It’s been over a year since the first hole was dug in Ingadi and thanks to the recent downpour there’s been an explosion in growth. A lot of micro-climates now exist for us to play around with and there’s currently over 150 edible species crammed into our small garden with plenty space for more.

Several Permaculture concepts have gone into our planning for Ingadi and we’re already reaping the rewards. We’ve used the classic banana circle idea and adapted it to our garden by placing the banana plant next to a drainage hole to ensure plenty of moisture and a compost bin underneath the tree for nutrients.

Thanks to the herb spiral we have a wide variety of fresh herbs available to spice things up in the kitchen and the aquaponics supply us with crispy Lettuce, Kale and Spinach. A medicinal herb spiral has also been added to give us a health boost and a nibble on a sleep inducing Brahmi leaf in the evenings tucks us into bed.

We’ve added a few ponds to act as predator habitats and it wasn’t long before several frogs moved in. Destructive Grasshoppers and Cane Toads were the only residents when we first started off but Nature has now found a balance and the pests are quite scarce. The nightly “popping” of the Eastern Marsh Frog has become a lullaby for us and we can rest assured that in the morning there would be a few less pests around.

To our delight a couple of Green Tree Frogs have also made an appearance as well as a Dainty Tree Frog. Their presence is a great indicator of a healthy, organic garden!

Bees have us on their map and we receive daily visits from a wide variety of species including Native Stingless, Blue Banded and European honeybees. Ladybugs are a plenty and it was with great mirth that we witnessed the vigorous efforts of a gentleman bug trying to impress his ladybug! Lizards and gecko’s also provide us with lots of entertainment when witnessing their antics.

Each morning brings new surprises and it’s a joy to have a walkabout in this tranquil space before hitting the hustle and bustle of the City. It’s become a bit of a race between me and the missus to see who can spot the first ripe, juicy, fresh strawberry, finders keepers!

We’ve learned bucket loads since starting our Permaculture adventure and we look forward to all the new experiences Ingadi has to offer in the new year.

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Posted in Our Ingadi

Tags: edible garden, herb spiral, medicinal herb spiral, small permaculture, urban permaculture example