Permaculture Design Certificate course • Oct 2025-April 2026

£560.00

October 11th-12th

November 22nd-23rd

December 13th-14th

January 24th-25th 

February 14th-15th

March 21st-22nd

April 25th-26th

This Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course will cover permaculture ethics, ecological principles and design tools, methods and skills. These will be applied to a broad range of topics. For example, retrofitting houses to reduce water usage, waste and improve energy-saving and efficiency; designing gardens and public land to both produce food and improve local biodiversity and natural habitats; developing positive intergenerational community connections by recognising the best in people and drawing on their diverse strengths.

The course will have a strong emphasis on practical application of ideas. After completion of the course PDC attendees will be able to have permablitzes to instal their designs.

This course is certificated by the Permaculture Association UK

Venues
The course will run at Cecil Sharp House (NW1 7AY) and Kentish Town City Farm (NW5 4BN) with visits to other permaculture sites in London

Trainers
The training will be delivered by Kayode Olafimihan, Susannah Hall & Hugh Livingstone of Permablitz London with guest instructors

Kayode Olafimihan is a permaculture designer and teacher who has created over 20 permaculture designs. He is the founder of Permablitz London and chair of the London Permaculture Network. He has designed two permaculture Learning and Demonstration projects in London: the award-winning garden for grade II listed Cecil Sharp House in Camden, London and the Josiah Braithwaite Community Garden for African Caribbean elders and the culturally diverse local community for the Nubian Life Centre in West London. He co-designed the community gardens at Northwick Park Community Garden, Battersea Arts Centre Community Garden and London’s Community Kitchen with Susannah Hall. He is also overall coordinator of the annual London Permaculture Festival.

Susannah Hall won Camden in Bloom best mini-garden 2021 for her permaculture balcony garden that included over thirty different edible plants and as many producing flowers with nectar and pollen. She also used her balcony to keep four quails and do natural dyeing. She is a permaculture designer, teacher and organiser for Permablitz London. She has co-designed the community gardens at Northwick Park Community Garden, Battersea Arts Centre and London’s Community Kitchen. She has also designed spaces for other community and private gardens and coordinates the annual London Permaculture Festival.

Hugh Livingstone is a permaculture designer, trainer and founding member of Permablitz London. He teaches the urban eco-refurbishment and climate sections of Permablitz London’s certificated permaculture design training. He provides consultancy to help people integrate home and garden through permaculture designs and also teaches how to raise poultry in the city and their integration into the household economy.

Permablitz London
Since 2013 Permablitz London has developed a flourishing mutual-support network through which people of all levels of experience collaborate to design and instal edible, wildlife-friendly permaculture systems across London through permablitzes. Permablitzes are free days open to all which teach permaculture design in action through implementing a design for each garden. Once you have helped at several (usually three) you can have one for your own private or community space. Since its inception Permablitz London has done 100+ permablitzes involving over 1,000 people of all ages and cultures. It has established 8 outdoor classroom gardens across London.

October 11th-12th

November 22nd-23rd

December 13th-14th

January 24th-25th 

February 14th-15th

March 21st-22nd

April 25th-26th

This Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course will cover permaculture ethics, ecological principles and design tools, methods and skills. These will be applied to a broad range of topics. For example, retrofitting houses to reduce water usage, waste and improve energy-saving and efficiency; designing gardens and public land to both produce food and improve local biodiversity and natural habitats; developing positive intergenerational community connections by recognising the best in people and drawing on their diverse strengths.

The course will have a strong emphasis on practical application of ideas. After completion of the course PDC attendees will be able to have permablitzes to instal their designs.

This course is certificated by the Permaculture Association UK

Venues
The course will run at Cecil Sharp House (NW1 7AY) and Kentish Town City Farm (NW5 4BN) with visits to other permaculture sites in London

Trainers
The training will be delivered by Kayode Olafimihan, Susannah Hall & Hugh Livingstone of Permablitz London with guest instructors

Kayode Olafimihan is a permaculture designer and teacher who has created over 20 permaculture designs. He is the founder of Permablitz London and chair of the London Permaculture Network. He has designed two permaculture Learning and Demonstration projects in London: the award-winning garden for grade II listed Cecil Sharp House in Camden, London and the Josiah Braithwaite Community Garden for African Caribbean elders and the culturally diverse local community for the Nubian Life Centre in West London. He co-designed the community gardens at Northwick Park Community Garden, Battersea Arts Centre Community Garden and London’s Community Kitchen with Susannah Hall. He is also overall coordinator of the annual London Permaculture Festival.

Susannah Hall won Camden in Bloom best mini-garden 2021 for her permaculture balcony garden that included over thirty different edible plants and as many producing flowers with nectar and pollen. She also used her balcony to keep four quails and do natural dyeing. She is a permaculture designer, teacher and organiser for Permablitz London. She has co-designed the community gardens at Northwick Park Community Garden, Battersea Arts Centre and London’s Community Kitchen. She has also designed spaces for other community and private gardens and coordinates the annual London Permaculture Festival.

Hugh Livingstone is a permaculture designer, trainer and founding member of Permablitz London. He teaches the urban eco-refurbishment and climate sections of Permablitz London’s certificated permaculture design training. He provides consultancy to help people integrate home and garden through permaculture designs and also teaches how to raise poultry in the city and their integration into the household economy.

Permablitz London
Since 2013 Permablitz London has developed a flourishing mutual-support network through which people of all levels of experience collaborate to design and instal edible, wildlife-friendly permaculture systems across London through permablitzes. Permablitzes are free days open to all which teach permaculture design in action through implementing a design for each garden. Once you have helped at several (usually three) you can have one for your own private or community space. Since its inception Permablitz London has done 100+ permablitzes involving over 1,000 people of all ages and cultures. It has established 8 outdoor classroom gardens across London.

Summary of Permaculture Design Certificate course curriculum:

Permablitz London uses a head, heart, hands approach to teaching, combining classroom and practical/hands-on learning through doing. Our course includes attending permablitzes, preparing a portfolio of exercises and a permaculture design with the chance to implement your design through a permablitz. Once qualified we offer opportunities for further in-depth learning and for graduates to teach for Permablitz London.

Overview:

Weekend 1

Saturday October 11th at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday October 12th at Kentish Town City Farm

  • Introductions and our learning ecosystem

  • Introduction to Permaculture ethics and principles

  • Climate, weather and water

  • Tours of the outdoor classrooms

  • Presentation of an urban permaculture design

Weekend 2

Saturday 23rd November at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday 24th November at Kentish Town City Farm

Permaculture ethics

  • Earthcare developing an ecological understanding of succession; introducing Permablitz London horticultural design strategies

  • Peoplecare: the Permablitz London reciprocal approach

  • Futurecare: designing for future generations

Permablitz at Kentish Town City Farm

Weekend 3

Saturday 13th December at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday 14th December at Kentish Town City Farm

Reflection and assessment techniques

Measuring, mapping, sector analysis, interviewing and soil testing

Integrate annuals & perennials including trees

Weekend 4

Saturday 24th January at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday 25th January at Kentish Town City Farm

  • Understanding the inter-relationships of an ecosystem

  • What are the permaculture principles and how do you apply them to your design

  • Composting strategies & designing plant guilds

Weekend 5

Saturday 14th February at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday 15th February

  • Integrating house and garden with house retrofits including renewable energy systems, greywater systems & compost toilets

  • Permablitz

Weekend 6

Saturday 21st March at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday 22nd March at Kentish Town City Farm

  • Reviewing individual designs

  • Presenting other permaculture design approaches

  • Integrating animals: keeping chickens & quails

  • Pond design

Weekend 7

Saturday 25th April at Cecil Sharp House

Sunday 26th April at Kentish Town City Farm

  • Review of the Permablitz London approach

  • Presenting individual designs

  • Presentation of certificates

  • Next steps including planning permablitzes

  • Feedback

Portfolio:

Students need to complete a design portfolio in order to qualify. This portfolio consists of permaculture horticulture and social design exercises and an individual design of your own chosen space. You will be given a timetable of deadlines for submission of elements of your portfolio. 

We estimate you’ll need to allocate 1-2 days between each teaching weekend to complete your portfolio.

What are the hours of the course?
Each day runs from 9.30am-4.30pm with 1 hour for lunch.

How is the course taught?
The course uses a combination of presentations, discussions, practical activities and individual work.

What are the qualification criteria?
There are two criteria for qualification: the completion of the portfolio to a satisfactory standard and having attended 72 hours of face-to-face training. The portfolio consists of exercises, documented work and a permaculture design.

What happens if I miss a day of the course?
If you miss a day you will need to complete the material covered on that day. The course requires you to have attended the course in person. There is leeway to miss up to two days in exceptional circumstances, as long as catch up with the materials but if you miss more than that you won’t eligible to qualify.   

What materials will I need for the course?
Notebook/note paper, pen, pencil and rubber, graph paper, scale ruler, compass and tracing paper

Are there concessionary places available?
Concessionary places are limited for people in receipt of benefits for £250. Here is our concessions policy.

Can I pay in installments?
Please email us if you want to pay in installments: info@permablitzlondon.com

Are refreshments provided?
Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided.

Is lunch provided?
Lunch is not provided.