This is a permaculture garden with an emphasis on raising food for us and the ever present wildlife. Almost a quarter of an acre of mixed pine and gum was cleared in the fall of 2002.  Stumps were removed and the land terraced in Jan 2003 (see photos).  The first pages of this website show the transition from muddy red clay to our existing garden, pond and greenhouse.  The garden includes 6 raised beds for vegetables, fruit trees, blueberries, a swale planted as a rain garden, and a large pond.  There is a page dedicated to the construction of the pond which is lined with recycled carpets (in true permaculture tradition).  The greenhouse which is Hugh's endeavor (not Greta's) has its own page. Rainwater is used primarily for watering so there is a page on rainwater collection and distribution.  If you have questions or comments, email me at greta@gretasgarden.com.  (If you want to see some fun mandalas made from garden photos visit my blog at http://gardenmandellas.blogspot.com/.)  The next Permaculture Workshop to be held in the garden will be in March, 2010.

The cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) in the rain garden are popular haunts for butterflies and humming birds.  These are tough plants, requiring no watering during the drought but able to survive submersion in water for several days.  They have reseeded liberally and are now growing on the pond edge and in pots of other pond plants.  For instructions and plant lists for making your own rain garden, see http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/raingarden/.