and site plan, to achieve the results you desire.

What to expect:

Judy will take you through the basic principles of permaculture design, to provide an effective framework and fresh lens to approach your project space. You will cover a thorough checklist of topics to really get to know your site, address your unique challenges, and find bespoke solutions to accomplish your vision for the space. Some of the topics include:

· Zones

· Microclimates

· Water management

· Shelters

· Choosing crops and trees

· Guilds and beneficial species

· Pests and beneficial animals

Part 1: UNDERSTANDING PERMACULTURE & YOUR SITE - Saturday 11 June - 9:30am to 1:00pm (3.5 hours)

The first part is a crash course on permaculture design principles, aimed at familiarising you with the concepts and tools to approach your space, understand certain nuances, and help create an effective landscape design uniquely suited to the conditions at your site and to benefit your goals for the space.

By the end of Part 1, you will have a list of data points to gather about your site and key questions to consider about your design approach. It will be your job to go home and practise using the framework covered in this session to engage with your project site and return for Part 2 with a fresh perspective and the information you need to move forward with your concept.

Part 2: SPECIES SELECTION & YOUR CONCEPTUAL DESIGN - Saturday 18 June - 9:30am to 1:00pm (3.5 hours)

The second part is focused on creating a conceptual design for your site using a systems-based process in line with the principles you have learned, the information about your site, and the vision you want to achieve. You will need to come prepared with an aerial photo and/or drawn map of your site, with North clearly marked, to form the basis of your conceptual design.

You will work together with Judy to find natural links between key components and choose plant species that are suited both to our temperate climate and the specific conditions of your site. Judy will help you understand how different species behave and interact to put together a list of what plants might work best and a layout of where they can go.

By the end of Part 2, you will come away with a draft conceptual design to help you move forward with transforming your site into the inspiring, regenerative, and edible space of your dreams!

Tickets include: Guided instruction at both sessions of the course, bespoke advice regarding your site and design

What to bring:

Essential:

a refillable water bottle (to stay hydrated)
weather appropriate gear (to keep comfortable)
a face covering or mask (for indoors or close quarters)
a vision for your space (to form the basis of your design)
a notebook and pen (to take notes and draft ideas)

Recommended:

snacks (to keep up your energy)
information and questions (about your space)

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Judy Keats is a permaculturist, organic systems educator, and community garden mentor and advisor, with more than 8 years experience establishing, coordinating, and teaching in community gardens across Auckland.

Judy is passionate about well-being for people and caring for the environment in which we dwell. She believes that by observing our plants and our changing climate, we can gain insight and a closer connection to the health of our gardens, which is key to the success and optimal yields of a sustainable food system. She is committed to working with communities to foster knowledge and experience towards mastering resilience.

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At Kelmarna, we strive to make education accessible for everyone. So, where possible, we offer a 35% discount on our workshops to valid Community Services Card holders. If you book one of these tickets, please email us a copy of your valid Community Services Card, and remember to bring it along to the workshop. Please note that this option does not include Super Gold Card holders. Ngā mihi.