Bee Pughsley

Thanks for responding Ken! I will go check out you site now and post a link on my blog.

Do you have a blog or website to share?

I am looking to put together a list of resources on my blog of Georgia Permies and Planting Zone 8-8b Permies with blogs in my sidebar. The southeast tends to be an area where this information is not easy to find. I know there are lots of you out there. Please respond with your URL. Thanks.

tldeliberately.blogspot.com

Ah, yes, I can say without a doubt that blackberries love to grow in ditches around here. Good idea!

Yes! we are far enough south for clumping bamboos. Edible and useful, great idea! Bayberry is another good suggestion.

Right now the area is in full sun but will eventually be in part shade. I will keep that in mind.

Thank you for your help and suggestions!

Thank you Alder!

I guess I should have been more specific when I used the word "dry" in the description of the climate. I am referring to the moderate to severe drought that plagues south Georgia. We are very humid down here but yet, drought has been a real concern for the past several years.

What types of coppice plants would you recommend for the swales?

I am very interested in willow as a coppice plant for it's medicinal value and use in basketry. I have found junco javelin rush is tolerant of drought and water logging and can be used in basketry as well but has no edible or medicinal value that I know of.

Is there any other beneficial plants that can tolerate water logging but also dry spells? I am especially interested in any edibles or medicinal shrubs or trees that can be coppiced.

I would say I get moderate drainage on most areas of my five acres. Some areas have more clay than others.

Also, if you know of any sources (websites, videos) about permaculture in Georgia, please pass them on. I would love such a source.

I am looking for sources, either websites or videos about people who are planting inside swales in dry climates such as my own. I had the idea of using the valley of the swale to plant plants that can take the high water amounts that are typically found in swales, much like a sunken bed. I have been told that some people are already doing it but I cannot find any resources or examples of people doing it and would like to learn more. Any sources or advice would be greatly appreciated. I am in USDA zone 8b, Georgia, U.S.

Thank you!

That's why I thought some plants such as willow and elderberry would be good inside the swale perhaps. They can take flood conditions but do well when water is moderate as well. I posted an example of the idea at http://tldeliberately.blogspot.com/2015/02/swales-as-sunken-beds-idea.html , if you would like to look to get more of an idea of what I mean. Thank you for your comment.

Hi guys! I am a newbie here so I hope some of you more experienced permies can help me out. I was wondering what you think of my idea I had recently of using swales as sunken beds instead of just mulch filled paths.

I live in an area where it can get very dry (think drought) and was researching sunken beds when it dawned on me that swales are essentially sunken beds. The hills behind my swales tend to dry out quickly due to the south Georgia heat so I thought, why not plant the swales with flood resistant plants such as willow (or many others) and plant the hills with drought resistant plants such as lavender and thyme, to name a few. The swale would still be mulched around the plants and the hill would also be mulched.

I mean would it work without compromising the role of the swale? Is there anyone else who actually plants in the swale?