pendragon orchard and vine

America’s biggest crop isn’t corn or wheat. It’s grass — and it’s complicit in cooking the planet. Here’s how we fix it without killing the lawn.

Hazelnut (filbert) is a top permaculture design species: storable calories, oil, mulch, fencing, habitat, and a living screen—all from one resilient shrub.

Pruning is not conquest. It’s a negotiation with biology. It should be a conversation across seasons. And the blade should be an instrument of guidance, never of amputation . Every winter the cycle repeats: trees pruned down to stubs, their silhouettes reduced to skeletons against the sky. Owners look on, wincing but resigned, convinced this is what stewardship demands. They’ve been told it’s gospel. They’ve been sold on myth. But in summer reality appears. Instead of fruit,

I love vegetables. I love to eat them. I’ve eaten them on porches and back steps, under summer light and winter cloud. I’ve pulled them from soil I amended by hand. I’ve bent to weed them in heat that wrung the salt from my skin. And still—I don’t grow annuals. Mix of annual and perennial vegetables in the OCS garden. Zone 8b. Pacific Northwest gardening at its best. As a permaculture designer, I’m often asked to build out classic vegetable beds for clients. And I do, becaus

Landscape design notes from the cutting edge of Orcas Island Out here in the maritime Northwest, where moss grows on the north side of everything and trees carry the hush of old rain, you learn to watch the land closely. You learn that life and death are quiet things. They don’t come with warning signs or flashing lights. Sometimes they come with a pair of dirty pruning shears. Likely apple anthracnose. Since there are no other trees around, we suspect dirty pruning shears. O

Are you ready to delve into the fascinating world of permaculture and explore the top 10 species that can transform your sustainable gardening and farming practices? We're excited to announce that Pendragon Permaculture is embarking on an insightful journey, publishing a curated list of the most impactful permaculture species that every nature enthusiast, gardener, and eco-conscious individual should know about. Starting this month, we'll be unveiling a series of articles tha

In the realm of superfoods, there are a few that stand out for their exceptional health benefits and remarkable nutrient content. One such unsung hero is the chokeberry (Aronia), a small dark berry that packs a powerful punch when it comes to promoting wellness and vitality. Despite its relatively low profile, chokeberry is a nutritional powerhouse that deserves a closer look. The Basics of Chokeberry: Chokeberries are native to North America and have been prized for centurie

It came upon us fast here in the Maritime Northwest: winter! Not the season, but the time to plan our fall and winter garden. That happens now, in July and August, at the height of summer, as part of a four-season gardening strategy. Gardening in the fall can be just as productive and enjoyable as summer...and easier. To start, you won't be pulling as many weeds as in spring and summer, and the ground will be much softer, so working the dirt and pulling any weeds won't be as

Here in the Maritime Northwest there are several reliable pepper varieties we can grow without climate hacking. These mostly produce fruit that are lower on the Scoville scale, as higher, generally, requires more heat units than we can offer in our local ecology without a greenhouse. While appropriate variety selection is important, you can be most successful growing peppers by planning to grow them as perennials and not annuals. Jump Start It’s June, and my first peppers, S

Wondering how to feed yourself fresh greens, berries, and fruit in the maritime northwest winter without a greenhouse or a trip to the grocery store? It's not hard; it's about appropriate species and variety selection. Our maritime climate is kind to us gardeners, and we should give thanks by growing all year long, especially in winter when food is scarce. There are less pests to worry about in winter too, and no watering. Below are some of the species and varieties that are

Part II: Apiaceae (Carrot Family) Carrot family members are, generally, cool-season cultivated and may not grow when the soil gets too warm. They are widely accepted as excellent companion plants due to their flowers clustered into umbels that are well suited habitat for ladybugs , parasitic wasps , and predatory flies , which prey upon insect pests on nearby plants. Members of this family that produce scents may mask the odor of nearby plants and make them more difficult for

Part I: Solanaceae (Nightshades), Chenopodiaceae (Beet Family), Compositae (Sunflower) You may have noticed the calendar says April, though your skin may not be in agreement with the calendar. Don’t be fooled by the colder than average temps: you already need to be knee deep in growing food, just as you do every month of the year in the PNW. Why? Because you can and should be growing or harvesting food here all year around. This is a blessed four season growing/harvesting

Since the first monastery gardens of Europe, growers have wrestled with the same quiet dilemma—how to fit Eden into a courtyard. The problem is not new. Every walled garden, every cloister orchard, was a study in constraint: soil, sun, and stone dictating what could live together and what must be left out. Space has always been the gardener’s first teacher.

Learn how to tap a bigleaf maple and make your own Pacific Northwest syrup. A field guide from Pendragon Orchard & Vine—part adventure, part craft, and all patience—turning rain, pressure, and fire into sweetness.

In permaculture, all things should have multi-functions. Topping my list this year is a lesser known sunflower that is perennial, edible, pollinator-friendly, drought tolerant, and just beautiful. It's Helianthus maximiliani, Maximilian Sunflower. I use this species on every project, as does our charity All Hands on Earth . Seeding is easy: sprinkle on the soil and press down lightly; water regularly until the shoots, which are edible, reach about 6-8" in height. Then let it

Permaculture Landscaping: Schisandra Berry ( Schisandra chinensis) We installed Schisandra at two permaculture sites this week, trellising the specimens on a fence. Personally, I love climbers, and if I find a suitable fence or wall, I’ll grow vertically on it to extend its function. Schisandra, native to East Asia, is a hardy deciduous climber that can tolerate shade and grows in a variety of soils. Fitting the profile of a quintessential permaculture species, meaning multi-

Yamaimo is one of the stranger crops worth considering for edible landscape design: a quiet climbing vine above ground with a long edible tuber forming below. Grown on a trellis and harvested from deep containers, this Japanese mountain yam turns vertical space into real food production while offering a crop that can be eaten raw, grated, cooked, or stored.

Conversion of an established Square pattern orchard to a food forest on Orcas Island. Principal goals for the project: Improve Species (Food) Diversity; Convert Annuals to Perennials; Use Guilds and Super Guilds; Lower Long Term Maintenance Cost; Four Season Food Production; Restore/Add Privacy Screens; Create Social/Gathering Area; Improve Soil Structure; Add Color in the Winter; Native Habitat Restoration. Species List

On a recent Orcas Island project, we found an opportunity to grow food and restore PNW natives without deer fencing. For those of you with property that has a history of logging, you may find old, rotted conifer stumps shoulder height or greater. These are natural "planters" for Red Huckleberry, among other species, like salal, in the forests of the PNW that deer can't reach. Rotting stumps act as a sponge, storing rainwater that is critical for huckleberry survival in summer

So, you got excited and bought more bare root trees than you know what to do with. Been there. The story continues... You grab your shovel and look for a place to plant them all. Suddenly, you come to your senses; then you panic looking at all those trees awaiting your decision. What usually happens next is the "panic planting" with the whisper: "I'll move them later." Well, that needn't happen. You can buy plenty of time to make good decisions by "heeling-in" your trees. The