Oh, the timeliness! Oh, the comforting knowledge this book gave me! Timely and comforting, because, being blessed with something rather rare in the NYC area, a backyard garden that I've cultivated for years, I saw it suddenly threatened by construction occuring on the empty lot next door! Instead of a vacant space, I was becoming hemmed in by a four story building, the first level of which was an ugly concrete wall along the whole left side of my garden! Apprehensive about possible loss of sunlight, I worried it might not be possible to grow my favorite vegetables, tomatoes and eggplants next summer. Then along came this book, filled with reassuring facts, telling me such things as, "even when there is little direct sunlight, light-colored concrete walls provide enough reflected light to grow many vegetables," and suggested trellises be placed all along those bare, ugly walls.
It spoke of container gardening and tiered gardening, so my tomatoes could reach for the sun more effectively. Some of the book's suggestions, such as chicken raising and honeybee keeping, are really not feasible for the city---although it says they are. Chapter eleven has gotten me intrigued by...of all things, composting using worms, which can be (the book says) easily done in one's basement or garage using a couple of plastic bins. I am going to try it! It's ecologically sound, not smelly or unsanitary, and a good way to dream away the winter months while (hopefully) producing rich compost to fertilize next summer's garden which, according to this book, can be prolific and beautiful, four story building or not!
---Jane Pedler
imagineatrium.com
Wanna buy the book? Find it at an independent bookstore near you at Indiebound.org.
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