The Gardening Shelf

The Good Garden
Chris McLaughlin
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781642832150, $35.00, PB, 312pp

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Garden-Pollinators-Wildlife-Food_All/dp/1642832= 154

Synopsis: What makes a garden good? For Chris McLaughlin, it's about growin=
g the healthiest, most scrumptious fruits and veggies possible, but it's al=
so about giving back. How can your little patch of Earth become a sanctuary=
for threatened wildlife, sequester carbon, and nurture native plants?

With the publication of "The Good Garden: How to Nurture Pollinators, Soil,=
Native Wildlife, and Healthy Food -- All in Your Own Backyard" McLaughlin = gives you all the tricks and tips you need to grow the sustainable garden o=
f your dreams.

Drawing from established traditions, such as permaculture and French intens= ive gardening, and McLaughlin's hard-earned experience, "The Good Garden" i=
s a joyful guide for gardening newbies and experienced gardeners alike. It = will teach you the fundamentals, including how to choose the right plant va= rieties for your microclimate, and proven methods to fight pests without ch= emicals. You will also discover the nuances of developing a green thumb, fr=
om picking species to attract specific types of pollinators to composting t= echniques based on time available.

Lovely and instructive four-color photography will show you good gardening =
in action.

Most importantly, "The Good Garden" will help you foster a sense of meaning=
in your garden. Maybe the goal is to reduce food miles and plastic waste b=
y growing delicious berries. Maybe it's to meet neighbors who also care abo=
ut the planet through a seed-swap. Maybe it's a quiet moment patting the bu= nny whose manure will replace toxic fertilizers in the soil. A good garden = offers endless possibilities and "The Good Garden" offers a wealth of knowl= edge and inspiration.

Critique: Exceptionally and impressively well written, organized, illustrat=
ed and presented, "The Good Garden: How to Nurture Pollinators, Soil, Nativ=
e Wildlife, and Healthy Food -- All in Your Own Backyard" is a thoroughly '= user friendly' DIY instructional guide for gardening in all manner of circu= mstances -- and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, commun= ity, and academic library DIY gardening collections.

Editorial Note: Chris McLaughlin (https://www.treehugger.com/chris-mclaughl= in-5202688) has been gardening and studying plants for over thirty-five yea= rs. She is the author of eight previous books: The Complete Idiot's Guide t=
o Composting, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables, Hobby Farm=
s: Small-Space Rabbit Keeping, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Small-Space Ga= rdening, Vertical Vegetable Gardening, A Garden to Dye For, Growing Heirloo=
m Flowers, and Raising Animals for Fiber.

Birds and Blooms Backyard Basics
Birds & Blooms, editor
Enthusiast Brands LLC
c/o Trusted Media Brand
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9781621458784, $19.99, PB, 256pp

https://www.amazon.com/Birds-Blooms-Backyard-Basics-butterflies/dp/16214587=
84

Synopsis: A compendium of more than 300 Q&As about the birds, butterflies a=
nd plants in your landscape, "Birds and Blooms Backyard Basics" provides an= swers to everything you've ever needed to know about the birds, butterflies=
and plants in your landscape.

With the illustrated pages of "Birds and Blooms Backyard Basics" experts of= fer simple solutions and professional advice for common dilemmas including:=
Why do birds hit my windows?; How do I get rid of garlic mustard?; Why won=
't my wisteria bloom?; Do the same hummingbirds return to my garden each ye= ar?

Of special note are the sections in "Birds and Blooms Backyard Basics" that=
reveal fascinating facts about birds, butterflies, and bees, quick fixes f=
or poor soil, the top 10 plants for fragrance, and much more.

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated with color photography thro= ughout, and with more than 300 Q&As on topics from bird and plant identific= ation to how to control garden pests, this coffee-table style paperback vol= ume of "Birds and Blooms Backyard Basics" is essential for any backyard and=
outdoor enthusiast with an interest in the biology of wildlife in general,=
and the promotion of 'bird friendly' gardening and landscaping. While a cr= itically important and core addition to personal, professional, and communi=
ty library collections, it should be noted that "Birds and Blooms Backyard = Basics" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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Midwest Book Review
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Midwest Book Review

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