parkwalk permaculture

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20 M

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20 M

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West Fork Rd

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Parkwalk Permaculture

Deck Terrace WallAnnual Garden

Perennial Garden

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Legend

trees

20 M

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West Fork Rd

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Parkwalk PermacultureCincinnati, OHFebruary 4, 2011


Perennial Garden

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Legend

trees

20 M

50 ft

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West Fork Rd

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Perennial Garden

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trees

Water

Wildlife

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West Fork Rd

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Perennial Garden

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Frost

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Perennial Garden

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Foot Traffic

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Perennial Garden

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Nutrient flow

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Summer SunWinter Sun

Noise SectorWildlife SectorSummer WindsWinter Winds

Fire Sector

Climate

• Wind patterns: Generally from the southwest with gust out of the north

• Sun exposure/orientation: high in the summer lower in the winter, 50% possibility of sunshine

• Latitude and longitude: 84.55 w and 39.15 n• Precipitation: 37 inches well distributed

throughout the year• Frost dates: 106 days below freezing• Growing degree days: 438• Chilling hours: 1400 hours

Landform

• Slope:• Orientation: southwest facing slope, west facing slope,

northwest facing slope, north facing slope• Steepness (rise/run), moderate to steep, a bench, and

flat strip along eastern side of house• Elevations of whole site: 740- 750 ft• Bedrock geology: Limestone• Estimated seasonal water table: medium, in spots

high, most low• Landslide potential: mild

Landform

Water

• Supply (existing): location, quantity, quality, network layout and features (spigots, pipes, filters, etc.): city water supply with one spigot in the back garden and one in front garden

• Supply (possible sources): city water supply, rainwater supply from hardscapes including roof, driveway, and sidewalk, runoff from adjacent properties

• Watershed boundaries & flow patterns: concentration and dispersion areas, including roof runoff patterns, gutters and down spouts: roof runoff concentrates in several areas 1. Roof runoff from southern and eastern side of house, three pipes connected, southern and western down spouts also concentrate in another spot leading to a very soggy area, two downspouts on western side of building that deliver water into a terrace garden and another into lawn

• Potential pollution sources: road runoff, chemical runoff from neighbors, etc.• Groundwater pollution sources (including pesticides and fertilizers): neighbors’ runoff and on

source fertilizers• Flooding, ponding and puddling areas: flat bench near the entry of two downspout pipes• Excess pavement or other impervious surfaces preventing groundwater recharge: roof,

driveway, and sidewalk• Areas damaged or stressed by road runoff: NA• Location of on-site and nearby off-site culverts, wells, water lines, sewage lines, old wells, etc.:

sewage on east side• Erosion: existing and potential areas: three downspout concentration on southern part of

property causing a erosion gully. Also in that vicinity an erosion gulley is forming from runoff from neighbors yard. Also neighbor’s roof runoff concentrated in that area.

• Sensitive waterways, wetlands and seasonal wet areas (setbacks/protection areas): west fork of mill creek located just below property.

Legal Issues

• Property lines, easements, rights-of-way: property boundaries with neighbor and community development land from subdivision

• Zoning regulations: residential• Conservation restrictions or easements:

NA• Sight line requirements at driveway or

road intersections: NA

Legal Issues

Access/Circulation

• Access/Circulation• Activity nodes (hubs of activity), storage areas: vegetable garden and

compost area, raspberry picking sight, small lower back porch as storage as well as garage

• Materials flows: mulch, compost, produce, firewood, laundry, etc.: compost out of bin to fruiting plants and vegetable garden, mulch imported- collected leaves from residential areas as well as pine needles from behind Walmart on Colerain., firewood collected from family land in Kentucky, brought in by car and walked to back porch

• Pedestrian, cart and vehicle access points, current & potential patterns: Vehicle access is on driveway, pedestrian access leads from front door or to small back porch, from their you can enter the garden spaces in different directions as they are split all around the house

• Too many roads/paths. Or roads/patterns in the wrong places• Rutted, eroding routes• Areas where paths/roads concentrate runoff, risk erosion or prevent

infiltration: sidewalk prevents infiltration as well as driveway on north side of house

Access/Circulation

Vegetation and Wildlife• Existing plant species: locations, sizes/quantities, patterns, uses, poisonous, invasiveness,

weediness, what they indicate about site conditions, etc.: North side of house mostly flowering ornamentals with gooseberries as well, northwestern side of house, ornamental landscaping with herbs and raspberry patch as well as community has spruce and Pin Oak planted, western side of house- ornamentals and grasses with blueberries and further away paw paws, southern side, grapes trellising on deck supports, and vegetable garden and lilac bush. Also on southern edge towards the road the community has a grassland not being managed thus forbs and small woody bushes beginning to succeed. Eastern edge, lawn and majority of south and west part of land. Clover dispersed with grasses.

• Rare, endangered and threatened species: NA• Rampant or invasive species: Bush Honeysuckle along the edge• Habitats or habitat elements to protect/create: early successional grassland below property that

has been let go, but not letting too many trees come in• Unique or ancient trees:• Stressed, weak, diseased, or damaged trees• Areas of especially low diversity (to diversify) or high diversity (to protect): low diversity lawn• Ecosystem architecture: layers and their density, patterning and diversity; resultant habitat

conditions, light/shade, character, quality: ornamental landscaping with little use of vertical space and combinations of height. Relatively all low shrubs and bushes at present moment. However community trees to do cast shade on western edge as they continue to grow rapidly.

• Habitat types, food/water/shelter availability: Mixed habitat all around house, old forest across the street on southern side, suburbs to east side, north side black locust re-growth bordering large trees and an open ridge, western edge community development land of ornamental sterile landscape.

Vegetation and Wildlife

Microclimate

• Slope aspects (compass orientation): Good south facing wall that protects veggies from frost, northern square that holds cold temps and low sunlight

• Sun/shade patterns: mostly sunny on sight although neighboring trees cast a shadow from the western edge and tall house on eastern edge provides shade. Late in day in winter months the sun sets quickly as the opposite ridge with large trees cast shade quickly. North side of building next to garage and front door gets little sun.

• Cold air drainage and frost pockets: good cold air dranage, frost stays for a long time on northern and western side of building

• Soil moisture patterns: concentration of water in southwestern corner of property from downspouts where it sits, on south part concentration of water but in an erosion gulley

• Precipitation patterns: even• Local wind patterns (site-specific): South to southwest, with storm

fronts blowing from the east

Microclimate

Buildings and Infrastructure

• Building size, shape, locations, doors & windows, existing & possible functions Building is approximately 3000 sq feet, pretty much square with garage on northeast side protruding giving a slight L shape. Building locate at the top of the .25 acre site. Doors are to be found on North side and through garage, south side access to the deck, and southwest corner downstairs basement door. Windows spread mostly on north and south side of buildings. Few windows on east and west.

• Permanent pavement: (and snow piles from plowing it) Driveway on north side as well as sidewalks

• Power lines (above and below ground) and electric outlets: Power lines below ground, electrical outlets on north side porch and south side porch

• Outdoor water faucet, septic system, well locations: faucets on north side and south.

• Locations of underground pipes: water & sewer lines, footing drain, floor drain and down spout drain lines, tile drains, culverts, other: Underground pipes diverting roof runoff on Southwestern corner and southeastern corner of the house running down the southern slope

• Fences and gateways NA• Lead paint, old underground oil or gas tanks, leaking septic tanks or sewer lines,

stored toxins: old pesticides, other hazardous materials: NA

Buildings and Infrastructure

Zones of Use

• Current uses by neighbors and passersby: neighbor lawn while many passerby’s in cars and some on foot because of community space and end of the road turning into a busy street. Across the street in North there is an open mowed lawn for children use.

• Use history and impacts on land, current or future uses: Forest then developed into subdivision, bulldozed primary valley that the house sits on top of. Current use includes lawn and growing space and wildlife corridor. Terrace beds put in not long after the house was built with large limestone rocks. Current gardening and mulching and composting are improving the soil in certain locations. The grass is normally left on as mulch or bagged when mulch is needed for beds or compost. Future use is lawn, more food production, and fruit production. More water catchment, mushroom production, medicinal herb production, and small nursery.

• Wild areas: all around with MT airy forest and mill creek west fork branch

Zones of Use

Soil (fertility and management)• Composition, texture: heavy clay with humus

building in garden areas• Drainage: decent. Significant slopes assist this,

however there are squishy areas• % organic: very low in lawn, higher in garden areas• Soil pH: alkaline• Damaged soils: bare, compacted, infertile,

contaminated, etc.- soil compacted from construction but not beyond repair in this forgiving landscape, soil biology rebuilding no that it has been converted to organic

• Soil toxins: lead, mercury, cadmium, asbestos, automotive oil, gasoline, etc.: possible but non detected

Soil (fertility and management)

Aesthetics/Experience of Place

• Beautiful, unique or fragile natural features or habitats: large rock formations created, landscaping well started and assembled

• Blighted areas needing beautification: lots of lawn, difficult to mow on slope

• Ugly features needing renovation or removal: landscaping nice but not productive for food

Aesthetics/Experience of Place

Site A&A Summary

parkwalk permaculture

Design