The 3rd Learning, Teaching, and Training event for the Erasmus+ project "Digital Detox through Permaculture Gardening" took place in Sibiu, Romania, from March 24 to March 27, 2026. Hosted by Colegiul Tehnic "Cibinium," the program brought together students and teachers from Sweden, Spain, Turkey, and Romania
The Romanian students at Colegiul Tehnic "Cibinium" are replacing manicured grass with layered intent. In a few years, this patch of overturned earth won't just look different; it will be functional, self-supporting, and resilient. For now, it’s just them, the tools, and a very promising
Broad beans (fava beans) are nitrogen-fixing plants, which means they can take nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form that improves the soil. They do this through a natural partnership with bacteria in small nodules on their roots. This process enriches the soil and reduces the need
We visited an herb garden featuring approximately one hundred different aromatic plants. The garden was established to commemorate Türkiye’s 100th anniversary as a republic in 2023 and serves as both a cultural and educational space. During the visit, we also attended a short lecture on permaculture principles, delivered by
Both students and teachers were all ears as the agricultural engineer lectured on permaculture and the experiment initiated regarding nitrogen-fixing plants in their garden at the back of the school. Soil samples will be submitted to a laboratory for analysis.
The first day of the LTT-event, 15th of December 2025. Twelve eager students from Sweden, Spain and Romania posing on the stairs to main entrance of the hosting school.
Teaming up at the Botanical Garden, Stockholm University for inspiration.
Lecture on permaculture gardening by science teacher Sara at Södertörns friskola.
Together with colleagues from Spain Romania and Turkiye after the lecture on the use of digital media and screen addiction by professor Lisa Thorell at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna.
A small garden design plan showing labeled planting areas with lavender, sage, echinacea, roses, and monarda around a central evergreen. A bench and trees frame the space, creating a calm, pollinator-friendly rest area.
A small enclosed courtyard with a grassy area, paved walkway, and wooden bench. The space includes a few rose bushes, tall evergreens, and mature trees providing shade, creating a quiet and inviting outdoor corner.
Composting household waste is not recommended in an urban environment, as it can attract large numbers of mice and rats. However, near the school in Izmir, there are many stray cats that help keep these pests under control.
Question: How deep should a compost pit be? Answer: A compost pit should generally be about 60–90 cm deep. That depth is ideal because: It’s deep enough to hold a good volume of organic material and maintain warmth and moisture for decomposition. But not so deep that it
Our tree basins are made together by students and teachers. It’s a hands-on project where everyone takes part in shaping the garden.
You can generally use the same approach for making a basin and rim (watering ring) for orange trees as for olive trees, but with a few small but important adjustments depending on soil, water needs, and tree age. 🌿 Basic method (works for both) 1. Form a shallow basin around the
When constructing the raised flower bed, I simplified the usual layering process by omitting some of the intermediate layers. Instead, I placed hay at the bottom to promote aeration and moisture retention, followed by a layer of comfrey to provide nutrients, and then topped the bed with soil. The photo
The plan for a tiny perennial flower bed by the rabbit hutch.
A sketch of an urban Mediterranean garden behind a school in Valencia. The illustration shows raised beds filled with vegetables and herbs, young fruit trees along the borders, and potted plants making use of limited space. Stone paths and tiled corners reflect the courtyard setting, while a trellis and wall
This inner-city schoolgarden faces several challenges: the soil is compacted and dry, shade and sunlight are uneven due to surrounding walls and buildings, and the narrow layout limits planting options. Existing fruit trees create competition for resources, while irrigation appears uneven. Hard surfaces add reflected heat, and the urban setting
Traditional Turkish Folksong Türkü/Mâni Evlerinin önü zeytin ağacı, Sallanıyor dalları yamacı. Ben sevdim ellerin yavrucuğu, Bilmiyor anam babam, kimsesi. "In front of their house, an olive tree stands, Its branches swaying down the hillside. I have fallen in love with a young beloved from another household, My mother
The fact that we had previously cultivated olive trees in the area where we would be implementing our permaculture practices was a surprising gain. Our students were harvesting olives...
We enriched the soil by mulching with a blend of grass clippings and dry leaves.
We cleared the site of harmful weeds, creating a healthy foundation for mulching and the implementation of our permaculture practices.
Side by side with our special education students, we explore our permaculture garden and learn different cultivation techniques together.
