[Scpg] Permaculture moves forward at the LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

[Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network]

Exploring a place for permaculture in public garden education

  http://pcnpg.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/permaculture-moves-forward-at-the-la-county-arboretum-botanic-garden/
Posted by: Erin Marteal | August 21, 2010

Permaculture moves forward at the LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

18 Aug. Back in LA and just hours before taking 
off on V Australia #8, I stopped in to chat with 
Richard Schulhof, CEO of the LA County Arboretum 
and Botanic Garden about the status of 
permaculture at the arboretum.  I was pleased 
that Jill Morganelli, Horticultural Curator was 
also able to join us.

Despite the recent departure of the gardenís 
permaculture curator, Caitlin Bergman, 
permaculture is not only holding steady, but 
growing at the LA Arboretum.  Plans are afoot for 
developing a new permaculture garden in a space 
now referred to as ëturf island,í that also 
happens to be right out in the middle of the 
garden.  It will feature native California 
plants, along with some edible and medicinal 
plants important to local indigenous cultures. 
Different from the Permasphere tucked off in the 
back 40, the new permaculture garden will be hard 
to miss.  It will also be well-interpreted.

According to Jill Morganelli, ìPeople want to see 
how they can do this in their own backyard.  To 
me, our job is to show an example of what 
homeowners can do at home.î  Morganelli also 
emphasizes the role of community: ìpermaculture 
is as much about community as it is about 
growing.î

One of the challenges of public garden education, 
according to Schulhof, is ìhow to make it more 
accessible.  Public gardens can do a better job 
of teaching natural systems.  Itís very difficult 
to get people interested in carbon cycling and 
mycorrhiza.  However in permaculture, youíre 
physically doing it; youíre engaged in it.î

Permaculture also differs from traditional public 
garden horticulture in its focus on process as 
much as on the end product. According to 
Morganelli, î A permaculture garden is entirely 
about process.î  Many public garden displays are 
about creating a display for the public, but 
donít necessarily teach a visitor how to do it, 
nor do they create an impression that such a 
display is achievable or accessible.

Another way permaculture stands apart from other 
types of public garden education, according to 
Schulhof and Morganelli, is that it ìholds 
particular appeal for teens.  Especially teenage 
boys, who are one of the most under-served 
audiences of public gardens.î

With such a positive public response and the 
educationally apposite nature of permaculture at 
the LA Arboretum, why are so few other public 
gardens following suit?  ìThere is a great deal 
of risk aversion in the museum and public garden 
fields,î suggests Schulhof.  Schulhof also posits 
that some may think permaculture has been 
superseded by other more sophisticated green 
technologies.  ìPermaculture is extremely low 
tech, and you can do it in a very local way. 
However, understanding of permaculture also 
requires a certain level of science literacy that 
many people donít have.î  Many public gardens may 
also find the low-cost of implementing 
permaculture to hold significant appeal, 
especially in our now sluggish economy.

Yet permaculture is still widely misunderstood. 
The first question most people ask about 
permaculture at the LA Arboretum is, ìWhat is 
permaculture?î  When I asked whether any concern 
or negative response about the aesthetic quality 
of the permaculture garden had been raised by the 
public, Shulhof reports heís heard only positive, 
great things about the aesthetics.  He admits, 
however, that with the new, much more visible 
permaculture garden, more criticism is likely. 
ìAs director,î he says, ìif I were not provoking 
visitors to ask questions, then what are we here 
for?î

ìIím from the era of ornamental horticulture, and 
I really feel Iím witnessing the end of that era. 
Young people today want to make a difference.  I 
see permaculture in public gardens providing an 
avenue for that impulse and interest.î

NOTE: Photos/movie clip from the interview will 
be coming shortly.  Freshly arrived in Australia, 
I have a few technical difficulties to iron out. 
I will also be posting on my interview with Scott 
Kleinrock, coordinator of the Ranch project at 
the Huntington Botanical Gardens.


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