Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies (A Review)

OK I’ll have to admit when I was sent Sustainable Landscaping For Dummies for a review I had some mixed thoughts with the title. I’m a fan of sustainability, I think it’s of the utmost importance as we remodel our landscapes and improve our homes, but something about the dummy part of the title got me. I mean, I don’t consider myself a dummy so why would this book apply to me? But of course it’s just a title and the book itself proves that this isn’t for dummies. You see, a dummy wouldn’t care or even see the importance of sustaining our lakes and streams from water runoff, or wouldn’t understand the importance of minimizing the chemicals we use in our gardens, or care about re-using old materials for new uses to keep treasures from ending up in landfills. This book for dummies by Owen Dell is definitely one smart book.

Owen infuses a bit of humor in this collection of sustainable gardening and landscaping tips that keeps you interested. In the world of “How to” books that can be mercilessly boring this one isn’t. From the basics of sustainability to water management Owen Dell covers all the bases. He talks about composting, mulching, edibles in the landscape, and lawn alternatives which are gaining favor by the minute. There’s a whole lot of information in this one book.

I suspect that if every homeowner in America practiced two or three more of the sustainable ideas in this book than they were doing before we would see a substantial difference in the quality of our environment. If you want to learn more about sustainable landscaping you could go visit Owen’s website or just go buy his book!