5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Manual for All Gardeners on the Planet

T.I.E. · September 13, 2017

If you have room on your shelves for only one book on gardening, this should be it. Toby Hemenway, who unfortunately passed away last December, was simultaneously a master gardener, a superb writer, and a man of immense knowledge and decency.His book is a comprehensive gardening manual for suburbanites, but it is much more--it is a roadmap to a revolution. Not, of course, a revolution as it is normally imagined--storming the barricades and all that. But rather, a deeper, more fundamental revolution in the way we live and think, starting, quite literally, from the ground up. (His chapter on topsoil will fundamentally change the way you look at the stuff under your feet!)Until this book came along, Permaculture was widely marginalized and stereotyped as a kind of quaint hippie agrarian movement, a vestige of the 70s, for folks who wanted to abandon modern industrial civilization to go back to the land, buy a few acres, and grow their own food. But Hemenway understood that this movement was not just about growing food, and not simply for hippie farmers, but a fundamental shift in orientation for our civilization with practical implications for everyone--including and especially city dwellers and suburbanites.For those who simply seek detailed gardening advice, on what to plant, when, and where, this book has copious information, practical advice, and suggestions, along with tables and charts galore. But it is much, much more. It introduces us to Permaculture as a way of thinking, a way of understanding design as a regenerative process, and of understanding ourselves as a part of, rather than apart from, the natural world we inhabit.Read it closely and carefully, and you will never be the same--you will transform not only your backyard, but also your understanding of life itself, and of your place in it. You will find yourself as part of a worldwide movement of quiet revolutionaries who are healing our planet one backyard at a time, and not only growing delicious, abundant food, but sowing the seeds of a regenerative future for all our children. Toby Hemenway has passed away--a great loss to our planet--but in this book, he has preserved and transmitted the essence of his practical knowledge and wisdom to all the rest of us. Read it, learn it, consult it, and then join the revolution, the healing process for our sick and dying planet, starting in your own back yard.

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Amazing Book

K.M.M. · February 22, 2010

I knew literally nothing about Permaculture gardening when I bought this book - my mother mentioned it to me and said to check it out, so I came to Bolo where the description intrigued me......fast forward 3 weeks later and my front water guzzling lawn has now been sheet mulched in preparation for a wonderful, sustainable, garden, and I have 5 baby chickens being delivered next week!I'm not kidding when I say that this book was transformational in my views on gardening - I live in the city with very limited space, and our lawn was the best in the neighborhood. I have a raised bed for a garden in the back, and did produce some good veggies, but not near enough to eliminate buying any items at the grocery store. My first 10 minutes with this book I learned what I was doing wrong in my raised bed - and as I dug deeper it was one "Aha!" moment followed by another. I am a scientist, and I can't believe none of this had ever occurred to me!The book is very in depth and gives wonderful examples with specific plants (not just general concepts) - the only thing I would have liked to see more of was pictures of actual permaculture gardens. I'm a very visual person and like to have something to imitate when designing my own project, so I'm still searching for design examples to incorporate (once again with specific plants).Just know that if you get this book you're going to be inspired to make some drastic changes in your landscape - as evidenced by my "Bomb Proof Sheet Mulched" lawn - the recipe in the book for this was extremely helpful! I will admit that my first initial thought upon opening the book was - oh no, this is too in depth and not being a professional gardener, I'm never going to understand - trust me when I say, pick a chapter that sounds interesting to you and start there - that is what I did, and it migrated to many of the other chapters and just kept going!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great permaculture book

g. · January 6, 2019

I LOVE this book! I wish I had bought it sooner! Toby is very descriptive and methodical in explaining both his and others experiments, experiences and results of permaculture techniques.I highlighted and underlined all through this book many things that I want to try. He was a first a biologist and his attention to detail in this area definitely carries over into his writing about gardening with nature.I love how he describes different peoples (including some of his own) experiences with permaculture principles and how they worked. He also gives very many recipes for different types of permaculture gardens so you can figure out how to try some for yourself. And his lists of plants/trees are wonderful for choosing by growing zone and then purpose what you’d want to include in your garden and easily know what won’t work well together and what will.It’s January now, and I can’t wait to start sketching out my new garden plans for this year and try out some permaculture concepts and see if they improve my gardens.If you’re interested in growing your own organic food and/or putting less work and less burden on water and other resources, or just growing gardens that are closer to nature, you’ll love this book.

inspirational

R. · February 17, 2023

Okay, introduction to the topic with lots of great, practical, applicable tips and an enjoyable and inspirational read with lots of ideas

If you’re curious about permaculture, this book is an absolute must ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

C. · October 25, 2024

The media could not be loaded. Gaia's Garden is, without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite books. As someone deeply immersed in permaculture and sustainable gardening, I can honestly say this guide has been a game-changer for me. I absolutely love how it empowers gardeners of any skill level to create their own thriving ecosystems, no matter the size of their garden space.Toby Hemenway's passion for permaculture shines through on every page, and his clear, down-to-earth explanations make complex concepts so easy to grasp. The practical tips, beautiful illustrations, and thoughtful design strategies have definitely improved the health and productivity of the gardens I work in. The plant lists in this book are extremely helpful and I have referred back to them countless times.If you’re curious about permaculture, this book is an absolute must. I simply can’t recommend it enough!

etre nourri avec moins de travail!

s. · March 1, 2014

Je suis deja paysagist et jardineur, j'aime bien produire la nourriture de mon propre jardin.Ce livre explique (en angalise) les façons de travailer le terre pour produire toute imaginableavec moins de travail. Il explique les methods utilisée dans les endroits sauvage et commentles mimiquer pour ameleoirer le sol. Avec un sol bien vivant, on plante les groupes des plantesqui support un de l'autre pour créer un bon symbiose.Le livre est bien ecrit, il ne utilise pas trop des mots difficile et il n'est pas trop technique, il expliquebien les principles et pourquoi on les utilise.Je suis content d'avoir acheter cette livre et je vais experimenter dans le jardin maintenant.

The perfect introduction book to permaculture

P.C.B. · March 6, 2021

Filled with very useful information and covers a wide range of subjects in the permaculture field.

A treasure house of information

P.S. · September 15, 2025

Clarity and full of useful information - well researched, easy to understand and with practical insights.