What are some beginning guilds to grow and techniques for improving soil to undertake?

Having cleared out much space in my garden and begun reading up on permaculture with Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway (recommended for beginners like myself) backed up with some perusing of the intimidating Designer's Manual itself, I'm wondering what people here can offer us newbies to permaculture. What process did you go through in designing your landscape? Did you have any help? Successes/failures? How much of your own food can you now eat?

Personally, I'm interested what guilds (groups of plants which work to benefit one another and the gardener in a variety of interrelated ways) permaculturists here have found to work well. I know of the Three Sisters squash beans and corn combination, but thats about it.

oh, anyone have experience with hugelkultur-wood debris mounds layered with grass, compost and dirt? I've made three already and am wondering how long they take to decompose?