Robert Hart

Chelsea Green Publishing, 1996, 256 p., b&w illustrations, bibliography, resource lists, index, ISBN: 1-930031-84-9, Paperback

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An English classic revised and expanded for North America

Forest Gardening is a way of working alongside nature—an approach that results in great productivity with minimal maintenance, and a method for transforming even a small cottage garden into a diverse and inviting habitat for songbirds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Based o­n the model of a natural woodland, a forest garden incorporates a wide variety of useful plants, including fruit and nut trees, perennial herbs, and vegetables.

Hart's book beautifully describes his decades of experience gardening in the Shropshire countryside, yet the principles of "backyard permaculture" he explores can be applied equally well in other locales across the planet, from tropical to temperate zones. Practical features of the book include:

• Design guidelines for creating your own perennial,
  food-producing garden
• Lists of recommended plants and varieties, keyed to different
  climates
• An explanation of how plants in different levels or "stories"
  —from ground covers to full-sized trees—coexist and
  interact in a healthy and productive landscape.