Ecological Garden Consulting
Neat Flower Farm, based in Southeast Portland, offers a uniquely intimate approach to transforming urban spaces into thriving, sustainable, healing ecosystems. My goal is to turn your space into a sustainable, eco-friendly haven that feels alive in every sense of the word. My passions are rooted in turning lawns, balconies, and forgotten corners into edible, biodiverse gardens, to promote the integration of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and native plants to support pollinators and wildlife. My design process emphasizes not only growing, sharing, and storing food, but also reconnecting with nature, fostering biodiversity, and promoting ecological health. Supporting the return of pollinator-friendly plants, like collarette dahlias, which have been overshadowed by visually appealing but functionally limiting double flowering varieties. My services include designing pollinator, edible, and cut flower gardens, offering advice in all aspects of gardening, composting, and chicken keeping, while also teaching sustainable practices like water catchment and companion planting. Neat Flower Farm isn’t about just growing flowers, is about creating gardens that nourish the planet and the people.
Ecological permaculture design principles focus on creating a resilient, low-impact, and self-sustaining ecosystem that works with nature rather than against it. Think of it as gardening with a conscience! Here’s a quick peek at my core principles:
Observe and Interact
Before you dig in, take a moment to breathe in your space. Look at the sunlight, feel the soil, listen to the wind. This is where the magic begins, by understanding your environment, you can work with it, not against it.Catch and Store Energy
Imagine collecting sunshine, rainwater, and even compost for future use. That’s the beauty of permaculture: everything in the garden has a purpose, and energy is always conserved and reused.Obtain a Yield
Whether it’s fresh veggies, beautiful flowers, or the joy of watching songbirds and pollinators at work, a well-designed garden gives back in abundance. You plant a seed, and nature responds with a bounty!Use and Value Diversity
A garden full of variety, plants, insects, and microorganisms, which together create a vibrant and resilient ecosystem. The more diverse, the more opportunities for nature to thrive.Integrate Rather Than Segregate
Think of it like a dinner party where all the guests (plants, animals, and fungi) are dear old friends, each one unique, but together a wonderful gathering. Companion planting, creating habitats, and making every element work together brings harmony to your garden.Use Small and Slow Solutions
Gardens aren’t built overnight! Like a good stew, they take time to develop. Small, gradual steps lead to big, lasting results, we don’t rush the process, we enjoy the journey.Produce No Waste
In a permaculture garden, nothing goes to waste. Compost, mulch, and recycle everything you can, because nature knows how to make the most of every scrap.Design from Patterns to Details
Start with the big picture: how water flows, where the sun hits, and the natural shape of your land. Then, add in the details (the plants, the paths, the little touches) to bring your design to life.
