a handmade garden

by Frederique Lavoipierre

Lavoipierre is a gifted storyteller with a love for the natural world, including the birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects that coexist with us in the garden. Her fascinating profiles of these sometimes-misunderstood creatures reveals the beauty and balance that’s present in a lively landscape humming with life. Remarkable pen and ink drawings by illustrator/plantsman Craig Latker, invite readers to take a closer look.

By John Forti

Gardening has been around for a good long while. Heirlooms, those fragments of the past deemed worth preserving, can tell us a great deal about the practices, seeds, and traditions that delighted and sustained previous generations. More importantly, they show us a way forward. In this alphabetical collection of brief essays, Forti, a garden historian looking to foster a sustainable future, depicts an “heirloom gardening lifestyle” informed by today’s science and technology. From Applecart and Biodiversity to Xeriscaping and Zucchini, this delightfully readable resource is filled with hope.

by Dan Pearson with Midori Shintani

In 1990, Mitsushige Hayashi, a Japanese media entrepreneur, purchased a plot of forest land on Hokkaido, the northern most island of Japan, to be managed in such a way as to offset the carbon footprint of his national newspaper. However, preserving the land and preventing further loss of habitat to development and agriculture were only the beginning. Hayashi’s “big idea” was to create a public park that would be sustainable for a thousand years, a time frame well beyond the control of our lifetime.

Gardens are powerful spaces for creating positive change. The Takachi Millennium Forest offers a glimpse of what is possible. It’s an exciting direction, even if your journey is simply between the covers of this book.

by Kate Frey

A world-renown garden designer known for creating flower-filled landscapes teeming with life, Frey distills her vast experience into bite-sized chunks of expert information and inspiring ideas. From Planning your Paradise to The Joy of Plants, and Birds, Bees, and Butterflies, “Ground Rules” is a go-to guide for gardeners of all experience levels looking to cultivate a beautiful, nature-friendly landscape.

by Scott Freeman

Everything is connected. As Freeman observes, ‘An ecosystem is a tapestry; climate change pulls at the threads.’

by Nora Harlow and Saxon Holt

Gardeners who are intimately familiar with their regional climate, their garden’s soil makeup, and even local topographical formations that influence microclimate conditions will save themselves time, money and heartbreak. Selecting plants that don’t just survive but thrive in this climatic whipsaw is the key to creating a beautiful landscape that is pleasing in every month of the year.