Kia Ora

my name is Simon, I grew up in Waikato Aotearoa New Zealand, these days my home base is Wellington.

I am a qualified Mechanical Engineer but realised I had no real passion or interest in machines. I did the PDC course in 2004 with teachers Jo Pearsal and Brian Innes at the Taranaki Environment Centre in Inglwood, Taranaki.

Permaculture Design appealed to me as a set of thoroughly well versed principles by which to engage positively in daily life as part of the world - at a time when I was doubting myself and the nonsense I experience around me. It also acted a very helpful process to getting a more balanced perspective on life - I'm careful not to be dogmatic about permaculture, its application is very interpretive thus I have developed my own style and come to understand the value of developing inclusiveness for all people and things that go on around me.

I discovered a passion and talent for plants, gardening and habitat design. In 2006 I began to launch my own operation as a Gardener and Habitat Designer, called Artisan Gardenman, in the urban/sub-urban setting of Wellington City. This has grown in to a healthy modest operation keeping me very busy and adequately funded. I have a growing list of small project experience in edible habitat establishment, minor structural work, and plenty of maintenance time.

Currently I have granted myself a sebatical of sorts to Paris, France. It is more of a personal break in routine, however I am encountering alot of interesting examples of efforts to retain and promote flora in a very dense urban setting. Also I have been blessed to have some contact with a very enthusiastic and motivated, burgeoning permaculture communtiy here in France.

Peace and Love from within make the world a brilliant place.