Féidhlim Harty explores the marriage of science and art that brought about an ethical and principled design revolution. First published on December 18, 2020 in Horticulture Connected. Link below. Permaculture; that’s, like, organic gardening but with more of a hippy twist, isn’t it? Well, if that’s what you want in your garden, then perhaps, but really it’s a lot broader than that. It is essentially the science and art of designing sustainable systems of any sort that support human needs while protecting the environment. The term permaculture derives from permanent agriculture or permanent culture. It is a design approach that…
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First published in Horticulture Connected on November 7, 2019 Feidhlim Harty explains why we need to see greater use of swales in the Irish landscape The incorporation of swales to mitigate the negative impacts of rainwater runoff in designed schemes is not new. However, their use in Ireland has really only taken off in the last decade. In this feature, I look at how a variety of development and environmental pressures are spurring a huge interest in the design and incorporation of swales in designed landscapes, and how best they can be used. Have you ever wondered how we got…
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In the first of a series of environmentally-focused landscape articles, environmental consultant, Féidhlim Harty explores how edible species can be incorporated into designed landscapes. As the coordinator of Garden of Eden Projects Ireland, he has a particular emphasis on community projects, but the same plants, pointers and principles can be applied to any garden or landscape design First published in Horticulture Connected on Oct 1st, 2019 (https://horticultureconnected.ie/horticulture-connected-print/2019/summer-2019/insight-summer-2019/the-edible-landscape/) We have the potential to add edibles throughout our parks, housing estates and wider landscapes. Hedges can be grown from Corylus, Rubus and Ribes cultivars as well as the more familiar edibles such…
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First published by the Permaculture Association (https://www.permaculture.org.uk/articles/permaculture-sewage-treatment-first-aid-and-future-proofing-our-rivers-and-seas). Well actually, it wasn’t in the hay barn, nor with a broken roof tile. But Ophelia is guilty for something alright. The recent storms downed electricity lines around Ireland and the UK. One of the impacts was an interruption to sewage treatment systems. So what? Not as important as missing the Sunday game, you may argue. Well, for the fish, aquatic insects, birdlife, animals and people living downstream of malfunctioning sewage treatment systems it can be quite serious indeed. Life or death in some cases. If we want to create sustainable, healthy systems…
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Here is a straightforward step by step approach that can get you from lawn to forest in a jiffy: 1. First, share the idea with others in your community that are enthusiastic about it. 2. Come up with a proposal together to clarify your thoughts. Identify the areas that are suitable for planting. Consider borders along pathways and roads as well as open lawn areas. Make full use of any south facing walls, which are often ideal for more tender trees and bushes. Make a sketch of the area that you are thinking of planting and indicate the main features:…