I'm so interested in trying to permaculture my suburban yard. I've invested in two rain catching tanks so far - of course I didn't get them hooked up in time for the two weeks of rain we're having now...

I feel like I don't know how to start, but this video is great information!

the gutters (eavestroughs, Canadians) are already connected to outflow below ground, eventually running back to surface by that flexible piping. I have a perfect spot for installation of one of those rain barrels. Uphill side is not so clear. More thought there. I have rock jumble for soil so the idea of trenching around the house footprint sounds sweaty and dismal.

Good ideas.

I live in the city on a 150x50 lot with an old 1914 bungalow . We took out the lawns front and back years ago. I grow veggies in a large raised bed in the back yard as it is sunny. I built the bed with a pile of rubble that was in the back corner when we moved in.

A few years ago we unhooked our gutters as they overflow the river that run through Portland. This neighborhood was built on a series of underground rivers that run to the river. A wet land. Our basements here all flood in varying degrees. We had a French drain put in the back it is a pipe that hooks into the gutter downspout and runs underground across our small patio and diverts the rainwater to a dry well. The dry well pit is about 8 ft deep and 4 ft in diameter. It has more of our rubble at the bottom with layers of crushed rocks and stones and the surface is small river rocks surrounded by some gorgeous large stones. I planted some native grasses and water loving natives and wild forest type plants. It's a beautiful rain garden and it works!

In the front we put in rain chains that hook into the gutter. Since the front yard slopes to the west we dug gullies to channel the rain chain water towards the river and throughout the front yard. I love water systems. Native 3 ft. tall grasses grew in the gullies so I did not even have to plant anything in them. This year I'm getting a rain barrel with a hose attachment and hooking the fastest flowing rain chain in it.

I enjoyed the video. It was inspiring. Last spring and summer it was so hot I did not garden. This year so far it cooler and I now have my work cut out. I'm overwhelmed at the growth and the weeds. I also need to transplant many of my natives and perennials in front that have grown so large that they are crowding each other out. Whew! I'm going to get off this damn computer and spend at least 2 hrs. a day for the next two weeks reclaiming my urban homestead. I don't know if it's a permaculture landscape but it sure is a diverse organic habitat for the birds, critters, bugs and us.

I thought, why not render to video into text? When I watched it, I saw why. It's much more informative watching than it would be reading.

I have so far done very poorly in establishing a permaculture in my hot, humid SE USA home, but I have at least eliminated most of the lawn and established various trees. One thing I'd like to see more of in permaculture is a focus on establishing environments composed entirely of native plantings. Unfortunately, that's much harder to do, as native plants are hard to find.

On a somewhat related topic, here's a story about a small earthship home in California, with links to more stories in the series about it:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sustainable-home-building-tips-230780

so far all gardening projects are just in my head and from my experience growing a couple of the usual veggies in my backyard taught me that everything has to be learned, especially how to treat your soil in combination with your weather patterns in the growing season. I learned that our hot humid summers here in MD with clayish soil is too hot for some veggies. Then I learned that what our city gives us as free organic soil, is not what I expected it would be. Strangely enough it has damaged a lot of plants and introduced quite some weed plants I had never had before. So, I guess before even starting to plan how to water your garden and to think about where your water will come from and what do you do if you have too much water, you need to know your soil.

I haven't continued working on my backyard, actually got rid of the veggie beds, because I am going to sell the house. But I prepare to learn what to grow in a tropical humid climate and what in a hot dry climate. I want a base food that would replace potatoes in a colder climate garden, can't plant rice, but I think I could plant plantain and probably sweet potatoes.

Well, I don't want to start dreaming without really having the opportunity yet. But it's my goal.

Rainwater catchment for watering your garden is one thing, but I would like to have a water catchment system that includes a filtering mechanism to have potable water and water for all your household needs. It's quite an investment if you have to build it per code and needs maintenance that most people underestimate, I was told.

But heh, if you want to live off the grid, you have to work for it. It's a very nice antidote to read this and forget about politics. Thanks.