Living Landscapes
Observe. Integrate. Design

10 Design Exercises

The following are key readings and exercises to help you complete your design. If you study these and apply them, along with the other readings and what we discuss, this will help form the basis for your design. These are to be completed by the end as part of your design presentation.

Files for your design portfolio

  • Your element needs-and-yields list (at least 10 elements).
  • Your five-plant functions record and explanation of how critical functions have more than one support.
  • Your zone and sector overlay map.
  • Your explanations for biological resources, energy cycling, small-scale intensive systems, succession, and diversity.
  • Your forest- and water-edge observations and how those patterns apply to your design.

Keep these checkpoint records in the same design portfolio. Save notes as documents or PDFs, maps as PDFs or clear images, and tables as documents or spreadsheets.

Design checkpoint 01 / 10

Relative Location

Exercise: List some of (10 minimum) the elements and potential elements in and around your design. List the needs and yields (inputs and outputs) of each element. Buildings, plants, and other nearby things that influence your design can be considered elements, as well as plants and other things you will be putting in your design.

Design checkpoint 02 / 10

Each Element Performs Many Functions

Exercise: Identify the following for 5 plants in your design

Form – lifestyle (is the plant annual or perennial, is the tree deciduous or evergreen) and shape (is it a ground cover, shrub, tree or vine, and how tall does it grow)

Tolerances – light requirements (shade, partial shade or full sun), habitat (dry, moist or wet, low or high elevation), climate (arid, temperate, subtropical or tropical), soil type tolerance (sandy, silty, clay, loamy, peaty, or chalky soil types), and soil pH (acid, neutral or alkaline soil)

Uses – edible, medicinal, animal forage, soil improvement (nitrogen fixing, cover crop, green manure), site protection (erosion control, living fence, windbreak)

Design checkpoint 03 / 10

Each Important Function is Supported by Many Elements

Exercise:

Identify which functions in the design are critical – such as water, food, energy, fire protection, and anything else in your design and

Ensure that these critical functions are supported in two or more ways and explain how as part of your presentation.

Design checkpoint 04 / 10

Zones and Sectors – Efficient Energy Planning

Exercise: Create a zone and sector overlay map for your design

Design checkpoint 05 / 10

Using Biological Resources

Please explain how this principle applies in your design.

Design checkpoint 06 / 10

Energy Cycling

Please explain how this principle applies in your design.

Design checkpoint 07 / 10

Small Scale Intensive Systems

Please explain how this principle applies in your design

Design checkpoint 08 / 10

Accelerating Succession and Evolution

Please explain how you will do this in your design.

Design checkpoint 09 / 10

Diversity

Please explain how this principle applies in your design.

Design checkpoint 10 / 10

Edge Effect

Book reading

Edible Forest Gardens, Volume 1

Dave Jacke and Eric Toensmeier

Page 37: Edge Effect reference

Page 73: Edge Effect reference

Book access & editions
Getting the book · access & editions

Use your own copy, buy the book, or borrow it through a library when possible. If you are local to me, contact me about borrowing a copy. You can also contact me for information about digital or other access to assigned readings.

Ask about reading access ↗

If your edition uses different page numbers, contact me and we can match the correct section. Contact instructor.

Exercises:

Please bring a notebook to record your observations.

Forest exploration:

Explore edges of nearby forest close to your design and record observations.

What level of diversity do you notice compared to within the forest or beyond the edge? (how many species)

What types and shapes of plants do you see? Anything you recognize?

Why might there be different levels of diversity on the edge vs. in the ecosystem types beyond the edge? Consider all angles.

What edge patterns do you observe?

Water exploration:

Explore edges of a pond and river with your notebook and record observations. A stream can be used instead if that is what is available.

What level of diversity do you notice compared to beyond water's edge? (how many species)

What types and shapes of plants do you see? Anything you recognize?

What types of animals inhabit the edge of the water, and why?

What edge patterns do you observe?

Why are edges important for the health of an ecosystem?

How does this principle apply to your design? How can the patterns you’ve observed apply to your design?

Optional hands-on activities

These are optional hands-on activities that may be used when season, site access, time, and supervision allow.

  • Keyline exercise on a large dirt pile
  • Making a compost pile
  • Sheet mulching
  • Planting a cover crop
  • Understanding botany and identifying plants
  • Prepping and planting a garden bed
  • Planting a guild
  • Planting trees, shrubs and herbs
  • Mixing soil for seed flats, starting bedding plants
  • Pruning
  • Grafting and other methods of plant propagation
  • Preserving food by lactic fermentation, drying, etc.
  • Medicinal herbs
  • Mushroom cultivation
  • Beekeeping
  • Permaculture design for wildlands (Zone 5)
  • Pantry design and dietary considerations

Share your design portfolio

Attach your completed Design Exercise records and maps with your final design presentation in Module 25.

Email the address under “Get In Touch” on my contact page. Do not use the contact form. Include the Permaculture Design Course, Module 25, and “Design Exercises / final project” in your subject or message.

Find my email address ↗

Readings & resources