Goals
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The purpose of this project is to:
- Provide opportunity to practice finding useful information
- Introduce and practice using Visual Design principles and elements
- Introduce the concept of building a self-sustaining system for a specific purpose
- Showcase the many ways plants can be used for human benefit
At the end of this project, students will be able to:
- Use resources to identify opportunities and constraints that will influence design decisions
- Organize and Integrate a variety of information to solve a problem
- Present a solution that effectively addresses stated goals
- Provide a clear summary of the reasoning that led to the final result
- Produce a poster that effectively conveys complex information through the use of visual design elements and principles
- Discuss the attributes and cultural requirements of a variety of plants.
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Climate Zone
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Using the chart below, describe the climate zone you are designing your guild for. Include average high and low temperatures, average rainfall, and times of the year when precipitation falls. Also describe the growing conditions for where your guild is located.
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External Functions
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The purpose of designing a guild is to provide for some need outside the guild system. What would you like your guild to do for you? (such as provide food, wood, fiber, medicine, etc)
External Function 1: Provide food
External Function 2: Provide medicine
Why did you choose these particular functions? (give some context for your choices)
Food and medicine are very important and essential resources to have throughout your life.
In the chart below, list at least 3 plants that fullfil each of your chosen external functions. Also include the layer they occupy and the conditions that make them happy.
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Internal Functions
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In addition to a desired human-support output function (such as food, fiber, building material, etc) guilds should include species that support each other. Examples might include things such as mulch provider. nutrient accumulator, insect attractor, nitrogen fixer, protector, etc. List 2 “internal support” functions you think are important for your guild to thrive and prosper.
Internal Function 1: Keeps system healthy (i.e. protector, non-competitive, and improves soil quality: prevents weeds)
Internal Function 2: Support/structure
In the chart below, list at least 3 plants that fulfill each of your chosen internal functions, Also include the layer they occupy and the conditions that make them happy.
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Species List
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Using the information you developed above, fill the chart below with species you will include in your guild. Your guild should contain at least 7 species (one for each layer) Put an x on the chart to indicate the layer they occupy. Species must all share the same cultural requirements (same climate zone, moisture tolerance, soil type, etc)
Often (almost always) plants have multiple attributes. In addition to the primary function of the species, list any additional services that the plant provides in the “secondary function” column. Following the “stacking” and “resilience”principles, the most successful guilds will contain plants that fulfill many overlapping functions.
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Guild Design
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Make a to-scale plan drawing that describes your guild and insert the image below. Include any relevant material that will help your audience to understand your concept. Remember to consider visual design principles as you plan the layout of your presentation.[/expand]
Basil is an excellent companion plant as it mainly repels insects which helps the tomatoes and fruit trees surrounding it. My external functions are providing food and medicine in which apples, basil, tomatoes, oranges, and mangos do. My internal functions are keeping the system healthy (protector, non-competitive, and prevents weeds/improves soil quality). As mentioned above, Basil keeps the system healthy by protecting the fruits from insects. Liriope/monkey grass is a good ground-cover as it prevents weeds and doesn’t compete with surrounding plants for water and nutrients. Lastly, all of the fruit trees provide a structure for the vining tomatoes to grow on.
Background Research
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For the above sections, you will be using the internet and other resources to find information that you need to complete your design. List at least 10 of your sources in the section below. For each source, write a brief description of how that source was useful to you.[/expand]
- https://www.permaculturenews.org/2017/04/20/permaculture-bringing-together-layers-zones/
- Information on permaculture layers
- https://www.masterclass.com/articles/basil-companion-planting-guide#what-are-the-benefits-of-companion-planting
- Information on basil companion planting, benefits of companion planting, and what specific plants that are good to grow with basil
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/growing-basil-tomatoes-make-tomatoes-sweeter-73850.html
- Information on how basil affects tomatoes
- https://themicrogardener.com/plants-for-a-survival-food-and-medicinal-garden/
- Information on plants for food and medicine
- https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_apples/
- Information on growing apples
- https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/Default.aspx
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
- https://www.windy.com/-Pressure-pressure?pressure,50.373,-135.791,3
- https://weatherspark.com/y/93/Average-Weather-in-Kapolei-Hawaii-United-States-Year-Round
- Weather
- http://www.oahu.climatemps.com/precipitation.php
- Precipitation
- https://pfaf.org/user/edibleuses.aspx
- Information on edible and medicinal plants (external functions)
- https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/gcgen/ground-covers-under-trees.htm
- Information on best ground-cover to put under trees
- https://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/smart-choices-monkey-grass
- Liriope/monkey grass information
Poster
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Using powerpoint or some other layout software, create a 24 x 30 poster and insert your poster below. Poster should oriented towards a client and be attractive, impactful, and follow the principles of visual design (see videos on the guild resources page). Be prepared to talk about the choices you made regarding the elements you used in relation to their placement on the page and the desired effect you want the poster to have on your client.
My client is a male and has a big family. They are all healthy people. They have a big lot around their home and want to start growing plants and fruit trees. The poster I made for him is in an informal approach. It relates to him because he’s a visual and straight-forward guy so I had the poster image-based with several bullet points with information.
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terryoday 