Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2006.

This is a book about creating gardens, any size, urban or not, that result in "low-maintenance perennial edible ecosystems that lend themselves to the long-term ecological health of a bioregion". There is a lot of practical instruction on organic gardening, but also chapters on the philosophical aspects of permaculture on both personal and community level. The range is from "Eat the weeds" to "Practicing ecological living is a deeply subversive act". Guerrilla gardening and seed stewardship are also introduced.

Most of the plant species mentioned are North American, and some of them probably wouldn't do well in Finnish climate. (Or not yet, anyway.) But then, the point is using whatever grows well locally, and the principles apply. The home water cycling system seemed very climate-bound as well, and the tone occasionally very, very American. "Encourage inspiration, interaction, and deep learning." Yeah.

The information on closed loop was valuable to me, as I aspire to having a compost closet and an earth cellar in my yard one day. Some of the biodynamic preparations described I found rather funny, and I refuse to believe that stirring them for an hour in alternating directions infuses them with cosmic energy. But to each their own. This was a fascinating and thought-provoking read to an eco-garden-recycling freak, and I recommend it even if you are just gently interested.

Aptly, I found this copy in our neighbourhood jumble sale for 50 cents. As it was new and in good condition I blurted "Are you serious?" to the seller. She said she preferred to share the books she didn't need anymore. Wow. After reading I feel this book is definitely one to be shared. It needs to travel and make new gardens. So go ahead and enjoy it!

This is a bookray:
thy
kasenka

Thanks for the book, oofiri. I already started reading the book and it's so fun to read, the writer is such an enthusiast:) And I have already got some new ideas for my garden e.g. I have tried to create different layers but there are more possibilities to think about.

matkalla kasenkalle, myöhemmin lisää...

The book arrived on Friday, thanks thy!

Very interesting book with great concepts. I learned a lot and got many ideas.

The book returned to me before new adventures. Thank you, kasenka!

This book is currently on a visit to the library of Makamik, a squat/community house next to the Kumpula Botanical Garden.