Written by Doug Crouch Header art by Sien Verpoest Our aquatic permaculture systems allow for creating a variety of niches to fully balance, enhance and procure abundance through edge design in three dimensions and system integration. The niche creation can be done in virtually all life kingdoms but in this page we will examine the incredible…
American Hazelnut has been a great native shrub addition to our back yard. It seems to thrive in our dry gravelly soil and has never shown signs of stress during summer droughts. We have planted several in potted form which we purchased from Outack Nursery as well as bareroot. It is a fairly fast growing shrub with attractive dark green serrated leaves that turn a nice orange in the fall. It's considered a colonizer as it sends out new shoots to form thickets. We planted several about 4 years ago in the back yard in part shade where we were reintroducing a shrub and understory layer to our mature trees (instead of lawn). A couple of years later, we found two Hazelnuts growing on the back slope in the yard. We were very pleased with this discovery because previous to this we had only seen a few in our local park a mile away. Hazelnut is one of the first things to flower in the early spring. In early to mid April before the leaves have emerged, the male flowers (catkins) start to elongate on the stem and turn a bright yellow as the pollen matures. You have to look a little more closely for the female flower which is also attached to the woody stem in a scale like bud. The stigma and styles are a bright red and start to protrude to catch the wind borne pollen from the end of the scaled bud. There is another native species of Hazelnut called Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) that is also found in Minnesota that has elongated bracts that envelop the nut compared to the short bracts on the American Hazelnut. The pollinated female flower then develops into the cluster of nuts (filberts or hazelnuts) which begin to become noticeable in late July and early August. These nuts turn brown when mature and are edible and have a "higher nutritional value than acorns or beechnuts, also are eaten by squirrels, foxes, deer, northern bobwhite, ruffed grouse, turkey, woodpeckers, pheasants, and deer." (USDA Plant Guide) We rarely get a chance to harvest the nuts for ourselves, the squirrels are already collecting them right now before they have fully matured in our yard. Here's the remains of the outer bracts that surround the nuts on our walkway. Somebody had a tasty breakfast this morning. Image: Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database American Hazelnut is native from Manitoba south to Oklahoma and eastwards. It grows in full sun and part shade in open areas as well as low lying wet areas. In other words, it is a really adaptable native shrub that makes a great addition to any landscape.
Regardless of the reason for your lack of direct sunlight, there's likely a native plant that can bring life and colour to that space.
Fleabane, belonging to the genus Erigeron, encompasses a diverse group of flowering plants within the Asteraceae family. Erigeron species are commonly known
This stunning nature reserve belongs on everyone's outdoor bucket list!
Regenerative Agriculture, Polyculture, Ecology, Regenerative Landscape Desing, Permaculture, Gardening, Ecological Gardening
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development and although around 78% of the earth's atmosphere is nitrogen, plants cannot utilise this. Plants instead depend upon combined or fixed forms of nitrogen, such as ammonia and nitrate. Currently the majority of this nitrogen is provided to cropping systems in the form of industrially produced nitrogen fertilizers. Use of these fertilizers has led to worldwide ecological problems, such as the formation of coastal dead zones, and requires a high energy input to produce. Biological nitrogen fixation, on the other hand, offers a natural means of providing nitrogen for plants. Legume aka Pulse Crop) in association with Rhizobium bacteria. Biological Nitrogen fixation is an important component of organic gardening/farming, forest gardening and other agro-eco practices. Through a partnership with micro-organisms in their roots, some plants can turn atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen fertilizers useful to themselves but also becoming available to their neighbors over time through root die back, leaf fall, and chop and drop pruning. These are known as the nitrogen fixing plants. This is a mutually beneficial relationship with the plant providing carbohydrates obtained from photosynthesis to the microorganism and in exchange for these carbon sources, the microbes provide fixed nitrogen to the host plant. While it does not replace the need to bring in other nutrients depleted by harvests such as phosphorus and calcium, nitrogen fixation provides a valuable biological source of an essential fertilizer. There are two main groups of microbes that plants associate with in order to utilise the atmospheric nitrogen to fuel growth. They are Frankia and Rhizobium. Frankia Many plants partner with micro-organisms called Frankia, a group of Actinobacteria. These plants are known as the actinorhizal nitrogen fixers. Frankia can be seen above as the yellow nodules forming around the roots of an Alder - Alnus sp. Actinorhizal plants are found in many ecosystems including alpine, xeric, chapparal, forest, glacial till, riparian, coastal dune, and arctic tundra environments and can be found in the following plant families Betulaceae, the birch family. Myricaceae, the bayberry family. Casuarinaceae, the Austraian “pines”. Elaeagnaceae, the oleasters. Rosaceae, the rose family. Rhamnaceae, the buckthorn family. These plants tend to thrive in nitrogen-poor environments and are often the pioneer species in plant communities playing an important role in plant succession. Welcome to our Online Store where you can find Forest Garden/ Permaculture plants, seeds, bulbs and Polyculture multi-packs along with digital goods and services such as Online Courses, Webinars, eBooks, and Online Consultancy. We hope you enjoy the store and find something you like :) It's your purchases that keep our Project going. Yuu can also find our full list of trees. shrubs and herbs for forest gardens on our website here Enter Our Store Here Plants, Seeds, eBooks, Consultancy, Bulk Fruit and Nut Tree Orders for Permaculture, Polyculture, Forest Gardens and Regenerative Landscapes. Rhizobium By far the most important nitrogen-fixing symbiotic associations are the relationships between legumes (plants in the family Fabaceae) and Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium bacteria. These plants are commonly used in agricultural systems such as alfalfa, beans, clover, cowpeas, lupines, peanut, soybean, and vetches. The Rhizobium or Bradyrhizobium bacteria colonize the host plant’s root system and cause the roots to form nodules to house the bacteria. The bacteria then begin to fix the nitrogen required by the plant. Access to the fixed nitrogen allows the plant to produce leaves fortified with nitrogen that can be recycled throughout the plant. This allows the plant to increase photosynthetic capacity, which in turn yields nitrogen-rich seed. Vetch - Vicia sp. with Rhizobium colonies clearly seen as nodules on the plant roots I'll be writing in the near future on how to integrate nitrogen fixing plants into your plant communities in order to make the most of this biological source of fertility. Regenerative Landscape Design - Online Interactive Course Want to learn how to design, build and manage regenerative landscapes? Join us for our Regenerative Landscape Design - Online Interactive Course from May 1st to Sep 13th, 2022. We're super excited about running the course and look forward to providing you with the confidence, inspiration, and opportunity to design, build and manage regenerative landscapes, gardens, and farms that produce food and other resources for humans while enhancing biodiversity. Regenerative Landscape Design Online Course You can find out all about the course here and right now we have a 20% discount on the full enrollment fees. Just use the promo code RLD2022 in the section of the registration form to receive your discount. We are looking forward to providing you with this unique online learning experience - as far as we know, the very first of its kind. If you are thinking of reasons why you should do this course and whether this course is suitable for you, take a look here where we lay it all out. Looking forward to it! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We offer a diversity of plants and seeds for permaculture, forest gardens and regenerative landscapes including a range of fruit and nut cultivars. We Deliver all over Europe from Nov - March. - Give a happy plant a happy home :) Our Bio-Nursery - Permaculture/Polyculture/ Regenerative Landscape Plants -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Support Our Project If you appreciate the work we are doing you can show your support in several ways. Make a purchase of plants or seeds from our Bionursery or Online Store Consider joining us for one of our Courses or Online Courses Comment, like, and share our content on social media. 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Learn more about native plants and why they are crucial to protecting biodiversity and help with many other things. Find out how you can help.
Antarctica - the frozen continent. It is hard to think of a place on Earth that is less hospitable to life. Yet life does exist here and some of it is botanical. Though few in number, Anarctica’s diminutive flora is able to eke out an existence wherever the right conditions present themselves. It go
Discover the art of wildcrafting and the science of plant identification through this captivating voyage into wild edible and herbal botanicals!
Aruncus dioicus, commonly known as Goat’s Beard, is a perennial flowering plant native to North America, Europe, and Asia. In this article, we will explore
by Bruce Patterson The wise advice gardeners often hear is to “plant in the habitat type where the plants are naturally found. Be sure to select plants that prefer the...
Explore how native plants, soil restoration and Indigenous Matriarchal Ecologies bring us closer to climate futurity.
Buddleja davidii 'Lilac Cascade' is a captivating cultivar of the butterfly bush renowned for its elegant arching branches adorned with cascades of fragrant
Shelterbelt/Windbreak Protecting your garden from the wind will increase productivity and decrease workload. Often overlooked, it should be one of the first things you consider when designing your garden or choosing a site. Wind can be a major suppressant of plant growth desiccating the soil and increasing the transpiration rates (water loss) of plants considerably. Strong winds can cause soil erosion, damage to plants and deter beneficial winged insects. This tree signifies a prevailing wind coming from the right side of the picture. The growth directly exposed to the wind has been suppressed. The advantages of a windbreak are many, however there are some disadvantages and if designed poorly one can create a bigger problem rather than finding a solution. So lets take a look at the potential problems first. Welcome to our Online Store where you can find Forest Garden/ Permaculture plants, seeds, bulbs and Polyculture multi-packs along with digital goods and services such as Online Courses, Webinars, eBooks, and Online Consultancy. We hope you enjoy the store and find something you like :) It's your purchases that keep our Project going. Yuu can also find our full list of trees. shrubs and herbs for forest gardens on our website here Enter Our Store Here Plants, Seeds, eBooks, Consultancy, Bulk Fruit and Nut Tree Orders for Permaculture, Polyculture, Forest Gardens and Regenerative Landscapes. Frosts Poorly designed windbreaks can encourage frosts and although generally are no problem during the winter as the plants have adapted protection, late spring frosts can be a problem for sensitive plants. On a cold night the air nearest the ground is colder than that up above. The wind mixes it up preventing the lower layer from reaching freezing point. Sheltered areas are at more risk of frost than exposed areas. A windbreak that stops wind completely can increase the risk of frost and may even do more damage than good to the land it is protecting. By thinning out the shelter belt as it develops we can provide enough air flow to prevent this. Root competition The plants used within the shelter belt will obviously require their share of ground water and nutrients. The root system of certain trees can be prolific and extend way beyond the visible above ground spread. Care should be taken to avoid planting too close to the edge of the shelter belt especially if heavy demanding crops are the intended beneficiaries of the shelter belt. A good understanding of the root systems of the plants you are using can ensure that invasive and heavy feeding plants are kept away from the leeway edge. On larger sites the inside edge is sometimes used for road access thereby making use of the land that would otherwise give a poor return. Pests and diseases Consideration should be given to the ecology of the windbreak and how this may affect the surrounding areas. Certain trees will attract insects and wildlife not necessarily beneficial to other plants and trees. For example, Prunus cerasifera - Myrobalan Plum makes a great windbreak tree, growing fast, tolerating drought and wind. However fruit from these trees, if not collected, may provide breeding grounds for large populations of fruit boring organisms, such as Grapholita funebrana (Plum Moth), to establish. Once established these organisms may spread to all other Prunus spp. in the garden and surrounding areas. Shading Bear in mind the shadow the shelter belt will create when mature. The shadow cast, root competition and the space taken by the belt itself will use a considerable amount of viable land and this will need to be weighed up from the benefits gained from a shelter belt. As mentioned above, if designed well, these potential problems can be avoided leaving you with all the advantages of a windbreak such as Protection of plants Preventing/reducing, wind erosion Reducing evaporation from the soil Reducing transpiration from plants Protecting buildings (reducing fuel and maintenance needs) Providing habitat and increasing biodiversity Creating soil fertility Productive potential, food, fodder, fuel, biomass, mulch, timber etc Ornamental value Moderating extreme temperatures Want to learn more about Regenerative Landscape Design? Join The Bloom Room! The Bloom Room is designed to create a space for more in-depth learning, for sharing projects and ideas, for seeking advice and discovering opportunities. Ultimately, it aims to build a more intimate, interactive, and actionable relationship between members, a way for the Bloom Room community to support each other’s projects and learning journeys, and to encourage and facilitate the design, build, and management of more regenerative landscapes across our planet. What you can expect as a member of the Bloom Room As a member of the Bloom Room you can expect; Access to an interactive forum where you can ask questions, direct what type of content you would like to see as well as share your own content and projects. Monthly live session featuring general Q&A and tutorials on design software for creating and presenting polycultures. Live session every month for members to showcase your projects, plans, designs, and gardens, with guest speakers from the community. Full Access to all of the content on Substack A 50% discounts on all of our online courses Future opportunities to join our Global Regenerative Landscape Design and Consultancy Service, with potential roles for those with the will and skill to join our design team. An opportunity to take part in the group ownership of a Regenerative Landscape. You will find more details on that here. Become a paid subscriber to our Substack to join. The annual subscription is currently $70 and the monthly subscription is $7 (monthly subscription excludes discounts for products and services) . You can join here, we look forward to meeting you! Design - Where to Start Before establishing a windbreak or shelter belt it is important to make a thorough study of the local winds and to plot on a map the direction and strength of the winds. Observing the wind Wind can flow from any direction from horizontal to vertical depending on the energy balance. Wind can also curve or even rotate, a tornado for example. The units of measurement for wind speed is normally km/hr (kilometres per hour). Direction of wind is determined as a bearing angle from N. It is sufficient to use the eight points of the compass as a basis for determination of wind direction. Wind direction is noted from where it approaches, not where it is heading. There are many different types of instruments that measure wind speed and direction. However, the most common instrument used is known as an anemometer. It consists of three cups on arms that can rotate measuring wind speeds based on rate of rotations and a vane which indicates the wind direction. Basic forms of estimating wind strength and direction. The movement of fast moving low clouds normally indicates the approximate direction of the wind. Fog also will move in the direction of the wind. Wind can raise dust and other light objects and therefore following this movement is yet another technique that can help you estimate the strength and direction of the wind. It also can reveal eddies created by objects as wind flows around them. The same technique applies for blowing snow but this normally requires higher wind speeds. If you are around a body of water, it is possible to observe surface flow of wind based on the changes in water texture or ripples. Relatively stronger winds will disturb the water surface causing ripples. This region of ripples or darker texture can be observed moving as the wind progresses. Signs and patterns to help you determine the direction of prevailing winds Often you will find higher vegetation such as trees and tall shrubs seemingly leaning in one direction as shown in the picture above. This neatly signals the occurrence of a prevailing wind. Weather vanes and Wind Socks are easily accessible tools for measuring wind direction Wind in mountainous areas Wind traveling across a mountainous region will move in waves. When clear of obstruction the wind can continue its wave motion creating eddies in the open plains. Motion of wind blowing across mountainous terrain Design - Essential Points Windbreaks can be effective on a small and large scale. They can be used for the temporary protection of annual crops and in this case can be as simple as a row of Helianthus tuberosum - Jerusalum artichoke planted to screen wind sensitive crop or they can be as complex as a multi-row perennial plantation of trees, shrubs ,herbs and ground covers to shield a broad acre plantation. When considering windbreak or shelter belt planting, three zones can be recognized: the windward zone (from which the wind blows); the leeward zone (on the side where the wind passes); and the protected zone (that in which the effect of the windbreak or shelterbelt is felt) A barrier should be established perpendicular to the direction of the prevailing wind for maximum effect. A checkerboard pattern is required when the winds originate from different directions. This applies mainly to broad acre sites. The effectiveness of the windbreak or shelter belt is influenced by its permeability. If it is dense, like a solid wall, the airflow will pass over the top of it and cause turbulence on the leeward side giving a comparatively limited zone of effective shelter compared to the zone that a permeable shelter creates. Optimum permeability is 40 to 50 percent of open space, corresponding to a density of 50 to 60 percent in vegetation. It is generally accepted that a windbreak or shelter belt protects an area over a distance up to its own height on the windward side and up to 20 times its height on the leeward side, depending on the strength of the wind. Gaps in the barriers should be avoided as they tend to channel accelerated wind through causing damage. If a gap is needed for access then further shelter should be provided to mitigate the wind passing through the gap. Regenerative Landscape Design - Online Interactive Course Want to learn how to design, build and manage regenerative landscapes? Join us on our Regenerative Landscape Design - Online Interactive Course. We look forward to providing you with the confidence, inspiration, and opportunity to design, build and manage regenerative landscapes, gardens, and farms that produce food and other resources for humans while enhancing biodiversity. Regenerative Landscape Design Online Course You can find the course details here and at the moment we have a $350 ( 20%) discount for full enrollment to the course. Just use RLD2024 in the promo code section of the registration form to receive your discount. Design - Selection of tree and shrub species When selecting plant species for windbreaks or shelter belts, start by observing plants in your area that are in windy positions already. Look for healthiest specimens and if possible propagate from these specimens or obtain the same specie from a nearby nursery. You may desire a larger diversity of plants within your design. When selecting plants the following characteristics should be sought: Rapid growth Straight stems Wind firmness Good crown formation Deep root system, which does not spread into nearby fields Resistance to drought Desired phonological characteristics (leaves all year long or only part of the year). Productivity: timber, fruits, nuts, medicine, biomass, fertility Design - Layout of Plants There are a number of different ways to build a Shelter belt. It is generally accepted that multiple rows of plants provide increased protection. If using multiple rows, there is greater opportunity to obtain significant amount of food and resources from within the shelter belt as well as creating excellent habitat for a range of organisms many of which are beneficial allies to the gardener/farmer. One method, pictured below, includes a windward row of small- med wind-firm trees with row of taller trees behind on the leeward row. Windward Row If the prevailing wind is blowing from the north then the windward row should be established first as the faster growing central trees will reduce light availability. The plants in this row need to be somewhat shade tolerant, fast growing and wind firm. Plants already growing in windy positions around your site should be first choice. A selection of nitrogen fixers, evergreens and wildlife plants should be selected. This layer needs to provide a lower screen for the higher canopied next layer so should consist of bushy trees and shrubs that fill out low to the ground. Suitable Plants for Windward Row Aronia melanocarpa - Black Chokeberry Elaeagnus angustifolia - Russian Olive Hippophae rhamnoides - Sea Buckthorn Hibiscus syriacus - Rose of Sharon Cornus mas - Cornellian Cherry Lycium barbarum - Goji Berry Rhus typhina - Stag's horn sumach Alnus incana - Grey Alder Elaeagnus umbellata - Autumn Olive Leeward Row The leeward row should consist of fast growing taller trees and include nitrogen fixers , conifer species and tree’s that sucker freely. This area can provide coppice wood for fence posts or fuel and consist of upper canopy fruit trees such as White Mulberry-Morus alba and Hackberry-Celtis occidentalis. Suitable Plants for Leeward Row Caragana brevispina - Pea Tree Gleditsia triacanthos - Honey Locust Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry Prunus cerasifera - Cherry Plum Alnus cordata - Italian Alder Possible species selection for a three row Windbreak/Shelter belt You can also find a good selection of suitable plants at the plants for a future database . Support Our Project If you appreciate the work we are doing you can show your support in several ways. Become a member of the Bloom Room. A $70 annual or $7 per month subscription to our Substack provides you with access to live sessions, design tutorials, a members forum and more, see details here. Make a purchase of plants or seeds from our Nursery or Online Store Joining us for one of our Practical Courses or Online Courses Comment, like, and share our content on social media. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We offer a diversity of plants and seeds for permaculture, forest gardens and regenerative landscapes including a range of fruit and nut cultivars. We Deliver all over Europe from Nov - March. - Give a happy plant a happy home :) Our Bio-Nursery - Permaculture/Polyculture/ Regenerative Landscape Plants
“It’s no use trying to make a difference — nothing will ever change.” How many times have you heard something along those lines? Well, I’m on a mission to show you why you should never say those words again. Youth around the world are making compassionate choices and ARE changing the world!New Zealander Ciara Crummey […]
by Mark Richardson This article was reprinted with permission from Native Plant News (Spr-Sum 2017), the member magazine of New England Wild Flower Society. Pristine turf grass lawns are as synonymous...
There is a group of plants receiving more attention during recent years and is being more widely recognized for its successful application in... [LEARN MORE]
Permies zoeken steeds naar perfecte gildes. Waaruit bestaan die? Dat laat ik hier zien – aan de hand van mijn eigen ontwerp met een paar van mijn favoriete combinaties voor een (Rosaceae) fru…
MAYBE MORE than any other topic, the use of native plants has consistently figured among the top garden trends in recent years. Just how popular
by Dr. Randi Eckel In the fragmented ecosystems where we live and work, the importance of diversity in our landscapes cannot be over emphasized. Diversity of native plants, insects, mammals,...
An invasive water weed has decimated the wildlife and economy of one of Cameroon's most significant lakes. But a tiny, ravenous weevil could reverse the region's fortunes.
Foeniculum vulgare (Venkel) is een makkelijke aromatische kruidenplant met fijn blad. Foeniculum vulgare (Venkel) bloeit met grote gele schermen van mei - augustus. De hele Foeniculum vulgare (Venkel) plant geurt heerlijk en wordt veelal gebruikt voor thee of in gerechten
The best native shrubs to plant in Pennsylvania, including flowering, shade and full sun shrubs for central, eastern, southern and northern Pennsylvania.
De bijentuin in Damme is het zeer levende bewijs dat een natuurvriendelijke tuin een streling voor het oog kan zijn. Verslag van een door Joachim Coens onderbroken wandeling met bezielster Chantal Van Rie: 'Je moet de mensen duidelijk maken dat er een visie achter dat lange gras zit.'
Turenscape: Located in Qian’an City, Hebei Province, the Sanlihe River uses landscape to revive and construct both existing and new city infrastructure; it is capable of reducing pollution, providing opportunity for urban land development, and serving ecological functions Covering approximately 135 hectares, this ecological corridor stretches 13.4 km in length and varies 100-300m in width. […]
Shrubs with Desirable Design Characteristics and the Ability to Support Birds and Pollinators Part I – Smaller (approximately 2’-6’) Shrubs By Sarah W. Middeleer, ASLA Japanese spirea, winged euonymus (burning...
Prairie plants have incredible root systems with numerous microbes that filter our additional nutrients polluting our streams and lakes. Credit: Heidi Natura, Conservation Research Institute Planting a buffer of native plants along waterways and wet areas is good for all our health!
Try this algae and pollution experiment with your kids when you're studying ecology. All you need is pond water, jars, and some pollutants to add to it.
A conversation with trailblazing landscape architect and ecological design advocate, Claudia West
A conversation with trailblazing landscape architect and ecological design advocate, Claudia West
Permies zoeken steeds naar perfecte gildes. Waaruit bestaan die? Dat laat ik hier zien – aan de hand van mijn eigen ontwerp met een paar van mijn favoriete combinaties voor een (Rosaceae) fru…
Plants in your pond balance your pond’s ecosystem. Aquatic plants offer food, shelter and environment for fish in ponds.
By taking advantage of the relationship between plants, animals, and soil, we can boost a garden's productivity.
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