Americans love their lawns with a passion rarely seen in other countries; fifty-eight million Americans enthusiastically plant, weed, water, spray, and mow an estimated twenty million acres of lawn. But is our dedication to these lawns contributing to the serious environmental problems facing the planet? The authors in this book state that the lawn may be an ecological anachronism, and they argue that we must rethink the way we care for our lawns so that these small pieces of the environment will demonstrate our commitment to a more ecologically sound world. The authors outline the origins of ideas about the lawn and the reasons for its enduring popularity. They describe the development of ideas about its form and the making of the lawn into an object of beauty. They explain how the lawn industry has encouraged the spread of the "industrial" lawn to sustain high sales of mowers, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation equipment. However, say the authors, Industrial Lawns can have high environmental costs: for example, power motors contribute to regional air pollution and global warming; excess fertilizers and pesticides wash off our lawns and run into our wells, streams, and lakes; grass clippings that are bagged and hauled away are major contributors to solid waste problems; and the watering of lawns depletes scarce water supplies. How can we create environmentally sound lawns? The authors offer a variety of ideas - such as moderation in our use of lawn supplements, ecological use of grass varieties, the substitution of hand mowers for power motors, and the use of grass clippings to fertilize the lawn. These strategies can help us to care for conventional lawns in ways lessdangerous to the environment. They also propose two more radical alternatives: Freedom Lawns that allow natural and unrestricted growth of grasses, clover, wildflowers, and other broad-leafed herbaceous plants; and total replacement of the lawn with new landscape designs. By choosing these alternatives - which can be aesthetically pleasing as well as ecologically correct - we can unite our environmental concerns with direct personal action, acting locally while thinking globally and creating a new garden aesthetic in the process.

This book is a fascinating and beautifully illustrated history of herbal texts throughout the world from ancient cultures through the seventeenth century.

A "herbal" by definition is a book that is descriptive of plants and the term did not come into use until the sixteenth century. The production of herbals is closely connected to the history of early printing and offers the finest examples of this art and craft. However, the earliest records of ancient Egypt, Sumer and China all reflect a tradition of works of botanicals and their medicinal properties long before printing. The author's survey begins with a work called "De materia medica" written in the first century which is still extant and as the final authority on pharmacy for 1500 years is the most important herbal ever written.

The study of herbals offers a rich history of the culture and beliefs from the folklore and science of medieval and classical worlds.

This is the first comprehensive and up to date guide to clematis in Australia and New Zealand. Clematis, the Queen of Climbers, has become popular in our temperate climate. Most gardens boast at least one much-loved plant and they are especially appreciated for their affinity with roses. The rules are few, easy to follow and will lead to spectacular results. There is information on: Planting; Pruning; Propagation; Pests; Diseases and Companion planting. There are beautiful colour photographs illustrating most of the clematis described.

Replicating the climate of an orchid's native habitat is a key to the successful culture of a species and its hybrids. This ingenious book provides monthly rainfall and temperature data for the varied habitats of more than 1200 species of "Dendrobium," supplemented by detailed cultural recommendations based on the observations of experienced growers.

Known through several editions simply as "the fern bible," this classic covers identification, propagation, cultivation, and landscape uses of ferns. The heart of the book is a selection of 132 hardy and tender species suitable for gardens in various climates or in the greenhouse.

Allen Lacy has gathered together a colorful sampler of American gardening writing from Thomas Jefferson to our own day. Among the fifty-two writers represented are such national treasures as Celia Thaxter, Neltje Blanchan, Elizabeth Lawrence, and Katherine S. White.

Making a garden that can withstand summer drought without being watered is the dream of many who wish to garden in harmony with the environment. In this classic work on gardening in dry climates, first published in 2008, Olivier Filippi offers practical advice to achieve this goal based on his, and his wife Clara's, experience of working with mediterranean-region plants for over 30 years. The first part of the book examines the behaviour of plants that face drought in their natural habitat. What is drought and how do plants manage to survive when little water is available? The second part is concerned with gardening techniques in a dry climate. How do you prepare the soil, when do you plant, how do you maintain a dry garden? The third and longest part describes in detail no less than 500 rewarding plants that are marvellously well adapted to dry gardens. This book is essential reading for gardeners who live in one of the world's mediterranean climate zones and will also be of interest to gardeners in areas where drought is becoming a recurring problem. Armed with a new palette of plants and liberated from the hose and the sprinkler this book invites you on a pioneering adventure that paves the way to a new style of gardening.

One fateful day in 1996, upon discovering that five freight cars' worth of glittering corn have reaped a tiny profit of $18.16, young Forrest Pritchard undertakes to save his family's farm. What ensues--through hilarious encounters with all manner of livestock and colorful local characters--is a crash course in sustainable agriculture. Pritchard's biggest ally is his renegade father, who initially questions his son's career choice and eschews organic foods for sugary mainstream fare. But just when the farm starts to turn heads at local markets, his father's health takes a turn for the worse. With poetry and humor, this timely memoir tugs on the heartstrings and feeds the soul long after the last page is turned.

A handy guide for Missouri packed with best plant varities for your garde: annuals, perennials, trees & shrubs, vines, roses, ornamental grasses and herbs.

"A flower is not a flower alone; a thousand thoughts invest it."
Daffodils signal "new beginnings, "daisies" innocence." Lilacs mean "the first emotions of love, "periwinkles "tender recollection." Early Victorians used flowers as a way to express their feelings--love or grief, jealousy or devotion. Now, modern-day romantics are enjoying a resurgence of this bygone custom, and this book will share the historical, literary, and cultural significance of flowers with a whole new generation. With lavish illustrations, a dual dictionary of flora and meanings, and suggestions for creating expressive arrangements, this keepsake is the perfect compendium for everyone who has ever given or received a bouquet.

A leading light in the field of medicinal herb cultivation, The Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm is the first cultivation guide of its kind, and presents invaluable information for growers interested in producing high-quality efficacious herbs in all climates of the US, with the historical connectedness of ancient practitioners.

It has become increasingly important-especially as the market for herbal medicine continues to grow-that we transition to local and domestic medicinal cultivation. Increasingly there are concerns in regards to not only the quality but the purity of imported herbs, and wild herbs picked for medicinal purposes are ever more endangered than in past years both at home and abroad.

Peg Schafer, longtime grower and teacher, guides readers with information on propagating, cultivating, and harvesting Chinese herbs, and presents fascinating new scientific data that reveal the age-old wisdom of nature and the traditional systems of Chinese medicine. Through 79 detailed herb profiles--all tested and trialed on Schafer's certified organic farm-Schafer offers easy-to-follow information, suitable for both growers and practitioners, for growing efficacious wild-simulated herbs. Also included is important information on species conservation, crop integration, and how to avoid the introduction of invasive species. Sidebars on traditional medicinal uses for each herb and delicious recipes are also featured throughout.

Vegetable and CSA farmers will find this book of great interest for adding value-added crops to their repertoire, and beginner growers looking to incorporate medicinals into their gardens will find this an invaluable guide to understanding where herbal medicine comes from, and will make eating-your-medicine more accessible than ever.

In this book, Dan Torre explores the intriguing and multifaceted natural, cultural and social history of the orchid. Orchids are one of the largest families of plants - approximately 8 per cent of all the Earth's flowering species. They are known for their beautiful flowers with bright colours, delicate forms and delicate fragrances. However, when we look deeper into their world, we find that they are much more than an elegant flowering plant and behave in unexpected ways that no other flowers do. Philosophers have contemplated them; countless artists have celebrated them; millions of people have cultivated them, displayed them and even consumed them. Orchids occupy our thoughts, our stories, our societies, our greenhouses, our florists, our supermarkets and our homes. And that is merely the beginning.

Contrarreste los efectos del "mal de ojo," limpie su nueva vivienda de energA-as negativas, incremente su poder de seducciA3n, interprete sus sueAos profA(c)ticos. Obtenga todo lo que desea a travA(c)s de Hechizos y Conjuros. Por medio de velas, hierbas o cualquier cosa que tenga a la mano, aprenderA la prActica de la magia folklA3rica basada en viejas tradiciones europeas y africanas.