Contact
Hi there, please check these frequently asked questions before you get in touch!
Can you design my garden?
If you live in Naarm/Melbourne, I am available for design consultancies. Sometimes I’m available for regional work as well.
If you live elsewhere in Australia (or beyond!), please seek out local practitioners who will be able to contextualise the design with your culture, climate and local resources etc. To minimise my footprint, I prefer not to travel for work when there is local expertise available.
Are you available to speak at my event, give me a tour of The Plummery or teach workshops?
Yes! I can offer in person or online events, tours and workshops. Get in touch via the form below. Please understand that I usually need to charge for my time. I have a sliding scale so that I can offer a lower rate to community groups, and support pro bono work with groups experiencing disadvantage.
Are you available for media requests?
Yes! Please get in touch via the form below.
Can I interview you for my research?
If you are a researcher in urban agriculture/sustainable food systems and would like to delve deeper into The Plummery, I’d be happy to assist. Sorry I can’t help with school/uni assignments.
Can you give my community garden/urban agriculture project some advice?
Happy to help! Get in touch via the form below and I will do my best, or refer you to others.
Can you answer my random question about quails or gardening?
Sorry, no. I receive too many requests to answer technical questions over email, and a lot of the answers depend on your context and climate anyway. Please come along to a workshop and I’ll be happy to chat.
How do I get started creating my own abundant home food system?
I recommend doing a Permaculture Design Course (PDC) with a local teacher to learn a design process. Ask around permaculture networks and find out who the best teachers are near you, and if possible choose a teacher that specialises in your area of interest (eg. urban). If you live in South Eastern Australia, I often lead the CERES Permaculture Design Course.
If that’s not possible, there are some great books. For beginners I like Rosemary Morrow’s Earth Restorers’ Guide to Permaculture. Also follow local respected teachers and growers on the socials. The WWOOF and Permablitz networks are brilliant pathways to practical skills. Finally, I continue to do a lot of self-directed study and hands-on experimentation. If you’re disciplined enough to stick with it, it can be more valuable than any paid course.
Do you take helpers at the Plummery?
We sometimes offer an exchange where you live with us for 1-2 weeks and help out for a few hours a day with gardening, building and other jobs. In return we share skills and discuss the evolution of our design in detail. Our opportunities to host are quite limited so please get in touch a few months in advance, and understand that we can’t accommodate all requests.
Who drew all the lovely illustrations on your website?
The sweet-as-plum-jam, stratospherically talented Catie Payne.
