I have been working towards an overall design of the entire garden for some time.  I initially started with a 'mud map'. I walked the length and breadth of the garden, counting my steps and marking on graph paper, roughly the position of each existing plant and the various structures.  I used this garden map for a few years.

As the garden progressed and I delved further into permaculture I decided I needed something more to scale than the map I was using.  So, with the aid of Google Earth, I developed a map from a satellite image that provided more accurate distances between features.  With the satellite image as a base layer, I developed a file, using standard graphics software,  over which I could superimpose a top layer identifying the position of existing plants and structures.  I now had a closer scale drawing of the garden.  Using this tweaked map, I began in earnest to create a detailed permaculture design of the garden.  

There was one zone on the original map that represented the area at the back of my property.  This I determined as Zone 5, a wilderness zone where land remained untouched and wildlife could thrive.   Admittedly it was only a small strip in comparison to the wilderness that starts about 1 km west of my property, but nonetheless, it was inhabited by a variety of wildlife.  I was aware of the quail that had wandered through, bandicoots that lived there, and the array of bird life that frequented the dense shade trees that had been planted. This strip of land belonged to the railways, as my property and those of my neighbours, four in all - we are a very small community - run parrallel to the main north-south railway line.  Being so far north and very rural this line is not overly busy.  There would be perhaps a couple of goods trains a day, and only two north bound and two south bound passenger services a week.  As I said, not very busy.

I was therefore amazed, to return home from an interstate visit to family, only to find that the trees shading and protecting my house and garden had been bulldozed to the ground and there was now nothing but exposed bare earth. The trees had stood for close to 30 years and I had enjoyed their shade and protection for the 12 years that I have lived here. As after 30 years it seemed unlikely that anything other than cyclone damage, disease or age would bring about the trees' demise I had carefully planted an understorey of tropical spices, ginger, cardamom, tumeric, black pepper, galangal and galanga, in my garden under the shade of the trees. Now, my house and garden are exposed to blazing western sun, plus wind and dust with the topsoil exposed. After a few days of heavy rain invasive weeds have now sprouted from the bare earth.

However, in true permaculture form, I will simply have to turn this around from a problem with the solution being to plant along the inside perimiter of my fence.  The challenge will be finding trees that will provide enough shade in as short a time as possible, and in a vastly reduced and constrained space. So, my map will be changing from the wilderness area bordering my property, to a new line of trees and shrubs inside the fence.

Admittedly, on many an occasion I had looked at those shade trees, Syzygiums, Eucalyptus and Pittosporum, and thought that had I been the initial planter that I probably would have chosen a different species of Syzygium. These were S. australe, commonly called the brush cherry, a type of lillypilly and edible. I tasted the fruit and decided that they would only be good for jam and would need an enormous amount of sugar to make them palatable. Even my ducks refused to eat them! My choice would have been S. aromaticum, from which we harvest the spice Clove. Alas, my garden is too narrow to be able to plant a clove tree inside the back fence. Nonetheless, I am researching suitable plants at present. I am looking for multi-purpose trees of course, those that will provide shade which is paramount, pioneers that will be fast growing to help establish those that will become the long term features, trees and shrubs to develop helpful guilds, plants to replace lost habitat for wildlife, and wherever possible for there to be a crop that can be seasonally harvested.

The constraints of the site are that the area from the house wall to the back fence only measures 6.8 metres in width.  At around 2.5 metres from the fence is a concrete path that led to the rotary clothesline, also demolished by the felling of the trees.  That will be removed to the extent possible.  I envisage having the remnant trunk of the clothesline forever rising from the end of the concrete path as it is probably set too firmly in the ground for us to be able to remove it, and we do not want to damage the septic system piping that travels beneath to the leach field. My thoughts are to use it as a support upon which to grow a vine, or fill the hollow centre with soil and plant with herbs or a small fruiting plant that can cascade from the top.  That brings me to the other constraint for the area.  Between the path and the house is the septic system, a concrete construction that will allow seepage due to the porous nature of concrete particularly in our wet season.  Hence, it would not be wise to plant edibles in that area due to health concerns.  So for this area I am considering plants beneficial to the well being of the garden overall, those that attract pollinators and provide other services to their fellow plants.  Another constraint is that during the wet season close to the entirity of the back fenceline floods for a short period each year.  This can be anything from a few hours to a few days.  The now absent trees helped to soak up standing water outside the back fence.  I will have to observe this year to see what difference the tree removal will make, if any, to dispatching the water quickly from this area, or if my garden will flood more or for a longer period than in previous years.  Hence, many plants destined for this area will need to be tolerant of short inundation as well as prolonged drought through the dry season. 

I have a challenging task before me.  My design has changed, but it has not ended. Permaculture brings resilience to any situation.