The Conscientious Gardener: Cultivating a Garden Ethic - Tapa dura

"A modest and unassuming but powerful book... (Argues) that gardeners should be on the front line when it comes to recognizing the interconnection of mankind and nature." New York Times Book Review "Her search for a garden ethic based on both science and a love of the land can serve as a model for gardeners everywhere." American Gardener "Now is the time for a book like Reichard's." Seattle Times "Succinct guidelines and extensive plant lists transform Reichard's cogent and considered ecological discourse into a practical and illuminating handbook for concerned and responsible gardeners." Booklist Sustainable gardening and landscaping is a hot topic these days, and Reichard's book is a useful contribution in this area." Choice "This book is even keeled, well-researched and has a positive vibe." -- Colleen Miko B&B Magazine

In his influential "A Sand County Almanac", published at the beginning of the environmental movement in 1949, Aldo Leopold proposed a new ecological ethic to guide our stewardship of the planet. In this inspiring book, Sarah Hayden Reichard tells how we can bring Leopold's far-reaching vision to our gardens to make them more sustainable, lively, and healthy places. Today, gardening practices too often damage the environment: we deplete resources in our own soil while mining for soil amendments in far away places, or use water and pesticides in ways that can pollute lakes and rivers. Drawing from cutting edge research on urban horticulture, Reichard explores the many benefits of sustainable gardening and gives straightforward, practical advice on topics such as pest control, water conservation, living with native animals, mulching, and invasive species. The book includes a scorecard that allows readers to quickly evaluate the sustainability of their current practices, as well as an extensive list of garden plants that are invasive, what they do, and where they should be avoided.