Low-Maintenance Gardening Techniques

Imagine your garden in spring: the first flowers unfurling, seeds nestling into the soil, promising a season of growth and color. Yet as the weeks unfold, even the most passionate gardener can feel overwhelmed with the daunting tasks of weeding, watering, and pest management. When these demands exceed our time and energy, it can diminish the joy of gardening. But your garden can retain springtime vibrancy throughout the year with a little permaculture wisdom. This IN-PERSON class helps you create a resilient, self-sufficient, easy-to-manage garden. We’ll explore how to enhance natural processes to benefit the garden, and how to make all of this happen in an eco-friendly way, covering topics like: • Designing for less maintenance • Selecting resilient plants that thrive in your specific environment • Using efficient watering and water-capture techniques to save time and money • Building soil fertility without hauling wheelbarrows of compost • Groundcover and cultivation techniques to reduce weed pressure • Optimizing your garden's layout for natural pest control You’ll receive approximately an hour of interactive instruction, and then engage with a HANDS-ON design activity to put theory into practice with fellow gardening enthusiasts. You’ll take home a comprehensive handout filled with actionable steps to transform your garden into a self-reliant haven. Ready to reclaim your time and reignite your passion for gardening? Let’s start your journey toward a garden that grows with you, not against you. NOTE: There are TWO sessions -- please choose ONE: > Sunday, March 22 at 4:00-6:00 PM > Saturday, April 18 at 1:00-3:00 PM This IN-PERSON class is limited to 12 students. INSTRUCTOR: Ayla Bella is an educator and advocate based in Columbus, Ohio inspired by a vision of a just, regenerative, local food system. She developed the Resilience Gardening framework — a practical approach to growing food that strengthens ecological health, resource security, community capacity, personal well-being, and systems awareness. She teaches classes, tests ideas in her Columbus food forest, and offers Garden Chats and consultations to help people design gardens that are practical and future-ready. Her training includes a Permaculture Design Certificate, the Master Gardener program, and work as a Stinner Climate Ambassador.