Grow with Us! #hiring

It will officially be Spring soon!   Site consultations, designs and tree pruning & grafting is ongoing and soon bigger installations will begin.

Are you motivated, hard-working, and seeking to join an award-winning landscaping company?

Pergola build at the east side Healing Gardens & Food Forest

Abundant Design is a small, but growing, permaculture based landscape design & install business located in central Iowa.  We help people build resiliency through edible landscapes and gardens, establish wildlife habitat and conservation practices.  We help provide experiences with nature and enjoyment of Creation in customer backyards, properties and communities. 

Abundant Design is looking for motivated individuals to help bring these projects to life.

Positions involve lots of digging, planting of native and edible plants, shrubs and trees; moving compost, rock and mulch; some hardscapes, walls and other builds.

Fresh rain garden installs

Seasonal Installers & Laborers

Perform landscaping and light construction for properties as directed.  Tasks may include, but not limited to - shoveling rock, sand, mulch and other materials on the job site; moving boulders; trenching by hand or with a machine; operating a laser level for grading; plantings ranging in size from large balled and burlapped (B&B) trees to delicate transplants

• Must be physically able to work hard outside in various conditions
• Must be able to communicate clearly and follow instructions
• Must be respectful of customers and their property 
• Must be able to get to and from job sites
• Must be at least 16 years of age
• Knowledge of, or experience in gardening, landscaping, horticulture, a plus
• Experience operating power tools, equipment and small machinery, a plus

Great summer experience for students in conservation, natural resources, regenerative agriculture, and sustainability fields, or anyone interested in the same.  

Pay ~$15-20/hr, depending on experience.

Mulching a new multi-species orchard on a southern Iowa homestead

Full-Time Assistant & Crew Leader

Perform and lead team members in landscaping and light construction for properties as directed. Tasks may include, but not limited to - shoveling rock, sand, mulch and other materials on the job site; moving boulders; trenching by hand or with a machine; operating a laser level for grading; light grading with mini-skid steer, hauling materials; plantings ranging in size from large balled and burlapped (B&B) trees to delicate transplants

• Must be physically able to work hard outside in various conditions
• Must be able to communicate clearly and follow instructions
• Must be respectful of customers and their property 
• Must be able to get to and from job sites around the Des Moines metro 
• Knowledge of/experience in permaculture, gardening, horticulture, biology/ecology, and regional ecosystems 
• Experience operating tools, power tools and small machinery safely and efficiently
• Interest in permaculture, conservation, regenerative agriculture and sustainability
• Experience in permaculture, conservation, native plants and/or regenerative agriculture - Preferred
• BS/BA/AA Degree in natural sciences, Permaculture Designer's Certificate, or Stormwater Best Management Practices training - Preferred

Primarily working and training side by side with me through the early Spring, then independently or as a crew leader through the busy summer season.  Additional training opportunities possible.

Compensation commensurate with experience. 

To apply for these positions, email your Resume/CV/Work Experience and references to Abundant Design.

New Video! Wheelbarrow?

Yes, there is a new YouTube video we just posted!

Well, it isn't that exciting, but it will help if you have to haul your wheelbarrow over to a friend or family member's house.  Or maybe you are the new kid on a landscaping crew and want to show the guys you know a couple tricks.

I hope to be putting more content out as we document more of what we are doing.

Epic Permaculture Backyard Retreat p2

Not many projects bring in so many elements onto one property.  This was an ambitious project and one that checks a lot of boxes by integrating stormwater management and permaculture guilds with traditional landscaping elements!

Permaculture design provides a wonderful toolbox to integrate all of these elements into one cohesive design.

Part 2 of this project summary will focus on the productive parts of the backyard.

From the deck you can see many of the elements in the backyard-

• Fruit guilds 
• trees and berry bushes with productive and/or beneficial perennial plants
• Annual garden, compost bin & herb spiral
• rain barrel (for the best water) right by the garden
• Patio & firepit
• Waterfall

Overlooking this new productive and relaxing backyard space

The site had a very challenging slope that was difficult and dangerous to mow, with poor soil quality, erosion and soggy areas.  We finished this amazing residential project last season.

If you missed Part 1, read that here

Enhanced rain garden and dry stream bed.

This water feature is a feast for all the senses and could provide a drink for pollinators and beneficial insects like dragonflies.  The surrounding prairie planting provides habitat and attracts pollinating insects necessary for fruit and vegetable production.

Pondless waterfall with prairie planting behind

Moving down the slope, the stream separates the lawn from the peach and bramble guild.  Bee balm and thyme are companion planting powerhouses; they attract pollinators, are a beneficial part of foraging bees' diet and have antimicrobial properties that may help prevent diseases in vulnerable fruit trees.  The yarrow in the understory also attracts predatory insects, like lacewings and syrphid flies, that keep pest species in check.

Peach trees with black berries, raspberries and other
companion plantings.

Constructing the herb spiral-
 also high on the customer wish list

Herb spiral with historical salvaged bricks, rain garden
overflow stream in the background.

Herb spirals are often found in permaculture gardens and something the customer really wanted to include.  A spiral pattern is one that repeats in nature and depending on the herb spiral's size can induce microclimates that can be targeted with herbs that appreciate them.  Herbs are generally quite resilient and do well in these raised systems which can be too dry for typical vegetables.  We positioned this one near the edge of the lawn for easy access and near the annual vegetable garden.

Looking across the raised keyhole garden beds
as the sod was being finished.  With the amount of
earth sculpting, sod was needed for the small lawn.

Before - Garden space

The vegetable garden was originally located where the new patio is.  It was moved to open up the center of the yard while still keep it accessible.  It also allowed us to move all of the gardening space together.  The "keyhole garden bed" was rebuilt trying to salvage as many plants as possible.

Keyhole garden beds with composter behind.
A rain barrel is on a stand behind the stairs.

The composters were moved from the shed/rain garden area here where garden and kitchen waste are easily added; and finished compost will be handy to amend the soil in the garden.  

We also moved a rain barrel from the other side so that rainwater from the downspout is captured under the deck right near the garden for use.

Native pollinator beds were already established, we just added the 
planting space on the hardest to mow areas - between the tree guilds.

Apple guild view from below

The apple guild includes rhubarb, gooseberries and currants.  Strawberries were used as a productive ground cover, along with pockets of clover for nitrogen fixation.  The tree spacing allows a good deal of sun through for fruit production but does provide shade in the afternoons which strawberries appreciate.  The swale on contour captures runoff from above hydrating the plants below.  The access paths (dark mulch) also follow the contour to prevent erosion and make them easier to navigate.

Apple guild, view from the deck -
you can just see the compost bins and garden at the bottom

Now for the understory plants to fill in!  I'm really looking forward to revisiting this yard as it develops.

#fruitguilds #raingarden #prairie #pollinator #herbspiral #keyholebed #compost

Job Openings for 2022

It will officially be Spring in a few days ! ! !  Site consultations, designs and tree pruning & grafting is ongoing and soon bigger installations will begin.

Are you motivated, hard-working, and seeking to join an award winning landscaping company?

Pergola build at the east side Healing Gardens & Food Forest

Abundant Design LLC is a small, but growing, permaculture based landscaping design & install business located in central Iowa.  At Abundant Design, we help people build resiliency through edible landscapes and gardens, establish wildlife habitat and conservation practices.  We help provide experiences with nature and enjoyment of Creation in customers' backyards, properties and communities. 

Abundant Design is looking for motivated individuals to help bring these projects to life.

Positions involve lots of digging, planting of native and edible plants, shrubs and trees; moving compost, rock and mulch; some hardscapes, walls and other builds.

Fresh rain garden installs

Seasonal Installers & Laborers

Perform landscaping and light construction for properties as directed.  Tasks may include, but not limited to - shoveling rock, sand, mulch and other materials on the job site; moving boulders; trenching by hand or with a machine; operating a laser level for grading; plantings ranging in size from large balled and burlapped (B&B) trees to delicate transplants

• Must be physically able to work hard outside in various conditions
• Must be able to communicate clearly and follow instructions
• Must be respectful of customers and their property 
• Must be able to get to and from job sites
• Must be at least 16 years of age
• Knowledge of, or experience in gardening, landscaping, horticulture, a plus
• Experience operating power tools, equipment and small machinery, a plus

Great summer experience for students in conservation, natural resources, regenerative agriculture, and sustainability fields, or anyone interested in the same.  

Pay ~$13-16/hr, depending on experience.

Mulching a new multi-species orchard on a southern Iowa homestead

Full-Time Assistant & Crew Leader

Perform and lead team members in landscaping and light construction for properties as directed. Tasks may include, but not limited to - shoveling rock, sand, mulch and other materials on the job site; moving boulders; trenching by hand or with a machine; operating a laser level for grading; light grading with mini-skid steer, hauling materials; plantings ranging in size from large balled and burlapped (B&B) trees to delicate transplants

• Must be physically able to work hard outside in various conditions
• Must be able to communicate clearly and follow instructions
• Must be respectful of customers and their property 
• Must be able to get to and from job sites around the Des Moines metro 
• Knowledge of/experience in permaculture, gardening, horticulture, biology/ecology, and regional ecosystems 
• Experience operating tools, power tools and small machinery safely and efficiently
• Interest in permaculture, conservation, regenerative agriculture and sustainability
• Experience in permaculture, conservation, native plants and/or regenerative agriculture - Preferred
• BS/BA/AA Degree in natural sciences, Permaculture Designer's Certificate, or Stormwater Best Management Practices training - Preferred

Primarily working and training side by side with me through the early Spring, then independently or as a crew leader through the busy summer season.  Additional training opportunities possible.

Compensation commensurate with experience. 

To apply for these positions, email your Resume/CV/Work Experience and references to Abundant Design.