When we first purchased our land, back in 2005 - before the house was built, we would visit every opportunity we could get. Weekends, for as long as we could stand the heat, and weekdays - mostly in the afternoons. We would pack our only child (at the time) in the car, and try to beat the sunset. Always with the anticipation, of what we'd find after we got there - birds, kangaroos, animal tracks, and how the shadows fell across the landscape.
We enjoyed everything about our bushland experience. Ironically, once we moved here - so came the process of all human beings. Destruction. We were yet to learn any appreciation of limitations. Like, when should we stop clearing, how much land should be occupied by trees - or our infrastructure? All things, we never contemplated before.
Perhaps the fact, the land was still recovering from a drought, a bush fire (several years earlier) and the effects of the land developers, clearing, we believed it "normal" to have such a blank slate, to pull apart and rebuild?
We enjoyed everything about our bushland experience. Ironically, once we moved here - so came the process of all human beings. Destruction. We were yet to learn any appreciation of limitations. Like, when should we stop clearing, how much land should be occupied by trees - or our infrastructure? All things, we never contemplated before.
Perhaps the fact, the land was still recovering from a drought, a bush fire (several years earlier) and the effects of the land developers, clearing, we believed it "normal" to have such a blank slate, to pull apart and rebuild?
Vacant land 2006 - yet to break ground
There was still something functioning in the landscape, we hadn't noticed yet. Something we missed, while frolicking in the bush, as naive new land owners. Natural sequences, were taking place, all around us. Attempting to bring about natural succession, in the landscape. A completely new concept for us. Something we would only view in a serious way: via reading about Permaculture, Natural Sequence Farming, and Wilderness Gardening.
All these concepts, identified what was already present in the landscape, and building upon those elements. The aim was to speed up the process of natural succession, and create a more stable system. Until recognising this prehistoric formula, we were still gardening like we lived in suburbia. Sticking within the confines of our fence-line, bringing in the elements and arranging them, to our liking. Or taking them down, and starting again. Which is something you can do, on a small block.
What was different for us, this time around, was five acres to manage - plus the wider expanse of borrowed landscape. So many natural elements, we couldn't hold back from encroaching on our landscape - and our plans.
All these concepts, identified what was already present in the landscape, and building upon those elements. The aim was to speed up the process of natural succession, and create a more stable system. Until recognising this prehistoric formula, we were still gardening like we lived in suburbia. Sticking within the confines of our fence-line, bringing in the elements and arranging them, to our liking. Or taking them down, and starting again. Which is something you can do, on a small block.
What was different for us, this time around, was five acres to manage - plus the wider expanse of borrowed landscape. So many natural elements, we couldn't hold back from encroaching on our landscape - and our plans.
August 2016
We tried fighting the weeds. More grew in their place. Faster, stronger and thicker! There were regular weeds, like thistles, and Stinking Roger - but the most formidable ones, were 30-40 metre eucalyptus trees. It took about three years to recognise, we would kill ourselves, or run out of money, before we could ever control the landscape, like we could in suburbia.
Enter our relationship, building with the natural sequences and elements, instead. It completely changed how we gardened. The boundaries of our land, were now "conceptual". What we chose to focus our energy controlling, were the access paths instead. As well as the immediate areas, around our dwelling and utility areas (sheds and animal structures) nearby. We would also focus our fencing around those areas - but only where it was needed.
The rest of the land in-between, was only altered, if a new purpose was required. Like adding better access paths, water catchment (ie: ponds and swales) or introducing different varieties of plants, or animals. If we didn't expand energy using and controlling these areas, the domain of natural succession, expanded their borders and took over again. Something we now understood as a normal pattern in the landscape, to work with - not against.
Enter our relationship, building with the natural sequences and elements, instead. It completely changed how we gardened. The boundaries of our land, were now "conceptual". What we chose to focus our energy controlling, were the access paths instead. As well as the immediate areas, around our dwelling and utility areas (sheds and animal structures) nearby. We would also focus our fencing around those areas - but only where it was needed.
The rest of the land in-between, was only altered, if a new purpose was required. Like adding better access paths, water catchment (ie: ponds and swales) or introducing different varieties of plants, or animals. If we didn't expand energy using and controlling these areas, the domain of natural succession, expanded their borders and took over again. Something we now understood as a normal pattern in the landscape, to work with - not against.
Building ponds - 2017
Strategies adopted to encourage natural succession gardening, were many and varied, including, but not limited to:
Perhaps the hardest of all I mentioned above, was developing a NEW attitude towards gardening the landscape. It meant we had to be okay, with a less than perfect garden - with less than desirable plant species. At least, at first. The goal of any natural succession garden, is to reach a point of stability, where the longer lived species dominate the landscape.
Fortunately, perennial species, often tend to specalise in being desirable to the eye, as well as the palate. Edible trees, shrubs, roots, ground covers and vines, make a valuable incentive, to adopt the natural succession edible landscape. A largely perennial based system, designed to stabilise large scale landscapes.
- Leaving land undisturbed, unless we had a purpose for it - the exception being, maintenance of access paths
- Avoiding the removal of plants, even if they are considered noxious weeds
- Finding purposes for the plants (building material, fertiliser & mulch) if they had the propensity to spread
- Managing natural water flow in the landscape, to help it stop, spread and sink into the soil
- Avoiding additional irrigation, unless extreme drought conditions
- Avoiding fencing, that would inhibit wildlife migration, who are part of the natural succession process
- Propagating plants which are proven beneficial to the landscape, and migrating animals
- Observing the natural wet and dry cycles, to duplicate what the system was diversifying in
Perhaps the hardest of all I mentioned above, was developing a NEW attitude towards gardening the landscape. It meant we had to be okay, with a less than perfect garden - with less than desirable plant species. At least, at first. The goal of any natural succession garden, is to reach a point of stability, where the longer lived species dominate the landscape.
Fortunately, perennial species, often tend to specalise in being desirable to the eye, as well as the palate. Edible trees, shrubs, roots, ground covers and vines, make a valuable incentive, to adopt the natural succession edible landscape. A largely perennial based system, designed to stabilise large scale landscapes.
January 2019, large goanna looking for an opportunistic meal
To get to that desirable landscape however, humans must accept and encourage other living organisms, to take part. Because it's the larger collaboration, between living organisms, which actively maintains the system. Instead of keeping things out, we need to encourage them back into the system. As the more contributions, the less opportunity for imbalance to dominate, any given area.
The great thing about encouraging a natural succession garden though, is how it's always evolving. Over the decade we've been here, elements changed in our landscape, which had very little to do with us. Not removing or disturbing some areas of landscape, was our only contribution. The, "do nothing", approach. Nonetheless, we got to witness those areas, blossom into a hotbed of living organisms. This is why we have come to respect, our part, is really nominal. It's only accentuated, when coupled with a much larger collaboration.
The time it takes to bring these longer lived, perennial systems into being, however, requires a lot of patience on behalf of the gardener. Endurance is also required, to live with a lot of elements, dying. This is the pattern of natural succession, after all. A forest grows, on the fallen forest. We have to be accepting of that reality. Even when it effects some of our own efforts.
The great thing about encouraging a natural succession garden though, is how it's always evolving. Over the decade we've been here, elements changed in our landscape, which had very little to do with us. Not removing or disturbing some areas of landscape, was our only contribution. The, "do nothing", approach. Nonetheless, we got to witness those areas, blossom into a hotbed of living organisms. This is why we have come to respect, our part, is really nominal. It's only accentuated, when coupled with a much larger collaboration.
The time it takes to bring these longer lived, perennial systems into being, however, requires a lot of patience on behalf of the gardener. Endurance is also required, to live with a lot of elements, dying. This is the pattern of natural succession, after all. A forest grows, on the fallen forest. We have to be accepting of that reality. Even when it effects some of our own efforts.
Google Maps Image 2018 - our land is green
The long term view, however, is that we're not planting a human-centric civilisation. Rather, we're embedding ourselves into the longest living system, known to our species. Why would we endeavour to do that, when it takes a lot of time, patience and endurance to establish? We personally recognise, mankind is strongest, when collaborating with more forms of energy, than what we can generate, or harvest, ourselves.
This particular point in human history, when in decline of what a petroleum-based resource boom, has to offer: diversifying in natural systems, makes more sense. Because they're renewable forms of energy, in the true sense of the word. Cultivating living, perennial systems, as opposed to destroying them, is a better investment for human settlements. The catch being, they take time to cultivate around the immediate vicinity - whether an urban setting, sharing community green spaces, or a rural one.
The sooner people start contemplating, what a truly sustainable, growing system, means to them - the sooner, building, with the larger collaboration in mind, can begin. Be encouraged, it is possible, and completely worth enduring with. We couldn't have published the last picture, if it wasn't for twelve years collaboration, with natural succession.
This particular point in human history, when in decline of what a petroleum-based resource boom, has to offer: diversifying in natural systems, makes more sense. Because they're renewable forms of energy, in the true sense of the word. Cultivating living, perennial systems, as opposed to destroying them, is a better investment for human settlements. The catch being, they take time to cultivate around the immediate vicinity - whether an urban setting, sharing community green spaces, or a rural one.
The sooner people start contemplating, what a truly sustainable, growing system, means to them - the sooner, building, with the larger collaboration in mind, can begin. Be encouraged, it is possible, and completely worth enduring with. We couldn't have published the last picture, if it wasn't for twelve years collaboration, with natural succession.
