Customer Reviews

Sustainable Gardening for Florida

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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have a whole shelf full of books on gardening in Florida, but I moved some old ones out of the way for this one! Sustainable Gardening for Florida definitely deserves a place on my shelf, and I highly recommend it for yours, too. As the first reviewer mentioned, there is plenty here for gardeners in any setting.

Ginny Stibolt, who is a naturalist with a degree in botany, as well as a talented writer, has created a timely, informative and practical guide on a broad range of gardening issues with the concerns of today's gardeners in mind. All the topics you would expect from a comprehensive guide are included: lawns, landscape, containers, vegetables, flowers. Also topics that have special import here, like "Dealing with Salt, Sand, Muck and Erosion" and "Preparing the Landscape for Disasters." On the fun side, there are detailed instructions for planning rain gardens, bioswales, bog gardens.

Each chapter begins with a discussion of the sustainability issues related to its topic. You'll learn why things are sustainable or not. Ginny does a great job of including just a dash of some easily understandable science that gives a solid platform to the readers' understanding of her discussions. Each chapter also includes a booklist and website list that are especially valuable.

Are there some words being bandied about lately that you hear over and over but aren't quite sure what they really mean? This book contains an excellent glossary. An extensive plant list at the end makes a sound resource for learning the good and not-so-good attributes of plants commonly used in Florida, both native and non-native.

I can't finish without mentioning the great diagrams, again so helpful and easy to understand. You'll learn some new tricks just looking at these! There was a neat idea for watering a strawberry jar.......but you'll just have to look for yourself!

I moved last year to Florida from Connecticut and quickly realized I was in a very different ballgame. Most of the things I'd learned from my mother and friends about gardening didn't apply- and certainly trying to garden "northern style" down here is a highly unsustainable practice. I took this book out from the library along with five or six others and read them front to back before attempting to garden at our new house. I returned all of the books and quickly ordered a copy of 'Sustainable Gardening for Florida' to keep at home. I continue to use it as a reference three months later, and each month I feel more confident in my knowledge of this landscape.
It's easy to be tricked into using unsustainable practices by the push for profit in so many industries- and of course, these unsustainable practices are not only unhealthy and often toxic, they will cost more money and suck more potential from your work and materials. I feel armed with the wisdom in Ginny's book to be able to choose the better way- better for me, my yard, my wildlife friends, and my bottom line! Thanks Ginny!

Following the advice of Sustainable Gardening for Florida, we completely reworked our grass centric yard to one with reduced grass and many beautiful, native and tropical plants. As a result, the need to water our yard has been much reduced which is good for our pocket book and necessary since much of Florida has restrictions on watering.

The advice is practical, easy to understand and painless to put into practice. So many of our neighbors have complimented us on our yard and asked for advice that our holiday/house warming gift for our neighbors was and is Sustainable Gardening for Florida.

With the caveat that specific plants may be appropriate only for Florida, Ginny Stibolt has created an excellent guide to sustainable gardening that could be used by any gardener in the country.

That Ms. Stibolt has thoroughly researched this subject is immediately obvious. In clear and complete terms she discusses rainwater harvest, lawn reduction, soil health, creating habitats for wildlife, the edible garden, container gardens, tree and shrub care, and the best plants for different situations.

These ideas can be applied by any gardener to create a more sustainable landscape. If every one of us began to use these sustainable gardening practices in our own gardens, we could contribute greatly to the health of the planet.

I strongly recommend this book for gardeners everywhere.

Since moving to FL from CA, I have checked out more than 20 books from the library on this state's unique requirements. After checking it out again and again from the library, I decided I needed to support this writer and purchase the book. This is the first one I'm buying and is at the top of my "Must Buy" list. It's a book I know I'll refer to repeatedly as I'm establishing and maintaining my garden here in Florida.
Ms. Stibolt has done a great deal of research to write this book, and shares this information freely, in a manner that empowers rather than preaches. It's informative without making you feel guilty of non-sustainable practices you may have been applying to your gardening. She does an excellent job explaining where organic, environmental and sustainable all intersect to positively impact our planet. But it's not just about philosophical gardening issues; it's well-balanced with practical, cost-effective solutions. She also shares the "why" behind her excellent ideas, which helps you understand the careful thought and evolution of these practices. It's a sensible approach that makes you feel ready and equipped to jump right in after reading this book. Her graceful writing is encouraging, and paints the possibility of a beautiful AND sustainable garden in Florida.
I especially liked the water-conservancy ideas; with the direction that Florida is going in these days with extreme temperature changes and less rainfall than in the past, I found this book to be very relevant...and an area that other books proved to be rather dated. If you are looking for an up-to-date, hands-on, responsible approach to shaping your environment here in Florida, this is THE book to go to.

How many Florida gardeners know how to make a rain garden or know the benefits of native plants in the landscape? Surprisingly, I think a lot of people that garden in Florida, even if they have for a long time, are still gardening in an energy-consuming and pesticide using way. As Floridians I feel we are lucky to have a resource such as this book to help us uniquely with our gardening challenges and to inspire us to catch up with other places/people that are leading the way it seems with gardening for wildlife and for sustainability. It was fun to read - didn't put it down - and inspiring.

Please save your money. This book went to the recycle bin within 15 minutes of opening the cover. At least it was recyclable.

I hate to be the dissenting vote here but if you are a veteran Florida gardener try something else. I wasn't too impressed. There was a section at the center of the book with a few colorful but generic pictures. Some black and white photos and drawings were randomly scattered throughout but I wasn't excited when I read SUSTAINABLE GARDENING FOR FLORIDA. Lots of information that was show here can be found in better books.

If you have never gardened or are new to Florida you may want to try this. You can pick and choose what you want to read without spending the money if you can borrow it from a friend or find it at your local library.

Words won't fill a bushel. Old Southern Saying