A picture is worth a thousand words, and Soler�s guide to combining vegetables, flowers, herbs, and fruit trees for front yard curb appeal proves it. This �germinatrix� demonstrates with numerous full-color, page-filling photos the literal and figurative beauty in transforming a �wasteful time-consuming, toxic monoculture . . . an anti-social space� into a �more evolved and exciting version of front yard beauty that prizes health, diversity, and pleasure over short-term convenience.� Soler�s suggestions for well-designed lawn alternatives emphasize color, form, and varietal texture found in such commonplace and utilitarian flora as apple trees, fragrant basil with its African Blue blooms, and the �burnished stems, elongated leaves, and purple lacquered fruit of eggplants.� An alphabetical listing of ornamental edibles from apples to wormwood (a genus of insect-repelling plants with silvery foliage as intoxicating�visually, that is�as its putatively hallucinogenic distillate, absinthe) combined with landscaping tips for various building styles and a resources list round out a useful and inspiring volume. --Whitney Scott
“A lively new book…Soler takes you through a wide selection of suggested varieties of vegetables, fruits and herbs that are as beautiful as any rose bush.” (
Martha Stewart Living )
“Lots of good advice and problem solving written in a clear and energetic voice.” (
Red Dirt Ramblings )
“Walks you through delish design ideas, plant profiles and even introduces everyday plants that we didn’t know were edible.” (
Dirt du Jour )
“Tackles the question of how to incorporate edibles and veggies into your landscape without having the whole thing look messy.” (
North Coast Gardening )
“This delightful book is a great example of learning to color outside the lines and dispels the notion that an urban front yard should be a ceremonial expanse of useless grass.” (
Dave's Garden )
“A useful and inspiring volume.” (
Booklist )
“An entertaining and might I say, down right persuasive book for me to have the guts to stand up and plant my veggies, right here in my own front yard!”
(
PersonalGardeningCoach.com )
“Ivette's prose, like her gardens, is unabashed, exuberant, and a rollicking good time. And in terms of visual beauty, even my high expectations were blown away.” (
GreenSparrowGarden.com )
“Provides us the tools to grow our own food in a beautiful garden and reconnect with the land between house and curb. It has earned a spot on every gardener’s bookshelf." (
BlueHeronLandscapes.com )
“This is exactly the book that I'm looking for.” (
VegPatchDiary.com )
“If you are toying with the idea of growing edibles very visibly -- front yard or back -- check it out.” (
Sunset's "Fresh Dirt" blog )
“An enticing introduction to growing food beautifully…a timely, handsome guide.” (
Publishers Weekly )
"Proves that kitchen gardens can be both pretty and productive. Shows how to grow veggies in front so beautifully that neighbors won't object." (
Sunset Magazine )
The pictures induce severe garden envy. (
Willamette Woman Magazine )
This inspiring guide offers a fresh alternative to the boring front lawn. (
The Daily Globe )
If you're frustrated with waste and you're feeling brave, if you like the idea of sustainability and permaculture, consider this [book] when developing your design. (
Epinions.com )
Don’t just plant flowers this gardening season; feed your family, too! (
AARP The Magazine )
Lush and lovely. (
Apartment Therapy )
Soler cultivates a compelling case for a garden that’s both decorative and delicious. (
BookPage )
Project[s] to help your family go green. (
DailyCandy.com )
Full of retro pizzazz. (
The San Francisco Chronicle )
Empowers readers with the knowledge to successfully transform their yards. (
Portland Book Review )
If you are looking for ideas to add some edible and pretty plants to your landscaping I recommend this book. (
UnderMyAppleTree.com )
Get this book! In fact, buy several and give them to your neighbors. (
SmallKitchenGarden.net )
[Walks] us through the in's and out's of planting every plant in the 2011 garden. (
AOL's Shelter Pop )
It’s a winner. (
The Oregonian )
Wonderful pictures, great lists of attractive edibles, and useful design advice. (
Energy Bulletin )
Soler's book is going to help more front yards get bountiful. And I like that a lot. (
State-by-State Gardening )
New gardeners will find good advice and more advanced gardeners will find some very clever tips and ideas. (
The Larrapin Garden Blog )
Heavily-laden with quality photography that is as inspiring as the text. (
Gardening By The Book )
[Soler] addresses the concerns that gardeners of all kinds have, when considering making the change from grass to groceries. (
Horticulture Magazine )
“It’s inspiring to see photos of how much more interesting our front yards could be.” (
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel )
“This is a great book to get you fired up about the upcoming growing season.” (
Winston-Salem Journal )
“…if you are looking for visual inspiration, this book hands it over in spades.”
(
Richmond Times-Dispatch )
"It's a good source of ideas for gardeners trying to imagine the edible front yard that might one day be theirs." (Rachel Shaw
Washington Gardener )
