The AMGD Enabling Garden is an initiative by Reta Social Enterprise (RSE) and AMGD Superfood Restaurant (AMGD) to create an inclusive and accessible edible garden where Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) can gain training and work experience, while the wider community learns about food, sustainability and inclusion. As it is aligned to our Little Farms Everywhere endeavour, TCHS is honoured to be a partner in this meaningful project.
The site is located within the Enabling Village which aims to integrate PwDs into society by combining community spaces, training programmes and employment opportunities in an accessible public environment. The AMGD Enabling Garden is intended to be an extension of AMGD Superfood Restaurant which currently employs 20 PwDs.
The design and execution process is based on our Collaborative Procurement Framework which applies the permaculture principles “integrate rather than segregate” and “use and value diversity” into the procurement process. This involves a Design Competition cum Studio where designers work together, whilst benefiting from the element of healthy competition. It also presents an opportunity for designers of different abilities, strengths and levels of experience to learn from each other.
TCHS envisages that this project will foster a collaborative spirit among Certified Permaculture Designers, and help to build capability and camaraderie among the permaculture community in Singapore, whilst pioneering a transparent procurement process that departs from the prevailing winner-take-all model.
Acknowledgements
This AMGD Enabling Garden is made possible by the generous support of the following donors:
- Chua Hiang Cheng – wood shavings, wooden poles
- DMT Alloy Processors – 5 nos. Intermediate Bulk Containers
- Enabling Village – landscape waste
- Entron Construction Pte. Ltd. – bricks
- Good Branchez Pte. Ltd. – compost
- H&D Construction & Engineering Pte. Ltd. – setting out the garden; precast paving slabs, BRC mesh; installed steel posts for mounting cameras
- M.a.D. Garden @Winstedt – PVC mesh, plant cuttings
- W’Ray Construction Pte. Ltd. – bricks, sand
Permaculture Designers’ Briefing
– 3 October 2026
Stage One of the process started off with a briefing and site visit this morning for 6 Designers from our Panel of Certified Permaculture Designers – Thomas Charrette, Huang Qinyue, Francis Laleman, Lee Yen-ling, Rao Yongliang and Yau Ying Lin – by TCHS President Catherine Loke, Rita Zahara from RSE and Nadhrah Alhadi from AMGD.
The Designers were divided into two Design Teams comprising 3 designers each; the two teams are to work independently for Stage One.
The Designers took their time to walk around the site, making observations, studying the ground conditions, looking at opportunities and constraints, etc.
Our design competition is off to a great start and we look forward to their design proposals in two weeks’ time!
See more photos >> here
Design Presentation & Judging – 17 October 2026
This morning, we gathered once again at AMGD Superfood Restaurant where the two Design Teams presented their designs to judges Rita Zahara, Nadhrah Alhadi, Eka Sahak from AMGD, Mohd Nazzer Hamzah (the original designer of the M.a.D. Garden @Winstedt) and TCHS President Catherine Loke.
Over the last two weeks, the teams analysed the site in terms of sun path, wind, noise, pollution, water flow, access, as well as its history and connections to the neighbourhood. Both teams presented similar proposals on how they responded to the macro environment, but organised their zoning differently. The implementation strategy was also thoroughly considered, including succession planting and syntropic agroforestry, and how the garden will evolve over the next 3 to 6 months, one year and three years. Both teams also arrived at a similar budget for essential tools and materials.
The judges were very impressed and appreciative of the thoughtful designs.
As we conclude Stage One, the two teams are now combined into one to develop the design using the best ideas from both teams. A key consideration is how to provide a wheelchair accessible route without extensive impervious areas.
We look forward to Stage Two – Design Development Review on 24 October 2026.
See more photos >> here
Design Development Review – 24 October 2026
After last week’s session, Designers Lee Yen-ling, Huang Qinyue, Rao Yongliang & Yau Ying Lin, now working as one team, spent the past week developing the design and implementation plan in response to judges’ feedback, and presented their refinements to judges Rita Zahara, Nadhrah Alhadi, Eka Sahak, Mohd Nazzer Hamzah and TCHS President Catherine Loke on 24 October 2026.
The entrance was repositioned to enable more efficient workflow in Zone 0, while paths and swales were integrated to capture and distribute water throughout the site. Landscape waste and food scraps collection points were also better defined.
Details of the 4 implementation workshops were threshed out taking into account skills development, transfer of knowledge and sequence of physical works to enable the garden to be transformed in stages, in a controlled manner so as not to cause erosion and to establish a good foundation for building good soil. Designers also proposed signages for visitors to learn about the garden.
A detailed procurement list of what materials to source for, the quantities and price, and when they are needed was also worked out.
As we conclude Stage Two, we are all excited to start procuring materials and move on to the Implementation Stage!
See more photos >> here
Permaculture Design Exhibition Opening – 31 October 2026
This morning, friends, fellow gardeners from our network of Little Farms and members of the public gathered expectantly at the AMGD Superfood Restaurant to see the product of a month-long design process.
Rita Zahara, Founder of RSE, started off by explaining the background of AMGD and the project, while TCHS President Catherine Loke briefly talked about our Little Farms Everywhere endeavour and our Collaborative Procurement Framework.
Designer Huang Qinyue then presented the design on behalf of the Design Team, explaining the community mission & vision of the project, introducing permaculture ethics and highlighting the strategic foci of the design. Techniques for water management, nutrient cycling, integrated processes and syntropic agroforestry were explained as well as how these were applied through analysis of the energy flows through the site. A key consideration is to “Plan Action Around Energy, Not Energy Around Action” such that the garden grows like a forest.
The implementation plan took reference from Yeomans Keyline Scale of Permanence; in the coming weeks, the sequence of workshops will prioritise elements that require more effort and energy to transform, ensuring that structural elements for catching and storing energy will be set up first.
After the presentation, the attendees were given a quick tour of the site.
If you would like to see the design, head over to the AMGD Superfood Restaurant – the boards will be on display there until 29 November 2026.
See more photos >> here
Setting Out the Garden – 4 November 2026
Today, TCHS President Catherine Loke was on site with H&D Construction & Engineering Pte. Ltd. to go through the setting out plan for the garden.
Using a theodolite, Praba and his colleagues Naris & Wanchai made light work of the setting out, completing the task of pegging out the site with reference lines in only two hours.
Many thanks to H&D for the great start! We are raring to go for Workshop 1 on 7 November 2026!
See more photos >> here
Permaculture Workshop 1 – 7 November 2026
The long awaited moment is here! On the morning of 7 November 2026, over 20 participants came to the AMGD Enabling Garden for the first workshop on how to set up a permaculture garden.
TCHS President Catherine Loke welcomed everyone and gave a brief introduction to the Project as part of our Little Farms Everywhere endeavour, and showed the participants the design. Main Trainer, Designer and TCHS Secretary Lee Yen-ling then proceeded to explain the fundamental principles of nutrient cycling to create a sustainable loop within the garden, starting with creating the right conditions for healthy soil to form.
Participants then divided into groups to set up:
- a hot composting station under the guidance of Yen-ling,
- two black soldier fly pits under the guidance of Assistant Trainer Eta, and
- a raised bed under the guidance of Assistant Trainer and TCHS Vice-President Kuan Chee Yung.
Read more about the trainers >> here
The hot compost station enclosure was made using BRC mesh to ensure good aeration. Participants were then taught how to layer the compost pile starting with wood offcuts, then grass cuttings, brown leaves, food scraps and cardboard. The compost pile was then watered.
Two black soldier fly (BSF) pits were set up – a bucket pit and a tray pit. Coffee grounds and food scraps were added to attract BSF to come lay their eggs.
The walls of the raised bed were made out of 5 courses of loose laid bricks. Using the hügelkultur method, we placed wood offcuts at the base of the bed. We then proceeded to add alternate layers of greens and browns comprising grass cuttings, brown leaves, cardboard, uncooked vegetable scraps and fruit peel, coffee grounds, soil and purchased compost to quicken the process. Then we “green-bombed” the bed with green beans, topped with wood shavings as mulch to protect the layers below from exposure to direct sunlight. Finally, we made 2 keyhole composting stations using PVC mesh, and transplanted plant cuttings from the M.a.D. Garden into and around the bed.
Judging by the smiling faces at the end of the workshop, it looks like everyone had a lot of fun today learning how a permaculture garden can be easily set up simply by using everyday materials we have around us!
Materials for this workshop were donated by:
- Chua Hiang Cheng – wood shavings and offcuts
- Enabling Village – landscape waste
- Entron Construction Pte. Ltd. – bricks
- Good Branchez Pte. Ltd. – compost
- H&D Construction & Engineering Pte. Ltd. – BRC mesh
- M.a.D. Garden @Winstedt – PVC mesh, plant cuttings
After the workshop, our team stayed on to set out another raised bed for students from Spectra Secondary School to construct in the coming week.
See more photos >> here
Permaculture Workshop 2 – 14 November 2026
Slow, Spread & Sink Water – more details and registration >> here
Permaculture Workshop 3 – 21 November 2026
Water is Life, Create a Living Pond – more details and registration >> here
Permaculture Workshop 4 – 5 December 2026
Grow a Forest, Harvest Abundance – more details and registration >> here
This Guide will be updated as the Design and Implementation process progresses – do come back to check it out!
Written by Catherine Loke
on behalf of the Permaculture Procurement Working Group
