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Dec 05, 2010

Susan rated it:

What a great book!

I don't read a lot of gardening books for fun (I find them dry) but the personal experiences, anecdotes, and concrete examples in this one make it a breeze. It appears quite well researched, and it answers all kinds of questions I've had for a long time about Permaculture and even urban gardening. (How safe is food grown next to a busy street? for example)

Why did I wait so long to read this book? As far as I can tell, this is going to be one of my found More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Dec 15, 2007

Steve rated it:

My first permaculture book and still probably my favorite. Lots of practical information about designing gardens and landscapes, and good case studies, too. Hemenway is preparing a new edition that should be even better, but until then...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 23, 2009

Mo rated it:

I've been interested in learning about permaculture for some time, but what little I knew always struck me as being intimidating and not for someone with my limited gardening experience. This book has completely changed my mind, and I'm eager to test out a few ideas in my community garden plot until I have access to a more permanent site.

Hemenway outlines the basic ideas of permaculture as relevant to the home gardener, from organizing plantings and structures in zones and sectors, More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 25, 2010

Kerrie rated it:

This was a very good introduction to the field of permaculture. The Mollison textbook is rather overwhelming (though I do plan to read it cover to cover), and Hemenway broke it down into bite-size pieces with lots of real-life examples. I was afraid that I would have to do a translation from East Coast permaculture to my place in the arid Southwest, but how exciting it was to see 2 amazing success stories from Santa Fe and Los Alamos! This book will definitely keep a place on my gardening refere More...

7 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 12, 2009

Lara rated it:

Great overview of permaculture and gardening with "guilds" of "useful" plants. I almost passed by this one because I found the title off-putting. I was afraid I'd be hearing about Mother Earth, nature's balance, and the perfect harmony with which indigenous peoples once lived. The book still has an odor of this, but if you sift through it you get some tremendously helpful information for the new-to-permaculture gardener. In section three I found exactly what I needed: a sprea More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 25, 2010

Jenny rated it:

Hey, this is a great book! It was such a useful, informative, and accessible read. Each chapter built on the one before, so by the end I had a comprehensive understanding of how all the individual pieces work together. But it would also be handy to read a particular chapter alone, if in search of specific information. This book explained a number of things I always wondered about, for example, how rocks contribute minerals to soil.

--"Rocks contain potassium, calcium, magnesium More...

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Mar 26, 2008

Valerie rated it:

Loved this book! Practical ways to implement permaculture--which is the most efficient way to garden. As I dream of my own fruit orchard, I want to lay it out as recommended in this book: with bird and insect attracting shrubs (to deter fruit tree predators without spraying) and nitrogen-fixing plants (to lesson the need for fertilizers) and mulching plants (to decrease the watering needs). I love the idea of planning out my landscape so it takes care of itself (as much as possible).

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 10, 2008

dale paul rated it:

I've learned more about musical form from this book than I have in any music book. Aside from that, Gaia's Garden has inspired me to further readings on permaculture and its applications. I'm recommending it to my friend's family who's just bought a farm. How efficient and wondeful the farm will be once they've applied these principles. For those who know nothing of permaculture, but a little about gardening I suggest you beg, borrow, or steal this book.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 19, 2008

Tera rated it:

This is a book that should be on every gardener's shelf regardless if you have one acre or one hundred. This book got me thinking of my own gardens as living, changing, interconnected environments and not some space I keep my plant collection. The ideals are something that any gardener, regardless of experience or gardening style can incorporate for a healthier and more active ecosystem.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Abe Louise rated it:

after reading this book -- which has some didacticism amidst its informed passion -- i risked an experiment in scandinavian composting with a huge (10 foot x 20 foot) pile of brush and branches in my yard. it did shrink by 2/3 in a year, but never compacted enough so that i could do as the author instructs, and make a grassy hill or shapely bench out of it.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 03, 2011

Kevin rated it:

Just from the title alone, I really didn't want to like it. I assumed it was just a bunch of tree-hugger nonsense. But, to be completely honest, I actually really enjoyed this book. I am not hugely into gardening, but I do like being able to eat things from the garden and maybe have some nice plants for the chickens to eat when I let them roam around in the afternoon. This book had all of that and more.

My only minor gripe -- if it can even be called that -- is that the focus is mo More...

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Jan 28, 2008

Meadow rated it:

The author's idea of "small-scale" is still larger than my own backyard, but I like his writing style and find myself endlessly fascinated by potential permaculture projects, such as worm boxes, chicken tractors, and greywater irrigation systems. Sustainable living is super sexy!!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 27, 2011

Michelle rated it:

I'm about half way through this book so far, and am loving it. Packed full of information, but not dry and unbearable to read. It's not just a gardening book of "do this/don't do that." The author does a wonderful job explaining the whys and hows of things like soil composition and water conservation, provides extensive information on specific plants, and mixes in anecdotes to really make this an enjoyable read. I have a totally different mindset as I walk around my suburban property. More...

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May 20, 2008

Chris rated it:

Of all the permaculture books I've read this is the best intro to the concept. Plus, it's an enjoyable, interesting, and pretty book in it's own right. I re-read it occasionally just for the inspiration to do useful and interesting things with our yard.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 06, 2007

Gea rated it:

I learned that I have a lot to learn! But what a fun and interesting book - general, but maybe even hard to fully grasp without at least some hands-on 'training' in permaculture - a classic nonetheless (and has an amazing bibliography).

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 14, 2009

Kelli rated it:

This book was outstanding. It was a fantastic blend of how to make your yard into a lush food forest and why to do the things he recommends. I loved the chapters on soil and water. I also liked how he made mention of chickens and other animals but didn't dedicate so much space to it like other books (not where we're at with the process right now, so we just skip all the farm animal talk). I loved how he presented, explained, and recapped his ideas at the end. I can see how this would be a t More...

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Jan 07, 2008

Michelle rated it:

I found this book inspiring. It has really changed the way in which I approach my house, my yard and my garden. It breaks down the concepts of permaculture in a way that makes it easy for the beginner to understand and apply.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 23, 2010

Amberjean rated it:

Despite the completely embarrassing name, I thought this was a good general guide.

The information, despite being on some level "home-scale", was not really well suited to well-established (read-shady) or very small city yards (i.e. places where you won't be planting groups of fruit trees). The step from conventional yard to having your own greywater system seems like a big one, though; while I appreciated the thorough overview of permaculture concepts in this book, I was r More...

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Jan 07, 2010

Carole Stone rated it:

First build organic matter in your soil. Then sculpt your landscape to capture and hold water. Third select multipurpose plants, adapted to your region and arrange them in synergistic relationships to each other, your micro-climates, and the other living creatures in your garden--including yourself.

What plants can do: build compost, fix nitrogent, pull minerals up from subsoil, break up hard soil, stabilize eroding soil, secrete sugars to feed soil organisms, secrete insect repellents, More...

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May 30, 2011

Carrie rated it:

This book truly inspired me! I don't think I have read any gardening book that made me think, plan and dream as much as this one did. A garden that is in perfect ecological harmony? Who doesn't want that? Not to mention that it requires a minimum output for maximum benefits. No rototilling invovled! I have tried implementing some of these principles in my garden and have already seen the benefits of more biodiversity AND the plants are happier. This is a must-read for people wanting to use whate More...

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Dec 17, 2009

Bianka rated it:

Good intro to permaculture.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 06, 2011

Mary rated it:

I love this book and think back to the stories and scenes in it often. In addition, it has plant lists to refer to again and again. I mentioned it at a science-fiction/fantasy writers' group last night (February 5, 2011).

It has greening-the-desert stories, a genre (that I made up) that helps me when human effects on the world seem distressing. I can remind myself that humans have strengths and gifts to share with their home. We make messes, but we can also work to clean up and to s More...

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Jul 21, 2011

Judy rated it:

I intended to read this book cover-to-cover but there was an irksome habit of telling the reader how they should feel about non-permaculture gardens. I feel that good writing puts the facts out there and trusts the reader to make the right decision. Needless to say it was disappointing since I only read the first chapter and part of the second. However, I did read sections of particular interest and was impressed by the diagrams, layouts (especially the herb ones). I may still end up purchasing More...

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Jun 15, 2011

Tracy rated it:

Permaculture is a fascinating concept and one that I had begun to dabble in (with great results) before picking up this book. At the beginning of Gaia's Garden the author states that you need to be ready for the book. You need to know what permaculture is in order to fully appreciate this book.

I found Gaia's Garden exceedingly informative and I plan to make a much bigger effort toward employing permaculture techniques this year.

What is permaculture? I'm too much of a nov More...

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Dec 05, 2009

Emily Mellow rated it:

This is a very inspiring and informative book. So far I've realized that I shouldn't remove any yard debris from our property, because it has so many uses! Unfortunately we had already hauled away truckloads (literally!) of limbs and leaves and brambles to Jan's house. But I kept what we had left and used it as the base of a berm I built in the front yard (yet to be planted...) and the rest is just for wildlife shelter in hidden parts of the back yard. Aparently, clearing all the plant junk away More...

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Dec 23, 2007

Pamela rated it:

Permaculture is a verbal marriage of “permanent” and “agriculture.” Australian Bill Mollison pioneered its development. Key features include:
<li>use of compatible perennials;</li>
<li>non-invasive planting techniques;</li>
<li>emphasis on biodiversity;</li>
<li>specifically adaptable to local climate, landscape, and soil conditions;</li>
<li>highly productive output of edibles.
Now, picture your backyard as one incredibly lush garden, filled with More...

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Jul 19, 2009

Laura rated it:

It's been a few years since I read the 1st edition, which heavily influenced how I xeriscaped my front yard. I got about 1/2 way through the book before I had to return it to the library and I'm thinking I need to go buy this. Lovely permaculture book, North America specific, and well written. I have got to do something with my back yard and this book gives me visions of shade and abundance.

Finished the book, and the main differences I can tell (having read the 1st edition 5+ years More...

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Mar 17, 2009

Ross rated it:

If you're at all interested in permaculture/gardening, this book is brilliant. There are all sorts of great ideas/concepts/details for how to approach making your yard or garden into a sustainable sanctuary. I'm personally going to have to wait to try all the stuff until we own our own place, but I've at least tried things like creating your own sheet mulch and keyhole garden beds. It has tons of diagrams and visual accompaniments which make it easy to attempt the ideas on your own.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 24, 2009

Kate rated it:

If you've been hearing about permaculture, and become curious about how it compares with other organic gardening practices, Gaia's Garden is a good choice to familiarize yourself with the topic. It is written for beginners and gives just enough detail about the principles to entice, but not discourage. The permaculture approach is based on observation of nature, where plants perform more than one function in the landscape, and resources are continually recycled. It emphasizes soil building, s More...

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May 08, 2009

Red rated it:

Wow! My favorite book on permaculture. However, not owning any land to use it on makes me a bit sad. Someday I suppose. It's a wonderful introduction to some of the ideas of Bill Mollison, David Holmgren and others in the permaculture movement.

I believe there is a 2nd edition coming out with more information on urban gardening.

If you have the time and resources to garden, and are interested in sustainability, then you should definitely pick up this title.

-Red

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