In this episode of the Pocket Dojo Podcast, I am lucky enough to get to chat with Nicky and David, co-founders of Permaculture Gardens.

Together we delve into permaculture principles, sustainable gardening, and their personal journey from conventional food systems to creating a thriving food forest.

Permaculture is an approach to designing and maintaining sustainable human settlements and agricultural systems that mimic the relationships and patterns found in natural ecosystems.

The term "permaculture" comes from a combination of "permanent" and "culture," reflecting its focus on creating sustainable systems that can endure over time.

Permaculture is based on three main ethical principles:

Earth Care: Taking care of the Earth and its ecosystems because all life depends on a healthy planet.

People Care: Supporting the health and well-being of individuals and communities, as social systems are key to sustainable living.

Fair Share: Sharing resources fairly so everyone in the community has what they need while ensuring future generations can also access these resources.

Permaculture practitioners use design principles to build sustainable systems based on these ethics, including:

- Observing and learning from nature

- Designing for efficiency and resilience

- Valuing diversity

- Using local and renewable resources

- Building community connections

- Recognizing the links between all parts of a system

Permaculture isn't just about farming or gardening. It can be applied to all parts of human life, including energy, transport, waste, and social structures.

By using permaculture principles in our daily lives and communities, we can create more sustainable, resilient systems that benefit both the planet and its people.

As true regenerative leaders, Nicky and Dave discuss overcoming some of the challenges they’ve had to face including food allergies in their children and gardening failures, emphasising the importance of daily observation and community education.

The episode also introduces their new permaculture gardening app, SAGE, designed to help users manage their gardens effectively.

The conversation highlights resilience, community, and the transformative potential of permaculture practices.