Customer Reviews

Nature-Friendly Garden, The: Creating a Backyard Haven for Animals, Plants, and People

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marlene Condon's understanding of the intricacies of the natural world shines from every page of this wonderfully informative book. Condon makes it clear, in succinct, inviting prose, that she has garnered and is willing to share a great deal of personal knowledge about the critters that flock (and creep, crawl, hop and wriggle) to her paradisical backyard "garden" ... a term which itself can too often mean simply a sterilized plot for producing vegetables, but in Condon's hands reveals its earlier, edenic meaning as a place where man and nature can live together peacefully.

Among the many positive aspects of this beautifully produced book (glossy pages, plentiful color photos, quality binding) I will mention just three: a plethora of delightful natural anecdotes and wildlife factoids that will surprise even the most jaded natural history reader; a crucial chapter on the necessity of accepting--and even celebrating--the role of predation in the natural cycle of life; and thorough appendices of nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and educational facilities that can perpetuate a reader's awakening desire to integrate wildlife into their gardening experience.

Through it all this book is thickly graced by the author's professional wildlife photography, itself worth the modest price of admission. If the Romantics were correct in identifying the crucial task of the awakening mind as perceiving the remote in the intimate, The Nature-Friendly Garden must be embraced as an important step toward peeling the scales of artificiality from our eyes and opening ourselves--and our gardens--to the myriad wonders that await us. Slugs, bugs and all.

I really liked this book on gardening and getting to know the wildlife in your backyard. Marlene Condon makes a good case for gardening in sync with nature versus gardening trying to fight nature, which always proves to be a never-ending. losing battle. I also appreciated very much the tips on feeding birds, and trying to understand the wildlife. The squirrels here in this neck of the woods are a very strange breed, very confrontational, rambunctious; one squirrel had a staring contest with me one morning when I knocked on the window to get it away from some things I had planted. They dug into all the container gardens I put outside, ate my bulbs - I was contamplating squirrel stew for a moment. This book has helped me overcome the squirel problem in a way; I'm sure the owl, or was it a hawk, a cat??? that had a certain squirrel snack on the deck also helped, too. Very inspirational with good tips on gardening. I think she should nearly have a call-in show on public radio....

I thoughly enjoyed this book. Reading this book is almost like a meditation. Rather than trying to compete with the landscape outside insurance companies, Marlene Condon encourages us to enjoy nature rather than fight it. Her book opens our eyes to the consequences of our actions, such as the snow owl who ate the poisoned mouse. Living in a region with mosquito borne diseases, I don't think I would have a pond although quite a few people do have them. Besides the change in outlook, I also picked up quite a few practical hints on feeding birds, living with wildlife and buying the proper binoculars. It feels pretty good to receive some support for a more natural form of gardening.

I originally found this book in the library and was so impressed with it, I bought a copy for reference. I have a different outlook on what the "ideal" yard should look like. Instead of the usual lawn, I have learned how wildlife and humans can coexist in a different, more natural manner.

This is a book that makes sense. First, the author inlists us to understand why things happen as they do, i.e. certain insects are drawn to certain plants etc., and then how to naturally deal with that so as not to pollute the earth, kill unecessarily. For me this approach results in making gardening much less a fight and it's gratifying to know you're helping the natural balance of things. I was so excited about finding and reading this book that I emailed friends, ordered another for my niece. It's the best approach to gardening and drawing nature to your yard I've ever read - and a perfect gift.

Do you have dandelions growing in your lawn? Never manage to rake the leaves from under your trees and bushes, and let the dead flower stalks remain where they fall? Do you see spiderwebs in your yard? Well at last we can stop feeling guilty. The author describes how all of this works to our gardens' advantage. She shows how all of life interconnects--be it predator and prey or flower and weed. Her writing is wonderfully simple, clear, and friendly. It's as though she were talking to you over a cup of coffee. I love this book.

During my evolution towards becoming a member of the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habit Program and as a former professional landscaper, I have owned and read many nature-oriented/how-to, descriptive guides. This book has impressed me immensely. Originally, I borrowed it from the library having been drawn at first glance to the author's delightful photography but once I began to read it, I quickly determined (in a rare decision) that I wanted it "to have and to hold" forever and also, to give several copies as gifts. Seven months later, my instinct has stood the test of time. It is still floating around my house, to be picked up and enjoyed by all who encounter it.
As an earthing who is ideally striving with the rest of my species to lower our impact of destruction upon the planet, it is valuable to become as thoughtful as possible about the results of our interactions with the natural world. A Nature-Friendly Garden is full of charming anecdotes, practical ideas and philosophical orientation that will help spare the seasoned, but especially the beginning gardening enthusiast, the angst and results of making hasty, ill-conceived actions. Also, I highly recommend this book as required reading to (or by) the next generation!

Honestly, I expected better from this book, given other reviews. Perhaps if one knows NOTHING about hanging out a woodpecker stick full of peanut butter, this book may offer a new vista. But the book offers so little of interest to anyone with a modicum of common sense, one has to wonder why anyone would want it on their shelf.

Any book from the Audibon Society is a better buy that this one. Save your money.