All of my courses this year longer than one session have filled up, and in some cases have done so quickly. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment.
Call or email Darren Butler to sign up:
allnet@pobox.com
818.271.0963
Ecofriendly Hillside Gardening and Terracing
Got slope? Hillsides are challenging for gardening because of runoff and uneven infiltration of water, erosion and erosive drainage, difficult access, and soil that is often infertile. In most areas of LA County, hillsides are also the last territory we’ve left for wildlife, so gardens near these areas often face intense pest pressures from squirrels, gophers, deer, rabbits, raccoons, rats, birds, and other critters. Standard terracing methods are costly, rely on manufacturing and transport that create pollution, and depend on unsustainable fossil fuels.
How can gentle to moderate slopes be terraced using mostly local materials, with minimal cost, and environmentally friendly methods? What is the best way to lay out terraces? How tall can terraces be made safely using these methods? Can steep slopes be terraced using ecofriendly methods and when so, how can this be done safely? What’s the best way to develop fertile soil in newly terraced beds?
In this intermediate course on hillside gardening that goes beyond organic into ecofriendly and sustainable, we’ll answer these questions and many more. Topics are expected to include ecofriendly terracing methods, from swales and bolstered swales to perched and pinned rock-filled gabions, planning and installing cheap, effective, ecofriendly terraces; integrated pest management and pest exclusion in the WUI (wildland-urban interface); intensive, ecofriendly, high-yield gardening methods; soil fertility and biodiversity; watering methods for hillside gardens; permaculture approaches to food gardening; intensive fruit-and-berry production and orcharding in terraces; philosophical and spiritual approaches; and more. A large fraction of the course material is based upon my own experience and invention and is available nowhere else.
This course can save you years of mistakes and frustration, and thousands or tens of thousands of dollars of unnecessary expense in trying to garden effectively on slopes in Los Angeles County, and will put you well on the way to obtaining large yields in formerly fallow hillside areas. The course host’s history, experiences, and methods for running a small organic farm and managing pest problems organically on a hillside property in Topanga will also be discussed.
Topics that WON’T be covered: standard terracing methods including those using cinderblocks/ferrocement, poured concrete, and interlocking prefab blocks; basics of organic gardening, including standard composting, seed-starting, and similar topics; and ornamental design/gardening.
There will be demos but little to no hands-on work during class. Hands-on work may continue after the class on some days, so please plan accordingly.
Course difficulty: 4 out of 10. Organic and hillside gardening experience and familiarity with basic construction methods recommended but not required. Beginners or those with no experience working in landscapes should expect difficulty. Intermediate gardeners should expect that time will be spent on basics.
Course dates: June 7, 14, 21, 28 (Saturdays) from 9:30 AM to 12:45 PM with short breaks only (arrival encouraged by 9:00 AM). Demos and hands-on work may continue after 12:45 PM on some days.
Course location: Greenleaf Canyon in Topanga. Access is from Topanga Canyon Blvd, and requires driving more than mile through difficult, narrow, bumpy, sometimes unpaved private and variably maintained roads, with steep dropoffs beside the road in some sections. The site is accessible to normal street vehicles but these must be driven slowly and cautiously.
Course fee: $210 for early registration through May 30. Special bring-a-friend early-registration price of $385 per couple making a combined payment. $240 per person for registration after May 30. There will be an additional $50 fee and additional requirements to receive a course certificate.
Reading List (required for a certificate only): TBD, if any.
Darren Butler is a Consulting Arborist, Ecological Designer, and Landscape Specialist. His recent projects include designing and developing food forests in residential landscapes, which are forest-like systems that produce food with minimal maintenance once established. He has appeared on several episodes of "Weekend Gardening" for a large international television audience as an expert horticulturist and landscaper, on NPR radio, in newspapers, and other media. He has taught Sustainable Landscape Design and Diagnosing Plant Problems for the University of California Master Gardener Program in Los Angeles, Small-Space Food Gardening at Descanso Botanic Gardens, and is working with the Getty Villa to develop and teach gardening-related workshops. He holds many landscape- and plant-related certifications and licenses. In 2007 and 2008 he developed curriculum for and taught certification programs in Sustainable Biointensive Gardening and in Edible Landscaping. He currently serves on a statewide advisory committee for all University of California Master Gardener programs, and is a speaker at the upcoming 2008 University of California Master Gardener Conference. He has been gardening since childhood, and developing expertise in Southern California gardening since 1996.
Comments from prior students:
"I have been profoundly influenced and very inspired by everything you said throughout your lessons. In particular, I’ve learned and gained so much, especially in such a short period of time! Not only can I use the knowledge I’ve taken away from your courses in all areas of my garden, but many aspects of my life as well!"
"Darren is just so knowledgable. This is a crucial part of the
owner's manual for Planet Earth."
"Darren is an outstanding teacher. He integrates real life to
gardening. He's down to earth, full of laughs and personality. His
enthusiasm is infectious."
"Wow! The idea that so many things are just soil in another temporary
format is pretty powerful. Darren has thought more than any other
person I have ever met. The class was awesome."
"I got so much out of this! Packed full of information that was
immediately usable to me. I love listening to this guy! He knows so
much and is so humble about sharing what he knows. He knocks my socks
off."
"If you want to change your perspective on the world and get deeply
in touch with the Earth, come to this class!"
Enrollment, payment, and refund policy:
Half tuition must be sent to reserve enrollment, with the remaining half due by the first day of class. If full tuition is not paid by the first class, attendance is expected to stop until payment is completed. Full refunds less $50 will be available until seven days before the first session. No refunds thereafter except for cancellation by the instructor. If tentative details change after enrollment has been paid, full refund is available until three days before the first class if cancellation is based upon the change(s).
Payment is by check, cash, or money order and should be sent to Darren Butler, PO Box 920434, Sylmar CA 91392-0434. Contact me if you prefer to pay with a credit card via the internet.
Courses are rated as to my best guess about difficulty from 1 to 10
with 1 being appropriate for absolute beginners and 10 for
accomplished experts.
Courses not guaranteed to carry. Some courses fill up quickly. To avoid
disappointment, please do not delay.
A certificate in Ecofriendly Hillside Gardening and Terracing is available. Specific requirements for completion will include required reading, minimum attendance of two of the three sessions with makeup for the missed session, a
project, and additional fee of $50.
