Graham Bell

How the forest garden is Designed to be self-managing through habitat creation

Early Beginnings

1. A family of keen gardeners

2. New garden regularly with RAF

3. Lots of practical experience

4. From Yorkshire to Malta

5. Unmanaged productivity

“ I remember aged 7 being awarded a penny for

every dandelion I dug from the garden lawn ”

But ye cannae grow apricots in Scotland. Or can you?

Early Beginnings

The First Garden

1. 1979 London

2. Concrete and Compost

3. Japanese Flowering Cherry

4. Crab Apples

5. A climbing Rose

6. Neighbours called Bob

The First Garden

Burglars!

Permaculture

I found two books: The Findhorn Garden (the original stunning black and white version not the new coloured one) and Permaculture One by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren.

Just what I wanted!

PermacultureWe went on a weekend course on Permaculture at a large House in West Wales- Glaneirw, an intentional community which specialised in free range cows and Aga’s.

What we learnt was fire to the belly and stays with me to this day. Work with nature. Abundance is natural. Thanks to Andy Langford and Jolyon Fillingham.

“The significance of the cows didn’t strike us till we were driven from bed at two in the morning by the overwhelming smell of cheese. “

Nancy eating the apricot…

Back to London1. Stopped Spraying Aphids

2. Welcomed Lacewings

3. Said Hello to Ladybirds

4. Made a home for Snails

Garden Cottage

Take responsibility for your own lifeMaximise outputMinimise wasReconnect energy flows…So you:Reduce workCare for peopleCare for all living things

Permaculture is a Design Principle

Meet Nico

Ruby had our first grandchild this month- which is relevant because it gives you a timescale on establishing low management systems which are highly productive.

But you might also like to say hello to Nico.

Natural systems

The garden connection comes because the first thing we try to do is grow food…

And produce our own fuel And reduce the demands we

make on the planet

Natural systems

Remember all our crops were weeds once. And try to understand the function of weeds in natural systems.No nettles no what?

“It is an unweeded garden that grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely.”

Natural systems

Five start burnet moth eats what?

Natural systemsIf there are no pollinators there are no apples?

So is the apple tree a plant or a system?

Where does the tree end and the system begin?

Is the bee therefore part of the apple tree?

These are apples grown in our garden and preserved by putting them in an apple store. No chemicals. No carbon dioxide. And are they edible? In Scotland in March?

Natural systems This is an Organic pumpkin. A 96lb pumpkin.

As our ex-councillor Jock Law said to me in 1990

“Ah ye cannae grow pumpkins in Scotland”.

There are now sixty people in Coldstream who grow pumpkins every year and compete to see who can grow the biggest.

And we couldn’t do that without insects.

Natural systems

A predatory habitat. Who is the worst predator in the garden? Yes my friends- You and me. That’s what we made it for. We can tolerate a few other people to harvest it too.

Natural systems

You don’t have a slug problem you have a duck shortage.

Where’s the Wormery?

You’re standing in it.

Scotland?

Thank you Bugs

Thank You

From

Graham Bell