highly productive output of edibles.
Now, picture your backyard as one incredibly lush garden, filled with edible flowers, bursting with fruit and berries, and carpeted with scented herbs and tangy salad greens. The visual impact is of Monet's palette, a wash of color, texture, and hue. But this is no still life. The flowers nurture endangered pollinators. Bright-featured songbirds feed on abundant berries and gather twigs for their nests.
The plants themselves are grouped in natural communities, where each species plays a role in building soil, deterring pests, storing nutrients, and luring beneficial insects. And finally, you--good ol' homo sapiens--are an integral part of the scene. Your garden tools are resting against a nearby tree, and have a slight patina of rust, because this garden requires so little maintenance. You recline into a hammock to admire your work. You have created a garden paradise.
This is no dream, but rather an ecological garden, which takes the principles of permaculture and applies them on a home-scale. There is nothing technical, intrusive, secretive, or expensive about this form of gardening. All that is required is some botanical knowledge (which is in this book) and a mindset that defines a backyard paradise as something other than a carpet of grass fed by MiracleGro.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiration and the tools to go with it.......2007-09-14
I have totally enjoyed this book. The principles are a little murky because apparently this is a pretty new field and not very well developed for the eastern seabord which I live but it does provide enough guidance to begin setting up your own permaculture areas and start developing areas to be more ecologically sound food producing and living environments. I would HIGHLY recommend it as a first book on permaculture and the resources section alone has been a joy.
Great book.......2007-08-23
I highly recommend this book.
It is a fun place to start, if you wish to create a sustainable garden. All the basics are covered, from grey water, to ponds, to guilds, to forest gardens, and it is enjoyable and easy reading.
Well documented, practical and enticing.......2007-07-24
I bought this book together with Patrick Whitefield's "Permaculture in a Nutshell" and read the latter first, which is a mere introduction compared to Toby Hemenway's "Gaia's Garden". Toby transmits his love for and knowledge of permaculture very well. I am trained as an agricultural engineer and did learn a lot while reading. He first teaches the basics and then rehearses them in the different chapters. The concepts sort of grow and develop while reading, which leaves you with the feeling that you don't have to open the book again to start designing your own garden. Toby's enthusiasm is also tangible and infectious.
The only thing that's missing for me is more examples and better documentation about existing permaculture gardens/farms. My design would be quite different from Toby's (I live in Spain and we have our own favourite mediterranean crops) but the book provides the tools needed to do it your own way and Toby comes over as an open minded teacher.
So good it got stolen........2007-07-22
Sad but true. As a former library worker, I can tell you there is no better praise than when a book gets ripped off.
It is annoying mine was lifted from me but it happened and I am sad; it's a good one.
Thanks for writing it.
Gaia's Garden is a practical guide for transforming yard to Eden.......2007-05-12
This book is a fascinating read, very informative, and approachable for anyone trying out sustainable living, whether experimenting for the first time or with some experience. The author is inspiring and maintains a level of hopefulness not always found in environmental literature. He balances idealism with practicality and treasures the process of growing one's own food and flowers, recognizing that this is a lifelong journey and the gardener is always learning in a dynamic process. I find myself reading a chapter or so and being drawn out into my own yard to putter around with a new idea, then rocking on my front porch while I devour another chapter. This book is life-giving on several levels!
Book Description
Now in paperback, this classic book shows American gardeners how they can create beautiful native-plant gardens. Through 500 color photographs of 35 gardens across the country, Ken Druse introduces nature's original communities — grasslands, drylands, wetlands, and woodlands. Listings of plant sources, places to visit, and societies and organizations have been updated for this edition.
Customer Reviews:
great pictures, no advice.......2004-12-23
Yes, the photos are gorgeous and inspirational. Just don't buy this book for any practical advice, because it has none.
Another GREAT book!!.......2001-08-06
Another GREAT book by Ken Druse!!! I pull this book out whenever I need some gardening inspiration. There's nothing like developing a garden that is in harmony with the surroundings. I hate to admit it but I look mostly at the pictures in this book to get ideas - the text is really well written too though. I'd definitely buy it all over again
beautifully packaged, accurate information.......1999-08-31
This is the third book in a series of three about "natural" gardening by Mr. Druse. In this one, all the elements come together. Homeowners who want a gorgeous landscape will be able to use this book to create a beautiful yard that also introduces Mother Nature back into the garden.Inspirational photos of the results one can expect with this approach. The photos are lovely, and the results really can be achieved using this approach.
The first all-color book on gardening with native plants.......1997-10-21
At last we have a book with 500 color photographs of gardens from around the Country made exclusively with indigenous plants. This is a ground-breaking book which I hope will have an ever-growing audience. It is a must for landscape professionals and all gardeners who care about the environment. 'Would make a great text book for Universities.
Book Description
Elegantly organized by season, this lyrical yet practical guide to backyard restoration gardening celebrates the beauty, the challenges, and the rewards of growing native plants at home. Judith Larner Lowry, winner of the prestigious John Burroughs award, here builds on themes from her best-selling Gardening with a Wild Heart, which introduced restoration gardening as a new way of thinking about land and people. Drawing on her experiences in her own garden, Lowry offers guidance on how to plan a garden with birds, plants, and insects in mind; how to shape it with trees and shrubs, paths and trails, ponds, and other features; and how to cultivate, maintain, and harvest seeds and food from a diverse array of native annuals and perennials. Working in passionate collaboration with the scrub jays, quail, ants, and deer who visit her garden, and inspired by other gardeners, including some of the women pioneers of native plant horticulture, Lowry shares the delights of creating site-specific, ever-changing gardens that can help us better understand our place in the natural world.
Book Description
Now available for the first time in paperback, The Wild Lawn Handbook is the definitive guide to transforming the traditional grass lawn into a beautiful alternative lawn using native grasses, ferns, mosses, wildflowers, low-growing shrubs, and perennials. In the last few years, there has been a media outcry to raise the publics awareness of the toxicity and water-wasting nature of the American lawn, making wild lawns one of todays hottest gardening topics. This is the first comprehensive book to show you the way step-by-step. If you are unsure of the consequences...youll be convinced when you see the beautiful alternatives in a portfolio of color photography in the center of the book and the fat lists of sources and support material in the back.The New York TimesStevie Daniels, the former editor of Organic Gardening magazine, has written articles on natural gardening and environmental
Customer Reviews:
Best Book Ever.......2001-12-28
This book has got to be the best book i've ever read. A true life story, Serengeti Years has inspired me to visit Tanzania and see its wildlife. Mr. Turner is a game warden in the Serengeti and shares his life with you in this wonderful book.
Book Description
Library Journal noted, "Readers will probably start mapping their yards even before putting it down."
Customer Reviews:
High Desert Gardening.......2000-06-05
I found this book in our local library and liked it so well that I am pruchasing one. The plant listings and discriptions are concise and complete. There us information on propagation, altitude requirements, alternate species and group planting suggestions. All in all, a very good book for the high desert and native plant gardener, particularly for the new desert dweller.
High Desert Gardening.......2000-06-05
I found this book in our local library and liked it so well that I am pruchasing one. The plant listings and discriptions are concise and complete. There us information on propagation, altitude requirements, alternate species and group planting suggestions. All in all, a very good book for the high desert and native plant gardener, particularly for the new desert dweller.
Average customer rating:
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Roadside Use of Native Plants
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ASIN: 1559638370 |
Book Description
Originally published by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of Natural Environment to promote the planting and care of native plants along highway rights-of-way, this unique handbook provides managers of roadsides and adjacent lands with the information and background they need to make site-specific decisions about what kinds of native plants to use, and addresses basic techniques and misconceptions about using native plants. It brings together in a single volume a vast array of detailed information that has, until now, been scattered and difficult to find.
The book opens with eighteen short essays on principles of ecological restoration and management from leading experts in the field including Reed F. Noss, J. Baird Callicott, Peggy Olwell, and Evelyn Howell. Following that is the heart of the book, more than 500 pages of comprehensive state-by-state listings that offer:
- a color map for each state with natural vegetations zones clearly marked
- comprehensive lists of native plants, broken down by type of plant (grasses, forbs, trees, etc.) and including both scientific and common names, with each list having been verified for completeness and accuracy by the state's natural heritage program
- contact names, addresses, and phone numbers for obtaining current information on invasive and noxious species to be avoided
- resources for more information, including contact names and addresses for local experts in each state
.
The appendix adds definitions, bibliography, and policy citations to clarify any debates about the purpose and the direction of the use of native plants on roadsides.
Roadside Use of Native Plants is a one-of-a-kind reference whose utility extends far beyond the roadside, offering a toolbox for a new aesthetic that can be applied to all kinds of public and private land. It can help lead the way to a cost-effective ecological approach to managing human-designed landscapes, and is an essential book for anyone interested in establishing or restoring native vegetation.
Book Description
In her latest book, Ann Lovejoy covers every corner of natural gardening in the Pacific Northwest. All the steps are here in detail, from landscaping and design to soil prep and planting beds. She explains organic approaches to ground covers, lawns, shrubs, trees, and more, all with an eye to building a beautiful and sustainable garden that’s friendly to people, pets, and wildlife, and that flourishes without chemical fertilizers and pest controls. 100 color photographs enhance this complete and practical manual of ornamental gardening.
Customer Reviews:
The Best of Its Kind.......2006-04-08
I've read several general gardening books, and this one is by far the best. I love it for all the same reasons as the other reviewer (Valerie Adolph)gave. Every gardener should read and own this book.
Easy, natural gardening.......2004-02-07
I always look forward to a new gardening book from Ann Lovejoy and this one did not disappoint. Beautifully illustrated with Janet Loughrey's color photographs, this book is full of practical ideas for creating a Northwest garden that is both beautiful and easy to care for.
The writer's mantra "Natural, sustainable, organic" pervades the whole book - fourteen densely packed chapters covering topics from "Sustainable Garden Design" to selecting different types of plants. In the chapter on garden design she outlines what she considers to be the ten issues of good garden design. They are good, basic common sense, but so easy to ignore or forget. In just a couple of pages the writer addresses them briefly but vividly, then goes on to suggest how you might start your garden planning from an assessment of your garden's assets and liabilities.
One of Ann Lovejoy's strengths is her knowledge of and commitment to all aspects of sustainable natural gardening. She presents this thoroughly without being wordy (quite a trick in itself) and points out that natural gardening - working with nature - is far easier and more satisfying than trying to control nature.
In the chapters on plant selection the reader is guided in the choice of trees, shrubs, perennials etc that are not just pretty, or fashionable this year, but that will really work well in a specific place in your garden. Careful plant choices mean a minimum of stress for the plant and a minimum of effort for the gardener.
This writer's particular talent is her ability to combine practicality with vision. Her books, while primarily written for the gardener in the Pacific Northwest, contain much that is of value to gardeners elsewhere.
Book Description
Whether you are planting a yard from scratch or modifying an existing area, LANDSCAPING FOR WILDLIFE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST will help you select, arrange, and maintain plants and other landscape elements that fulfill wildlife needs. Homeowners, property owners, professional wildlife managers, landscape architects, and garden designers will all find it invaluable
Nearly 100 illustrations of common Pacific Northwest wildlife enhance the text which includes a wealth of information on the following topics:
Wildlife habitat and landscaping basics
Birds, mamals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects likely to be attracted to your property
Specialty gardens for butterflies and hummingbirds
How to plant and maintain woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and waterways
Feeders and nest boxes
Ponds and birdbaths
Potential problems
Wildlife viewing tips
Extensive plant lists
Customer Reviews:
A great book to give away to friends and relatives!.......2006-09-02
This is my 4th or 5th purchase of this wonderful book. I have given all my copies away and need another for myself. It has great resources on the plants birds, insects and animals use for food, cover, etc. We made our voilet green swallow nest boxes from the plans in the book. We've watched new swallows peek out and take their first flight every year since we put them up.
We live in the foothills of Mt. Hood and it took me a few months after moving here to realize I shouldn't bring the invasive plants I used in town to the mountains. And I realized I could have turned my city home into a wildlife haven. The book is a great resources for all city, suburb or rural locales in the PNW.
It's just a wonderful book!
more than just the Pacific Northwest.......2000-08-31
We live in Southern California so I was a bit dubious how useful this book would be. Happily, it still has much to offer for anyone wishing to wildscape. There's plenty of general advice re. food/water/nesting sites etc. and good plans for bird houses and bat houses. There's a nice chapter on attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, and plenty about creating and maintaining water features (a huge attraction for wildlife in hot areas like ours).
You will need to cross reference the plant lists against what's native for your area, and find your own local native plant nurseries, but there's still lots of great advice here for wildlife gardeners that can be adapted to almost any region.
Trish
The Best Landscaping for Wildlife Book.......2000-03-23
Link, Russell, Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1999, 320p.
Soft cover, perfect binding, acid free paper, 8.5 X 11.
The book is divided into 5 parts 1) Wildlife Habitat Design and Maintenance 2) Pacific Northwest Wildlife in the Landscape 3) Special Features for Wildlife Landscapes 4) Coexisting with Wildlife 5) Appendices
Volume has good index , bibliographic references and is clearly printed.
Over one third of the book is in the Appendices, they are excellent, perhaps its best `part'.
A) Pacific Northwest Habitats B) Wildlife Plants Lists, Tables, and Maps C) Landscape and Wildlife Information for Specific Plants D) Construction Plans for Nest Boxes and Bird Feeders E) Resources (in my opinion, very important)
Content:
Well written, educationally enhanced by wonderful illustrations, good examples and step-by-step procedures. Quality, abet small, section of color photos of wildlife identification and descriptions. Includes description of habitat construction from apartment balcony to acreage. Also discusses ponds, dust paths, nest boxes and nest structures, feeders with detailed tables, brush piles, snags, hedgerows, bird watching, problems with wildlife and responsible pet ownership.
Book can be read as text or used as a reference resource. The publication is a must for any land steward or wildlife enthusiast. An excellent purchase as a gift for yourself or fellow enthusiast. Available in bookstores or if you order from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife you receive a copy autographed by Russell.
Book Description
In response to demand from landscape architects and home gardeners, Natural Landscaping returns to print in an updated and expanded second edition. It is unique in its focus on plant communities; it approaches landscape design as the establishment of natural ecosystems, rather than mere planting of specimens. Emphasizing the natural landscapes of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, this book
o reviews landscaping principles and techniques
o introduces native plant species for grasslands, forests, edge areas, and small wetlands
o illustrates how to evaluate a site and plan for visual effect and maintenance
o presents the issues involved in restoring bogs, ponds, and other wetlands
o offers practical advice on reducing chemical use while still combating invasive plants
o addresses social, legal, design, and planting problems often encountered on residential sites
o discusses natural landscaping for public parklands, civic buildings, school grounds, and corporate properties
Customer Reviews:
Essential resource.......2002-10-08
Natural Landscaping is an essential resource for anyone interested in landscaping with native plants. The importance of learning to use native plants is so important as we face continuing droughts in various parts of the country, including here in Williamsburg, VA. The book is so full of information that I find myself going back to it often. Many thanks to the authors for this fine volume.
Cogent, authoritative advice on how to restore wetlands.......2002-10-07
Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Natural Landscaping: Designing With Native Plant Communities by licensed architect and landscaping authority John Diekelmann and natural plan restoration expert Robert Schuster is a fascinating, "user friendly" instructional guide on basic landscaping principles, as well as cogent, authoritative advice on how to restore wetlands and introduce native plant species for wetlands, grasslands, forests, and more. Black-and-white photographs as well as an inset section of color plates wonderfully illustrate this meticulous, fact-filled, professional quality, highly recommended "how-to" guide for anyone aspiring to enhance or restore native plant communities.
This is a wonderful resource.......2001-10-26
I have the 1982 edition of this book - I stumbled across it and have been amazed ever since that such a book was written in 1982 before this approach to gardening/landscaping was popular.
It is tailored to the midwest, but the technical solidity and sound design concepts should apply anywhere.
Books:
- Great Houses of the Hudson River
- Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide
- Growing Bonsai: A Practical Encyclopedia: The essential practical guide to a classic art with techniques, step-by-step projects and over 600 photographs
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hortica: Color Cyclopedia of Garden Flora and Indoor Plants
- How to Build Walks, Walls & Patio Floors
- How to Fail As a Therapist: 50 Ways to Lose or Damage Your Patients (Practical Therapist)
- In A Mexican Garden: Courtyards, Pools, and Open-Air Living Rooms
- Inspirations
Books Index
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