I’m now certified in Permaculture Design. My business cards haven’t changed, they still say “Kara Valentino Ffield, Fine Artist, Pensacola, Florida,” but, what’s different, is the relationship I have with the land I live on. I’ve always felt a connection to this place, in fact, I have vivid memories of driving over before we’d even moved in and planting bare roots around the yard. As enamored as I am with this place, I’ve always sensed that it was fighting me. No matter how much fresh soil I dug in or I watered, things did not thrive here. I wanted so badly to feel like I’m working with nature, not against it. Something had to give. 

Eventually, I stumbled on permaculture. Permanent, sustainable, agriculture. A way of working the land that’s in harmony with nature’s natural cycles. This was speaking my language. After all, my art wouldn’t be the same without my connection with nature. I wanted to strengthen that bond. So, I decided to enroll in Oregon State University’s Permaculture Design Certification course. 

I probably could have taken a few gardening courses or just added more books to my voluminous library, but what I really yearned for was to work with the earth in a harmonious way that would produce a yield. I’ve always been interested in “the old ways.” Yes, you can probably find photos of me wearing the mop cap I got in Colonial Williamsburg somewhere. Eating seasonally and producing it for my family to share is a huge goal of mine. I love creating a decadent meal with ingredients that I nipped from only twenty feet outside my door and at the same time being a good steward of the land. 

The goal of the course was simple. Learn the permaculture principles, methods for soil improvement, water capture, climate resiliency, animal husbandry, etc. It was anything but simple. Six months later, after much research, observation, and finally, designing, I’ve come to have an even more intimate knowledge of my home turf and have designed a future for it that closes so many loops in our supply chain. Below is an overview of the design as well as screenshots of my final report for the PDC.

About my Design Site

Location: Pensacola, Florida

Hardiness Zone: 9A Humid Subtropical

Average Rainfall: 65.4 inches/year

Soil: Sandy

Forest Climax Community: Mesic Oak Hardwood Hammock

Major Design Elements

My major challenges for creating a permaculture-inspired design for my property, dubbed “Twisting Oaks”, were the sandy soil, limited sunlight, threat of hurricanes, and drought. I wanted to improve the feeling of it being a private retreat and increase the wildlife habitat. I had to consider the threats and challenges as well as the different microclimates when designing.

Things I wanted to include were a greenhouse, an addition with a garage and bedrooms onto the main house, additional animal enclosures, leisure spaces, a food forest-style orchard, and production beds. I desired to have limited supplemental irrigation and also planned to plant in polycultures to increase biodiversity and take advantage of the beneficial characteristics of the chosen plants. I envisioned pathways all around the grounds leading to outdoor rooms that blended seamlessly together so that I could meander for hours with the dogs romping ahead of me. 

New Elements by Zone

In permaculture, designers utilize a zone system of categorization based on the amount of use. 

Elements incorporated into the zones were:

Zone 0: Garage Addition with additional bedrooms and laundry room.

Zone 1: Chicken coop and yard with protective coppice canopy, water catchment, leisure spaces, a studio, privacy hedges/windbreaks, Mediterranean kitchen garden, and a greenhouse

Zone 2: Terraced seawall with patio, privacy hedges, food forest, orchard

Zone 3: Oak allee coppice, olive grove, pergola bench, shady production bed

Zone 4: Extended woodland underplanted with medicinals and berries, boardwalk through Salty Meadow

Zone 5: the woodland and natural hedgerows

Soil Improvement

The lack of organic matter makes our fast-draining sand for pretty poor for planting. To improve the soil, I included many deciduous plants whose fallen leaves I planned to allow to work into the ground over time rather than clear it. Ample compost and manure will also be crucial to the success of the design. Some plants Elephant Ear Colocasia exist in the design mainly for their fast growing qualities. I’ll frequently cut it back and add it’s fleshy heart leaves to the compost. Grasses such as Switchgrass Panicum vergatum, Fountain grass Pennisetum, and even Lemongrass Cymphopogon citratus are incorporated into the design for the purpose of cutting down at the end of the winter and spread as mulch for surrounding vegetation.

 One of the other keys to my design is the use of plants that tolerate poor soils and drought in almost all areas besides the beds specifically for the production of food, medicine and cut flowers. I’m scattering gaura all over and species like Yarrow Achillea millefolium and filipendulina, Mexican cosmos Cosmos sulphureus, and Mexican Sage Bush Salvia leucantha. Wax myrtle Myric cerifera, which already grows in abundance on the property, is heavily utilized for its resilient nature. 

Storm Relience

The threat of heavy storms and hurricanes played a large role in the design for the coastal end of the property. The “Salty Meadow” will use salt, drought, and flood-tolerant grasses dotted with Wax myrtles. This area will ideally act as a break for storm surge waves and slow the water flow as it approaches the hill and also reduce erosion. The hill itself is transformed into a curved terraced seawall to further deflect any crashing waves. The placement of the main production beds, orchards, and animals further north on the property utilizes the woods and the house as natural protection from the strong winds and salt spray. Catching rainwater off of the shed, greenhouse, and chicken coop ensures that in drought and/or in times when municipal water is unavailable, like during a hurricane, water will still be able to grow and water our animals.  

Rewilding

One of the crucial elements for me was increasing the wildlife habitat. Nearby, many acres are being cleared to make way for new residences. I can’t save all of the displaced animals but I can provide them with some safe haven. The design incorporates many plants for pollinators, areas for cover, and food sources. While some trees were removed in the design to make way for the addition, many more were added with the addition of understory and groundcover. There are small raised ponds for wildlife water source and a semi-rewilding of wetland habitat in the form of my Piet Oudoldf-inspired Salty Meadow. In terms of maintenance, mowing will be minimal other than the immediate backyard and to create pathways so that the little flying beasties can thrive. I’m looking forward to sitting under the pergola with a sweating glass of bubbly at sundown and watching all the insects dancing against the backlit grasses and wildflowers.

This design is for productivity but also for pleasure. It’s meant to be a place of solitude and inspiration. A place to become a part of nature and usher her along into a healthier version of herself. I’m excited to slowly bring my vision to life and watch how my artwork evolves alongside it. This is just the beginning. 

Key Plants