A regenerative garden is one that survives and even thrives without human inputs, a natural ecosystem of plants and animals that fends for itself without irrigation or fertilizers or weeding.
How do you create such a garden? With permaculture.
Permaculture is a way of farming or gardening in a self-sufficient and sustainable way by building healthy soil, choosing biodiverse plants, caching and storing water, observing and adapting to microclimates, reusing waste and connecting with neighbors.
“Every year that I get to enjoy a lush garden space that takes only minimal human input, I’m grateful to have designed a regenerative garden,” says author Stephanie Rose. “My guests are surprised by how little work it is to have a garden jam-packed with plants, water gardens, and wildlife. My garden feeds my family and gives us a place to play without the stresses of weeding, pest control, or endless watering.”
This book features 80 do-it-yourself projects for amending soils, collecting and using water, planting, composting, attracting beneficial critters, and enhancing the garden environment with windbreaks, privacy screens, and trees. A regenerative garden will not emerge immediately or for certain, but each of these projects is designed to nudge it in that direction.