How much does a food forest or permaculture design cost in Charleston?
Your initial consultation is free — a conversation about your land and goals by phone, video, or on-site. Design packages start at $500, with $250 credited toward installation. Working consultations with deliverables are $65/hour plus travel. Installation cost depends on scope; every install is quoted after the design is complete, so you know exactly what you’re planting and why before committing.
What is a food forest?
A food forest is a perennial food-producing landscape designed to mimic a natural forest ecosystem — fruit and nut trees, berry shrubs, herbs, and groundcovers layered together so the system feeds you while building soil and supporting wildlife. Unlike a vegetable garden, it gets more productive and less work each year.
What areas does Permanent Yield serve?
We’re based in Charleston, South Carolina and install throughout the Lowcountry — Charleston, Mount Pleasant, James Island, North Charleston, and surrounding areas — plus South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. Design services are available anywhere.
How is Permanent Yield different from a landscaping company?
Landscapers sell maintenance: mowing, mulching, and keeping things static forever. We design living systems that compound — native and productive plants, soil building, and less input each year. By year three, a regenerative landscape typically costs less and produces more than a conventional landscape still consuming mowing and spraying fees to stay exactly the same.
When is the best time to plant a food forest in the Lowcountry?
Fall and winter. Cooler temperatures and winter rain let roots establish before summer heat. That’s why we design in summer, so your project is ready to plant in the ideal window.
Do native and edible landscapes look messy?
Not when they’re designed with intention. Intentional structure such as paths, edges, layers, and focal points are what separates an ecosystem from neglect. The Town of Mount Pleasant community food forest we designed and installed is public proof that regenerative can read as beautiful and cared for.
What happens after installation?
We stay involved through the establishment year with stewardship support, so your landscape gets through its most vulnerable phase with expert care. Maintenance packages are offered for continued support if you desire a hands off approach.
What’s included in a site visit?
Standalone site visits start at $400 and include a soil test, SWOT analysis, ecosystem report, topography map, and water flow analysis. These site visits are for larger properties and are different than a design consultation.