MY article in March invited anyone interested in a permaculture makeover to contact the Transition Worcester Permablitz group.

It is not possible right now to get a team of volunteers to come over and blitz a garden together right now, but instead many people now have much more time available to make changes to their gardens themselves.

Observation and understanding your garden is a key component of imitating nature. How much light, moisture, wind and frost, not just right now, but throughout the year, is really important for working out what will grow where. You could change the dynamics by adding a tree or shrub for more shelter or shade, or remove one if you need more light.

The real trick of permaculture is knowing what to grow next to, above and below each other. Sweetcorn, squash and beans work well together (check theecologist.org or contact the Permablitz group for advice, they’d love to help).

READ MORE: Time to tap into the Permablitz spirit

In a natural ecosystem, nobody digs over the soil each year. Microbes, underground fungus and root networks adapt over the long term for a really healthy soil, delivering just the right nutrients to your plants.

Digging this up kills the nutrient networks so it is better to leave them in place. Earthworms will grab mulch from the surface and drag it underneath for you. Ideally, one can keep all the trimmings and other garden waste, and sprinkle it over garden beds as mulch. This way the nutrients recycle through the garden.

There will always be garden pests. Instead of using pesticides which kill friend and foe alike, one can encourage “friendly” species like hoverflies and bees with a variety of flowers that open early and late in the year. If you have space, a pond encourages frogs, which eat slugs and snails (see the RSPB website for advice).