A permaculture garden is a type of sustainable and regenerative garden or agriculture system that creates lasting and productive systems, bolstered by the patterns found in natural ecosystems. The term “permaculture” is derived from “permanent agriculture” and “permanent culture,” emphasizing its focus on creating long-lasting, highly efficient, self-regenerating ecosystems that benefit both humans and the […]

Permaculture is a portmanteau of the words “permanent” and “agriculture,” which points to creating lasting and productive systems that yield food, fiber, and fuel year after year. It is an ethical design science and methodology integrating human activity with natural surroundings to create highly efficient, self-regenerating ecosystems.  History & Theory Bill Mollison, a professor of […]

In honor of our fifteenth anniversary, we’re reflecting on the evolution of Shades of Green Permaculture. In particular, the evolution of our team, our logo, our office spaces over the years, and our design renderings. When I started the business 15 years ago, I took on one or two projects at a time from my […]

I recently spoke with Heather Day-Melgar, a Master’s student at Portland State University, in an interview for her Graduate Research Project, “Radical Urban Cascadia: Nature-Based Approaches to Mitigate Urban Heat.” We spoke about sustainable and accessible solutions to mitigate the climate crisis so I wanted to share some of that conversation here.

When we look to permaculture, the focus is on regeneration – bringing in a renewal.