Gaia's Garden: a review

Toby Hemenway

Chelsea Green Publishing 2001 White River Junction, VT.

ISBN: 1-890132-52-7

This is much more than another gardening book. It doesn't matter whether you are a new, seasoned or just thinking about becoming, gardener, Gaia's Garden provides you with information that you need to create a thriving ecosystem right in your own backyard. Hemenway lays out a crash course in ecology while explaining how ecosystems work. As you read Gaia's Garden you will be able to create a design that not only allows you to have your garden but to eat it as well. Even better, the ecological garden not only provides people with food for the mind, soul and body but habitat and snacks for all the other creatures that we need to make our garden grow.

Numerous photos, illustration and sidebars assist anyone-who wants to grow ornamental plants, toss in a few native species, and is concerned about local wildlife habitat-develop a space that meets all theses needs. You will learn how to create a plant guild and then how to expand that guild into a forest garden. Even if you have a small area you can create an ecological oasis that provides food for your table.

I have said before, as have others, water may be the oil of this century. We have seen droughts and severe, dry conditions around the globe. Chapter Five of Gaia's Garden, "Catching, Conserving and Using Water," presents a fivefold path to water wisdom that will help you reduce your water worries. These are techniques that anyone can use and adapt to their site.

If you have read about permaculture but felt your backyard was just too small, well think again. Gaia's Garden allows you to design an ecologically friendly system that will continue to assist you and your family to meet their food security needs for years.

Go To Page: 1