The 2018-2021 DPHS garden project went through many stages of development as the high school program was created and needs were assessed and reassessed. Beginning with heavy clay soil covered in weeds, a regenerative soil plan was put into place that students could participate in over time.  This included the addition of soil amendments, worms, composting, and mulching, a plan for no-till maintenance, as well as student guided development of a design concept and plant preferences. The final phase of development was completed during the 2020-21 COVID-19 Pandemic quarantine as a means of assuring long-term use with very low maintenance.  This transition saw an opening for programming to include the Patterson community and after-school programs as part of an inclusive, resiliency strategy to improve access to garden education and resources.  Welcome to our completed vision: DPHS Perennial Food & Pollinator Garden.

Regenerative Design Elements

Earthworks
Soil Remediation Strategy
  1. Enables soil to absorb and distribute water by breaking up dense clay and improving structure to establish greater nutrient dispersal.
  2. Included the addition of amendments and inoculums, establishment of a no-till care method through taproot, cover crops and mulches, and land contouring for water catchment and drainage. 
​Key Materials Used:
  • Amendments: organic matter, gypsum, worms
  • Inoculums: Microbial and multi-species inoculum for endomycorrhizal mycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal fungi
  • Taproot, biomass/mulch producing cover crops

Water
Retention Strategy
  1. System of earthworks to slow the flow and increase distribution of water, fungi inoculated redwood in planting zones to increase wood chip water absorption, and seasonally adjusted water timer with IPM strategy: Weeds.
  2. Containers included self-watering pots with over flow holes, absorptive coco coir/ vermiculite blend soils, and trivets to raise pots above asphalt allowing radiant heat to disperse rather than overheating roots and deter ant colonies forming within pots.
​​Key Materials Used:
  • Asphalt Bump to protect the hose-end water system crossing driveway
  • PVC Sprinklers replaced tube irrigation (see IPM Strategy: Gophers)
  • Self-water containers/ Earthboxes with overflow holes
  •  Absorptive soil blends
  • Trivets

Nutrients
Sustainability Strategy
  1. Nutrient sustainability strategies enables nutrients to naturally recycle through the garden. The combination of living walkways and polyculture/guild plant partnerships to develop a system of high nutrient recycling into compost or mulch, a vermicomposting bin for fast plant material breakdown, worm habitat development, and fungi inoculum that breakdown redwood mulch into mushroom compost for an extended 2-4 year nutrient release.
  2. Polyculture/Guild plant partnerships were developed for the borrowing effects that each plant offers one another in a densely planted space, enabling greater fertility in both vertical and horizontal spaces.  Guild plant partnerships have included plants used for:
  • Anchors to break up and stabilize spoil as well as offer canopy shade
  • Biomass/Cover Crops to use in compost/mulch systems
  • Nitrogen-fixers to recycle atmospheric nitrogen
  • Taproot-subsoil nutrient mining
  • IPM for pest deterrent or weed allelopathy
  • Pollinator to attract pollinating insects for increased fruit production 
  • Microbial bacteria inoculation for greater nutrient cycling
  • Fungi to create a slow release, continuous mushroom compost
IPM
Integrated Pest
​Management
Integrated pest management are multi-prong strategies for addressing pests such as invasive weeds, animals like gophers and mice, or insect pests with as minimal risk to human, beneficial insects, and selected plants/crops.  A few of the integrated strategies our garden employed were plant selection, introduction of missing ecosystem elements like predatory insects and nematodes, plant/water placement, and responsive man-made solutions like adjust water systems and wire baskets.  We have outline our specific plans and reasons for deployment on our details on IPM Strategies page.  Click here to learn more about Gophers, Bindweed, and Insect Pests.