Creating a Permaculture Garden in Italy
This spring I began to build a permaculture garden behind the fontanella (”fountain”) of the Art Monastery guesthouse, Casale Santa Brigida starting from a plot of land filled with weeds, grass and rocks.
A couple months later, it looks great, largely thanks to the many lovely people (Nathan, Sarah, Erin, Gennaro and Besant Hill, to name a few) who lent a hand and helped with all the hard work. Now the garden is flourishing and full of delicious food–I’m noshing on some fresh spinach, chard and beets as I write this…YuM!
I used a lot of companion planting permaculture techniques in building the garden; clusters of tomato plants surrounded by eggplants and peppers, marigolds to keep pests away, basil to enhance the flavor of the tomatoes, radishes to repel beetles and provide a ground cover that retains moisture, and so on. Permaculture gardening has many different variations internationally, and my friend, professional gardener Gennaro di Bari built an “aiuola,” an Italian version of a permaculture plot.
Beginning:
I “started” (planted) a bunch of seedlings and kept them indoors in the early spring so the they would be ready to plant early in the season. A great way to start seedlings indoors in the spring is to plant a seed directly inside of an eggshell filled with soil.
![Seeds in egg-shells](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218866515651_758060651_7216405_6627348_n.jpg)
The eggshell is biodegradable and the seedling and shell can be planted directly into the ground when it is warm enough outside.
![Seeds in eggs](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218866525651_758060651_7216406_8060544_n.jpg)
Getting the eggshells ready so I can plant seeds in them.
Preparing the ground:
![](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218866530651_758060651_7216407_993375_n.jpg)
Gabriele and I bravely struck out to till up the garden plot using a "zappa" (spade). This turned out to be a LOT harder than we thought it would be so...
![Halfway there](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218866535651_758060651_7216408_1518919_n.jpg)
Halfway there...
![](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218866540651_758060651_7216409_6954175_n.jpg)
Determined to get the space plowed, I drove around the countryside until I found someone with a newly tilled garden. I pulled over, asked them who had done it and how I could find someone to help me plow the garden at the CSB. Just then, a farmer drove past on his tractor.
Planting, weeding, and growing:
![Gardenz Rawr!](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870280651_758060651_7216441_8153627_n.jpg)
Gardenz Rawr!
![Gennaro begins to dig out the space for the aiuola. An aiuola permaculture garden bed is usually raised about 3 feet off the ground, with a trough around it to help retain water. The height of the bed makes it easier to tend the garden without bending over.](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870285651_758060651_7216442_1717116_n.jpg)
Gennaro begins to dig out the space for the aiuola. An aiuola permaculture garden bed is usually raised about 3 feet off the ground, with a trough around it to help retain water. The height of the bed makes it easier to tend the garden without bending over.
![Planting starts (baby plants) in the aiuola. We planted pole beans, eggplant, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and radishes.](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870290651_758060651_7216443_6103745_n.jpg)
Planting starts (baby plants) in the aiuola. We planted pole beans, eggplant, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and radishes.
![Adding more plant starts in the aiuola.](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870295651_758060651_7216444_321731_n.jpg)
Adding more plant starts in the aiuola.
![A clear view of the aiuola and how the plants are positioned and spaced.](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870300651_758060651_7216445_1821454_n.jpg)
A clear view of the aiuola and how the plants are positioned and spaced.
![Almost done...](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870305651_758060651_7216446_2445598_n.jpg)
Almost done...
![Finished!](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4803_218870315651_758060651_7216448_429866_n.jpg)
Butterfly eggs on a leaf...they look like a tiny cluster of iridescent pearls.
Permaculture:
Now that the garden is in place, we’re able to feed a large number of people for very little, we’re more independently sustainable and we have a great learning space for others to discover how to nurture and make things grow. I’ve been practicing my own version of “garden yoga” while I water the plants in the evening, using a combination of balancing poses and large sweeping arm movements to exercise and strengthen my body while enjoying the experience of cool water on my toes after a full day of zesty hot Italian sunshine.
![Finished!](https://www.artmonastery.org/home/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/gennaro.jpg)
Finished!
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2 Comments
christine lawrence, RN
July 8, 2009Hello,
I am a friend of Dr. Pierre Theodore here in San Francisco, Ca.
I will be in Italy this October. I would like to visit the Monastery and assist with the garden or painting.
Please let me know if this would work.
415-412-9193
or email. Thanks, Christine
admin
July 8, 2009Thanks Christine! We’ll be in touch soon…