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Eco-yards: Simple steps to earth-friendly landscapes
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Eco-yards (TM) - Simple steps to earth-friendly landscapes is due out in June 2008.
Eco-yards is visionary, inspiring, hopeful, encouraging. Topics covered include: - why sustainable, organic landscaping is so important - guidelines for designing an eco-yard - how to design water-wise features - how to replace your lawn with tree, shrub and flower beds - how to change your lawn to hardy, low-maintenance grass - earth-friendly maintenance tips Order your book today! Call Laureen Rama at 403-969-1176 or 1-800-491-7738 with your VISA number. Pre-orders $25 Can/USD - includes shipping (and GST in Canada). Soon you will be able to pay with Paypal.  "Laureen's creativity is apparent in the ideas and options she offers, that bubble alongside the main theme of her book. Her feng shui insights, for example, are delightful. Laureen's expertise and enthusiasm shine through on every page. This is the book that gardeners will be eagerly poring over, as they plan their beautiful eco-yards. Thank you for writing this book." Sandra Holy, Home Gardener Contents of Eco-yards Preface Introduction Chapter 1 What is an Eco-yard? General principles of eco-yards Full, rich ecosystem Organic Diverse Co-creating with nature A variety of designs Sustainable Chapter 2 Why Eco-yards? To protect and restore the natural environment Ways to change To restore the soil—the foundation of life To restore water resources What does restore mean? Read on if you need more convincing To protect human health To protect the health and well-being of pets and wildlife To protect and restore beneficial insects For beauty Chapter 3 The Gardener Archetypes The warrior archetype is not appropriate for eco-yards The gardener archetype How to embody the gardener Visioning our cities and towns as lush gardens Chapter 4 A Short History of the North American Lawn History of the lawn Kentucky Bluegrass lawn is not environmentally sustainable Water-wise landscaping is the way of the future Chapter 5 Eco-maintenance Spread compost on your lawn and on tree, shrub and flower beds Use actively aerated compost tea to improve the health of your yard Keep your lawn lush and healthy Weeds—nature’s first responders Make sure your landscaping service uses no pesticides Use non-polluting (benign) equipment Use natural methods for insects Spring clean up for flowers, trees and shrubs Prepping for winter Chapter 6 The Wonders of Compost Basics of soil biology Making your own compost Worm composting Making actively aerated compost tea Chapter 7 Eco-lawn Over-seeding Cover-over method Grasses No need for a mix of seed Seeding a new lawn Suppliers Chapter 8 Designing Your Eco-yard Household Harmony Neighbourhod Harmony Clarify your intentions Clarify your resources Clarify your aesthetics Hiring a designer/landscaper Eco-yard design principles Feng Shui principles Design considerations Sustainable materials Chapter 9 Designing for Wise Water Use Why we need water-wise design Rain barrels Cisterns French drains Rock rivers A bog garden or trench Grouping water-loving plants Drip irrigation systems Irrigation systems Soaker hoses Sloping appropriately for drainage Chapter 10 Replacing Lawn Cover-over method Digging sod out by hand Sod stripper and roto-tiller Excavating with machinery What to do with the sod? Making beds Chapter 11 Growing Vegetables Types of vegetable beds Gardening methods A personal garden style How to make your own vegetable beds Chapter 12 Conclusion References Acknowledgements |
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Calgary Alberta Canada crediting Laureen Rama as the author. |
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