Book Description
This comprehensive, feature-packed book shows how you can create more beauty around your home, grow delicious healthful produce, and save money and natural resources all at the same time - by landscaping with edible plants. It includes a 160-page "Encyclopedia of Edibles" with detailed horticultural information, landscaping and culinary uses, seed sources, and recipes, as well as an abundance of how-to illustrations and landscape diagrams.
Of special interest to all gardeners, this unique guide incorporates energy-, water-, and soil-saving techniques with specific designs for all geographic/climatic regions of the country.
Customer Reviews:
Integrate beauty and function into your self-sustaining garden..........2006-04-28
Being in a rural area and living on a small family farm, we aren't overly concerned with decorative landscaping. We try to make every inch of our property productive and useful. Apart from the fields and pastures in use for livestock, we have allotted a small area for produce on our property.
Within the 1.5 acres surrounding our farmhouse, we have made allowance of space for a vegetable garden (based upon the concepts of Edward C. Smith in his book titled "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" and an orchard that adheres to the philosophy found in Patrick Whitefield's book titled "How to Make a Forest Garden".
With the ideas found in this book, "The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping", we are now planning to landscape with a conscience and purpose aside from simple aesthetics. We are delighted with the information provided to serve as a foundation for our planning.
We have given the 4 star review based upon the fact that this book hasn't been revised for nearly 25 years and could certainly benefit from more current data. And, we would always like to see more color photographs and illustrations to complement the text.
sure would love a new edition.......2005-06-11
I just wanted to add my voice, if the authors are listening, that this book is a great resource and a new edition would be so welcome. Some of the info doesn't go out of date, of course, but there are so many new cultivars and plants that are more easily obtained than they were 20 years ago that would fit well into the home landscape and the permaculture view of gardening. I got this book at the library and i may buy a used copy, but I would jump at the chance of an updated edition!
Good Introduction to Landscaping, good reference.......2003-03-29
I have a couple of minor criticisms about this book, so let me begin with those. Firstly, it is showing its age. It makes frequent reference in the early chapters to the water shortages and environmental disasters that were widely expected to occur by the end of the century. As you know by now, those never really materialised. There is still plenty of reason to be concerned about the way American society (mis)uses resources, but the threat is neither as immediate or as dire as the author makes out.
Secondly, in the suggestions on building planters, and retaining walls, the author fails to note the potential dangers of CCA treated lumber (now being phased out) and railroad ties treated with creosote.
Lastly, more color illustrations would have been nice. Those that are there are very good. The b&w drawings are nice, but not as good as photos.
Those criticisms out of the way, the book is excellent. The first few chapters provide the rationale for edible landscaping, then introduces the principles of landscaping, giving numerous examples of applying different themes to different climates. The chapters on techniques, especially in relation to trees (the basics of pruning, and plenty of advice on espaliering) are particularly good. An entire chapter is devoted to identifying insects and dealing with the undesirables.
The second half of the book is a plant encylopedia. Handy to have in one volume, but if you already have a good plant encyclopedia, it is probably redundant.
Excellent book !.......2002-08-09
I grew up in a garden designed using this book, and now I am working on designing my own. It is a teriffic book with a lot of information about different edible plants and how to design an edible landscape. The only drawbacks are (1) it's a bit dated (new smaller rootstalks let you have smaller trees than you could in '82) and (2) it's a little bit california-centric.
Easy to read, thorough, and inspiring........2000-02-13
I love this book. I'm not a professional gardener, just a homeowner with a passion for gardening, and an interest in more sustainable and environmentally inclined gardening ideas and techniques. I believe this book has information that would be of benefit to almost any level of gardener. The author covers every aspect of gardening and landscape design in a very in thorough manner that is as informative as it is easy to read. For those who want to delve into related subjects she makes suggestions for additional reading that I found very helpful. Her encyclopedia of plants is extensive. The astounding list of plant and seed suppliers she has compiled is a great benefit. If there be any fault in the book, it is that it is somewhat dated with the most recent edition being 1982. Her coverage of drip irrigation reflects this. Otherwise it is superb book!
Book Description
Just in time for planting comes this profusely illustrated, immensely practical, and very different approach to gardening-fit for novices and seasoned green thumbs alike.
Most homeowners design their gardens as little decorative plots set amid expanses of green lawn. Europeans, on the other hand, have long understood the value of making the most of what the land has to offer, emphasizing a garden's potential for year-round productivity and beauty. This highly informative book by noted U.S. landscaper and designer Fred Hagy offers a new approach-providing lots of great ideas for a totally edible garden.
Beginning with the premise of "maximum beauty with maximum utility," Hagy discusses the principles of garden design and shows how one can easily visualize what the land-from lawn garden to backyard to field-can provide. He outlines a step-by-step procedure for combining all one's ideas, dreams, and tastes to create a setting that is both eye-pleasing and food-producing.
In addition, Landscaping with Fruits and Vegetables includes an authoritative series of "Plant Information Sheets" featuring the most up-to-date, genetically advanced tree, bush and plant varieties available. They not only specify the characteristics and varieties of each plant and where you can get them, but describe how to maintain them for maximum productivity and longevity. Information on drainage and irrigation, pest control, espaliering, container gardening and pollination requirements as well as an extensive bibliography make this an informative and indispensable reference for any home gardener.
Book Description
First published in 1986, this classic is back in print by popular demand. It is the authoritative text on edible landscaping, featuring a step-by-step guide to designing a productive environment using vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs for a combination of ornamental and culinary purposes.
It includes descriptions of plants for all temperate habitats, methods for improving soil, tree pruning styles, and gourmet recipes using low-maintenance plants. There are sections on attracting beneficial insects with companion plants and using planting to shelter your home from erosion, heat, wind, and cold.
Customer Reviews:
A Library Within This Book.......2006-06-15
One of my most-used books; I'm buying this copy for a wedding. Two negatives -- The cost is high, and even as I wish for more color photographs, I ponder how much the price would rise with them. Also, as a new gardener, I struggled with five-syllable foreign terms and phrases. But he compensates well. After "an inoculant called rhizobium that colonizes the roots of leguminous plants", he says, "Pull up some bean plants. If you can see small pinkish white nodules on the roots" then it's okay. (p. 125)
The range of material is wide yet thorough. Can I grow peaches where I live? He compares 10 varieties, with limitations and virtues. He suggests alternate reading for each subject, and offers a capsule review (e.g., "A good one to browse in the library; only serious tree crops enthusiasts need own it." p. 219). The appendix seems all-encompassing to me, with an expansive index, recommended magazines and supportive organizations, mail order suppliers, & real recipes like "Chayote Parmigiana", with text on everything you'd EVER want to know about growing chayote for the dish, including Effort. (p. 300, 301)
Rosalind Creasy broke ground (ha!) promoting edibles in the landscape, and Kourik credits her. Her book has not been updated, however; this book remains timely.
Best book I have ever read related to gardening!.......2005-09-11
I am an experienced gardener but I never fail to learn something new when I pick up this book. I have had my copy for over fifteen years but still find the information current. This book is a must for anyone who has every wanted to grow an edible garden. From cover crops to choosing apple tree varieties it's packed full of information. I only wish the author would write another similar book so I could buy it. I own most of the books written about edible landscaping and can say this is by far the best.
Book Description
An English classic revised and expanded for North America
Forest Gardening is a way of working alongside nature—an approach that results in great productivity with minimal maintenance, and a method for transforming even a small cottage garden into a diverse and inviting habitat for songbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Based on the model of a natural woodland, a forest garden incorporates a wide variety of useful plants, including fruit and nut trees, perennial herbs, and vegetables.
Hart's book beautifully describes his decades of experience gardening in the Shropshire countryside, yet the principles of "backyard permaculture" he explores can be applied equally well in other locales across the planet, from tropical to temperate zones. Practical features of the book include:
Design guidelines for creating your own perennial,
food-producing garden
Lists of recommended plants and varieties, keyed to different climatesbr />
An explanation of how plants in different levels or "stories" —from ground covers to full-sized trees—coexist and interact in a healthy and productive landscape.
Robert Hart blends history, philosophy, anthropology, and seasonal gardening wisdom in a lucid sequence of essays, which together comprise a remarkable testament to the pleasures of "hands-off" as well as hands-on gardening. Forest Gardening is truly a book for our times, offering a fresh sensibility that will encourage and inspire ecological gardeners throughout the world.
Customer Reviews:
This book is best used as compost in your garden. Because its that full of..........2007-06-01
Perhaps the major problem I had with this book was my expectation that it might actually have something to do with forest gardening. What a silly thing for me to think - its only the title of the work after all.
This book was, if not entirely worthless, perhaps one of the more repugnant things I have read in a while. It is seldom that I can read a book and be so turned off that I can't get through the whole thing - and with this book, I didn't even get through half. "Forest Gardening," is a book that is much more of an inspirational nature, and doesn't have much to do with forest gardening at all (what I wanted). Instead, it is filled with anequdotes about how "primitive" people lived in harmony with their forests and how all of societies ills can be traced to a non-vegan diet.
In short, I came to this book looking for helpful information about forest gardening, and found instead a 233 pg. book of propaganda full of mistruths and out-right lies about the basic biology of the world.
Most of the misconceptions (If I can call them that) centered around biology itself and how individual organisms interact. The author warps facts, and I think deludes himself and possibly his readers, by explaining how everything that happens in an ecosystem is the will of Gaia, a non-real entity which comprises the "concious earth."
I am a died in the wool environmentalist. I practice permaculture, and I grow a very real forest garden. I also have a degree in biology - and all of these things made me object to the way this author defiled what otherwise would be a worthwhile topic by interjecting this deified view of ecology and making biological similarities (convergent evolution) seem like proof that Gaia was working to shape the earth. In this regard, he was as mistakes as creationists are, just on the other extreme and I found that particularly upsetting coming from a book that I had high hopes of actually learning something from.
My recommendation: leave this one on the shelf. If you find it in a free box somewhere, take it out and throw it away when you get home so it won't confuse anyone else. This book is propaganda and anequdote with almost no useful information and even less inspiration (unless you're willing to palate the boxfulls of propaganda the author tries to get you to swallow). Don't buy it. If you want something useful, try purchasing a book by Bill Mollison on Permaculture instead - that will help you get where you want to go much better than this dubious work and without the pseudo-science and mistruths.
Inspiring but not Practical.......2004-12-25
Robert Hart's book on Forest Gardening is very inspiring, but more research is needed to start your garden. The list of suppliers in the Appendix is very helpful for those in North America, and the list of cultivars includes little known but very useful varieties. Overall, the book helps one understand the why of forest gardening but not the how to.
Everyone can profit from this book.......2004-01-31
If you have not yet read 'Forest Farming' by Douglas and Hart, then you may lack the background to fully appreciate this book. In 'Forest Farming' we are told that civilized man has marched across the face of the earth and left a desert in his footprints primarily because he has ploughed the hills with the loss of top soil. Crop-yielding trees offer the best medium for extending agriculture to hills, steep places, rocky places, and to the lands where rainfall is deficient. Every good Buddhist plants and sees the establishment of one tree at least every five years and this simple act multiplied six billion times would have a greater economic benefit for humankind than traditional development plans. The 'tool' with the greatest potentials for feeding men and animals, for regenerating the soil, for restoring water-systems, for controlling floods and droughts, for creating more benevolent micro-climates and more comfortable and stimulating living conditions for humanity, is the tree. Douglas and Hart point out that the deeper problem is ignorance as many crop-yielding trees and shrubs are currently ignored by farmers because agriculture in most parts of the world is geared to cereal growing and livestock rearing by conventional means, despite the fact that trees offer higher yields per acre. If the tree growing potentialities of city private gardens was fully recognized, suburban areas would not only have purer air and a more benevolent microclimate but a greater degree of self-sufficiency.
In this book Hart develops the case for the urban dweller to adopt forest gardening to achieve economy of space and labor while producing fruit, nuts, root and perennial vegetables and herbs. He provides the guidelines required for temperate, tropical and sub-tropical climates. "Like the forest it is arranged in seven 'storeys', with the original apple and pear trees constituting the 'canopy' and the other plants occupying the lower tiers. Thus the garden has a well-defined vertical dimension as well as horizontal ones. Now that it has been established for several years, I can affirm that it requires minimal maintenance, as the plants - nearly all perennials - largely look after themselves and are very healthy. The main work involved is that of cutting back plants that try to encroach on others. The wide diversity of species ensures that any small invasions of pests never reach epidemic proportions, as they tend to do under monocultural conditions. The large number of aromatic herbs creates a deliciously fragrant atmosphere, and, I am convinced, contributes to the pest-and-disease-resistance of the other plants. As we eat the herbs and perennial vegetables daily in our salads, the garden makes a significant contribution to our diet throughout the growing season, from the first herbs and wild garlic in March to the last apples in November."
The author goes on to warn us that we must seek ordered diversity governed by the laws of plant symbiosis but the results can be that a half hectare can support a family of up to ten people. Java has the greatest concentration of forest gardens yet is one of the most densely populated rural areas of the world. Forest gardening is more than a system for supplying mankind's material needs; it is a way of life which addresses man's spiritual needs by its beauty and the wealth of wildlife it attracts. In the early chapters we follow the author's development as he wrestles with the problem, concluding that: "if one could devise an integrated system of land-use consisting mainly of perennial plants - fruit and nut tress and bushes together with perennial vegetables and herbs - as well as a diet based on this mix, the task of achieving self-sufficiency would be vastly simplified. This is how I discovered agroforestry."
There are plenty of good tips such as this one on potatoes. "The champion exponent of this technique, the aim of which is to grow a colossal crop of potatoes from a single seed, was a Sussex villager, Tom Cooke, known as the Ace of Spuds. This was his procedure: large seed potatoes, well supplied with eyes, were soaked in a solution of liquid seaweed and water for an hour a week for six months, starting in October. During the winter Tom prepared his plot, allowing eight-foot squares for each seed. The site was excavated one-foot deep and filled with wheat straw, to which dry seaweed fertilizer was added after the straw had weathered and was almost black. On top of this came a layer of manure and soil mixed with more seaweed. The tubers were planted at the end of March or early April and covered with a thin dressing of straw. Then, at fortnightly intervals, the growing plants were earthed up with layers of straw, seaweed and soil until they reached a height of some 3-4 feet, sending out numerous side-shoots liberally supplied with tubers. After a series of foliar feeds with liquid seaweed, the harvest was eventually reached: over half a ton of potatoes from just six seeds!"
If you are an avid gardener there will surely be something new in this book; if you simply want to make your garden more productive and did not know of the seven story concept, you will find this book helpful; if you have been overwhelmed by the work in the garden you should concentrate on perennials as Hart has done; if you have just a small plot this book will help you get the maximum production and help you to eat healthily; if you would like to attract more wildlife to your garden, read this book. It is difficult to imagine anyone not profiting from Hart's theoretical and practical research.
A forest for every home!.......2000-06-21
Since reading Robert Hart's classic book I have seen forest gardens sustaining life in Mexico, Fiji, Australia, South Africa and Britain. Around the world perennial 'home gardens' have been grown for millennia. Yet in temporate climates we seem to have forgotten how. This book has inspired me to increase the diversity and productivity of my own small garden in England, so far with good results. It is inspirational, but it is also practical. The Appendices offer suggestions for a variety of uses and climates. I would recommend as a companion volume, Patrick Whitefield's 'How to Grow a Forest Garden' for further details of the practicalities. But Hart's desciption of his own forest garden at Wenlock Edge stands alone and is an invaluable guide to practical sustainability.
A theory well worth exploring........1999-04-24
The practice of "forest gardening", is an absolute must for anyone interested in sustainable agriculture and/or gardening. The book, however, presents only limited amount of information, that could have been easily written in half the space.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent overview of almost all Florida Edbile Gardening
- The Edible Landscape
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The Edible Landscape
Tom MacCubbin
Manufacturer: Charles B Mc Fadden Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 188311408X |
Customer Reviews:
Excellent overview of almost all Florida Edbile Gardening.......2004-06-26
Much of folks gardening devotion seems to be to their lawns and their flowers. This is a shame. Although beautiful - beauty CAN be combined with abundant, fresh food. With modern convenience, people have neglected the need to be self-sustaining and grow their own food! Their own food can be chocked full of vitamins, minerals, tlc, and be free of pesticides and contaminants. Wow!
That said, this book is certainly a must for anyone who is considering planting an edible garden, square foot garden, or edible landscape here in Florida. All of the above are covered in this book and more. The information is extensive - but easily readable...even by kids. Especially cool is the section detailing the different areas of Florida - North, Central & South - and their different requirements and conditions. Major crops are covered in detail, while minor crops are covered. Good crop profiles are listed in the back & a children's section provides gardening projects that the children will love. :) Chocked full of great ideas for adults and children.
Due to space, more exotic/tropical fruits are only listed, and not covered in deatail.
A MUST buy for all edible Florida Gardeners.
-David
The Edible Landscape.......2000-03-30
If you live in Florida and like to grow your own food, this is the book to have. MacCubbin gives plenty of useful information for growing every fruit and vegetable one can grow in Florida. He provides helpful tips for each. I particularly find the month-by-month growing guide extremely useful. He even gives hints on growing exotics. I have recommended or bought this book for all of my Florida gardening friends.
Average customer rating:
- Creating A Garden with Beauty
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The Ornamental Kitchen Garden
Janet MacDonald
Manufacturer: David & Charles UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Landscape
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
House Plants
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Landscape
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Techniques
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0715302361 |
Customer Reviews:
Creating A Garden with Beauty.......2000-03-29
The Ornamental Kitchen Garden changed the way I garden and look at gardening. This book offers a vast amount of information that aids in every step of the gardening process. MacDonald offers ways to make the most of the gardening space available to you, and ways to make that space pleasurable to the eye for as much time as possible. She also draws the reader into the world of potagers, and makes you want to build a garden with eighteenth century English charm. I completely enjoyed learning new ideas from MacDonald through the beautiful photographs and helpful diagrams.
Book Description
You can have a totally edible garden in the Desert Southwest (and other similar year-round climates). Edible fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers can be as decorative in the garden as they are on the dinner table. Change your ornamental garden into a treasure for the eye, a safe environment for family and pets -- and you can eat it too!
Customer Reviews:
Edible Landscaping Basics.......2007-06-02
This is a good book for someone just moving into the desert environment or someone who lives there and is beginning to get interested in edible landscope. Thoughtful and personal. A comfortable, non challenging introduction.
Those who are interested in food gardens that can be great for front yards may be more interested inThe Beautiful Food Garden: Creative Landscaping With Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits & Flowers. Those who need more reason to do it in the first place should read Food Not Lawns.Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community
This book is my new gardening bible !.......2006-02-22
Being a transplant from lush New England to the dry Southwest desert,I have struggled for years to maintain a successful garden.The Herb Lady covers everything in this essential and informative book.From vegtable and herb companion plant lists to a detailed month by month calendar with great gardening tips,
I can now take pride in my gardening bounty.With nearly 30 pages of recipes I can enjoy my bounty in unique and flavorful new ways. Many thanks to The Herb Lady.
Average customer rating:
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The Beautiful Food Garden: Encyclopedia of Attractive Food Plants
Kate Rogers Gessert
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Vegetables
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Cooking
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Gardening
| Encyclopedias
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0442238576 |
Books:
- The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual: Essential Gardening Know-How for Keeping (Not Killing) More Than 160 Indoor Plants
- The Complete Taj Mahal
- The Encyclopedia of Grasses for Livable Landscapes
- The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition)
- The Great Chile Book
- The Lorax (Classic Seuss)
- The New Garden Paradise: Great Private Gardens of the World
- The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book)
- The New Outdoor Kitchen: Cooking Up a Kitchen for the Way You Live and Play
- The New Topiary: Imaganitive Techniques from Longwood Gardens
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