Contents

PERMACULTURE BASICS  10 Permaculture Ethics and Principles 12

 Learning from Nature 32

THE PERMACULTURE DESIGN PROCESS  58 Gathering Information 64

 Putting the Design Together 88

 Figuring Out the Details 112

PERMACULTURE SYSTEMS  128 SOIL FERTILITY: Improving Tilth and Nutrients 130

 WATER: Making the Most of a Limited Resource 145

 WASTE: Plugging Leaks in the System 172

 ENERGY: Minimizing the Work We Do Ourselves 182

 SHELTER: Building Functional, Efficient Structures 198

 FOOD AND PLANT SYSTEMS: Providing for Our Own Needs 220

 ANIMALS AND WILDLIFE: Welcoming Natural Diversity 251

PREFACE  8

50 USEFUL PLANTS FOR PERMACULTURE LANDSCAPES   270

INVISIBLE STRUCTURES  290

Metric Conversions and Hardiness Zones 312

Resources 313

Suggestions for Further Reading 316

Acknowledgments 321

Index 322

Photo and Illustration Credits 335