Mandalas

61. Landscape Design

Mandalas. Mandalas are broadly circular with patterns created by laying out a series of beds and pathways to create a growing space that is both functional and aesthetic. Mandalas can be joined to form an infinite system (Woodrow, 1996, pp. 5-19). The Women’s House has incorporated a three-mandala system with a series of keyholes paths. As mandala’s form a complete, circular system, they are ideal for the Women’s House; a single mandala will be constructed during a workshop at the construction phase, and with this knowledge, the women can implement more mandalas as materials, soil, labour, and finances allow.

These garden beds are designed to create no-dig beds keeping soil biota intact. Mulch and compost are applied to the soil to avoid digging, disturbing, and damaging the natural underground habitat and soil structure. Undisturbed microbes and soil life are vital in building a sustainable edible garden as the break down organic matter (Lowenfels & Lewis, 2010). The mulch is mixed with nitrogen-rich material to attract worms and microbes to support the process (Waddington, 2020). The plants that are rarely picked take up the inner space and the plants are often picked are planted at the outer edges to avoid frequent stepping on to the beds. With earthworms attracted, the water can be well distributed and absorbed by the worms' channels, and the mulch stops the water from evaporating (Woodrow, 1996). It makes this technique very beneficial for gardening in hot climates like Senegal. The keyhole form creates a very time and motion efficient path design to make work easier and much more efficient by allowing easy access for picking and planting. It in turn allows easy maintenance (Woodrow, 1996). The keyhole path surrounds a small pond placed at the mandala's centre to create a balanced ecosystem within the landscape that attracts various birds and insects (Woodrow, 1996). Fruit trees are planted along the outer edge of the circular beds. Integrating trees increases nutrient exchanges, deep water tapping, soil decompaction, plant protection and pest deterrence, whilst increasing yields through tree harvests. Blending trees with the garden makes the job easier for maintenance and regular surveillance for the fruit trees. It is much easier to provide mulch, water and surveillance to one garden than two separate areas (Woodrow, 1996).

Figure 31. Mandala garden 62. Landscape Design