SWALES
Swales are a method of landscape shaping for water management. It is essentially a trench dug on contour, so that the base of the bowl is completely level. The excavated soil is piled on the downhill side to form the 'berm' that is planted with trees, bushes, or cover crop. As water enters the swale it spreads out, and soaks into the ground. In this way it acts similarly to a forest canopy: slowing the water down and allowing it to infiltrate into the soil, preventing runoff and erosion. The bowl of the swale is filled with mulch and becomes a path.
Outlining the swale and removing the sod layer. It is then piled grass-side down, forming the base of the berm.
Starting to dig the second swale.
The first completed swale.
Berry bushes planted on the second swale.
Plants growing on the berm.
Amaranth, calendula, and borage growing on the berm of the first swale.
Our first swale was placed at the top of the garden. Since there is a slight slope to the land it will catch and store the water moving onto the garden, preventing erosion and runoff and distributing water throughout the landscape. The trees in the food forest moderate saturation levels and help to stabilize the soil.
We added a second swale in the centre of the garden that doubles as the main path in towards the presentation area. This one is much shorter, only about half the size of the first one, due to the slope of the land. It will capture any water not caught in the upper swale and distribute it to the windbreak. Berry bushes are planted on the berm.
