Where to start in a new garden, in a spirit of permaculture?

By the compost. Then the potatoes, laid on the ground and covered with straw. It's a good way to aerate the land and prepare it for crops. Then you can opt for the buttes in lasagna, but they seem more suited to drought climates. In my case I chose vegetable squares. The essential rules of permaculture are to never leave the soil bare (mulching), not to return it in depth (you can air it with a spade or a special tool called grelinette) and alternate crops. You can also add flowers to your garden, it's pretty and it attracts pollinators. Some are even more useful like marigolds, borage or marigolds. Once you are started, you can learn about plants that use "self-help" mechanisms to associate them.