Australian Permaculture. More than just organic gardening

The Banana Circle
This was one of the many areas that had its own microclimate and that was planted in guilds. A wet area in the centre had room for watercress, lemon grass and citronella grass. Leaves fell into the centre and turned into mulch. Bananas and papayas were planted on a circular mound surrounding the wet area. Sweet potatoes also grew in this mound.

The Mandala Garden
Garden beds in the form of a Mandala pattern. This area used to be lawn and the garden beds were created by using the sheet-mulching method. They are close to the kitchen door for easy access. Vegetables, herbs and edible flowers are grown in guilds which are rotated after the season. We often put compostable kitchen scraps directly into all garden beds and cover them with leaves and cut lemongrass.

Waterchestnuts in Tyre-Pond Instead of a tyre pond a banana circle could form the centre of a Mandala garden .

Guilds
a harmonious group of species around a special plant
that is supported and strengthened
- tomatoes & basil & all brassica & marigold & mustard
- corn & beans (different kinds) & nasturtiums & peanuts & pumpkin
- capsicum & lettuce & celery & melon & pyrethrum
- carrots & onions & rosemary & tomatoes & leek
- celery & garlic & chamomile
- cucumber & sunflowers & peas & dill
- onions & radish & comfrey & feverfew
- peas (mostly snow peas) & Jerusalem artichokes & radish & nasturtiums
- potatoes & horseradish & crotalaria & comfrey
- zucchini & chamomile & calendula
- fruit trees & lavender & chives & strawberries & mint & comfrey & horseradish & radish & Wynn's cassia & Maku lotus
- carrots & chives & basil & thyme
- beetroot & onions & lettuce & lemon balm
- tomatoes & parsley & sage
- beans & sorrel & mint
- all brassica & chives & lavender & shallots
- carrots & lettuce & radish & dill
- mustard and flowers (mostly edible) are planted all around the garden beds - brassicas used are: different cabbages, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy