This principle is all about stopping, looking and listening. Take time to observe your environment and learn from it. When you’re planting a permaculture garden, it is important to understand how the natural systems in your garden work, how they interact and support each other. This ensures that your planning fits in with those systems, complements and enhances them rather than competing against them. Just sitting in nature, watching the insects and listening to the birds, smelling the scent of the soil and plants will teach you more than reading a book. Regardless of whether you are designing a permaculture garden or not, observing and interacting is always useful so you can understand your environment and community better.