West Garden Regeneration

The story and ongoing work of restoring a market garden

There are two market garden areas at Quinta Vale da Lama: the West and East Gardens. Over time, the soil health of the West Garden was decreasing and it became overrun with perennial weeds, posing a significant challenge in terms of output and maintenance. We decided it was time for an intervention.

Team members and students from a recent Permaculture Design Course saw an opportunity to apply the principles and techniques they had learned. So they combined ecosystem restoration strategies with a testing mindset to transform the West Garden into a dynamic living laboratory that could support the farm’s economic well-being while also serving as an ongoing learning opportunity.

Cultivating Diversity
Annuals and Perennials in Practice

The key testing taking place is how the proximity of each plant type to each other affects the growth, health, and yields of each. Permaculture design principles were applied to design and develop the layout and overall plan, and a variety of ecosystem restoration principles and techniques are being used to rejuvenate and increase soil quality and health. We are also applying rigorous monitoring and evaluation techniques, supported by the Soil Lab at Mud Valley Institute, to inform our learnings and support future actions.