Permaculture

I've been looking through the notes I had on the permaculture course. One principle relates to "Yield". You should aim to maximise the "yield" from everything in the garden - that is, everything should have more than one use. For example, a shed is not just somewhere to store tools but the outside walls can be used to support climbing plants. A pond can be for wildlife, for growing edible water plants, as a source of water for watering plants, for rearing fish or for ducks.
I dry washing in the log store. Fences keep animals in or out and can be used to grow edible hedges.
Its all quite obvious really, but if you give some thought to where to put a shed with a view to using the outside to support plants, you may decide to put it in a different place or at a different angle.
Similarly with the plants you grow - an apple tree has blossom to attract bees, fruit in season, shade from the sun, twigs for supporting peas, kindling, autumn leaves for mulch or leafmould. Don't just think of a plant for its obvious use but what else can it yield.