New Gardening Books Focus on Sustainability

When it’s too hot to work outside in July and August, reading a good gardening book vicariously satisfies the desire to be gardening. If that book provides new ideas and practical approaches, we can consider implementing them when the fall rains come.
Fortunately, Tuolumne County Master Gardeners have selected several new gardening-related books for the Tuolumne County Library. The six new books donated to the Tuolumne County Library are:

• The New American Landscape: Leading Voices on the Future of Sustainable Gardening edited by Thomas Christopher. Chapters cover ‘Water-Wise Gardening,’ ‘Managing the Home Landscape as a Sustainable Site,’ ‘Balancing Natives and Exotics in the Garden,’ ‘The Sustainable Edible Garden’ and ‘Landscapes in the Image of Nature: Whole System Garden Design.’

• Tomorrow’s Garden: Design and Inspiration for a New Age of Sustainable Gardening by Stephen Orr. The book showcases real gardens and practical solutions to many challenges such as steep slopes and how to create gravel paths.

• Reimagining The California Lawn: Water-conserving Plants, Practices and Design by Carol Bornstein, David Fross and Bart O’Brien. This book provides reasons why homeowners should consider replacing or reducing their lawns. It suggests design alternatives and what plants and hardscapes to consider. Each of the suggested plants has at least one picture and detailed information about light, soil, water preference, origin and garden uses.

• Edible Landscaping: Now You Can Have Your Gorgeous Garden and Eat It Too! by Rosalind Creasy. This book is a complete update of the work and experience of Rosalind Creasy since her first book on edible landscaping, published in 1982. Photographs taken by Creasy beautifully and imaginatively illustrate the book.

• Grow Fruit: Gardens, Yards, Balconies, Roof Terraces by Alan Buckingham. This book provides comprehensive information on how to grow many kinds of fruit, including tree fruit, soft fruit (berries), grape vines, and tender and unusual fruit.

• Dirt: the Ecstatic Skin of the Earth by William Bryant Logan, is as entertaining as it is informative about the origins, evolutions and importance of soil.

Be one of the first to check out these new books from the Tuolumne County Library. Start thinking about way to make your garden and environment better now and for the future.

Marlys Bell is a UCCE Tuolumne County Master Gardener, published author, and chair of the Master Gardener Library Committee.