Product Description

Just in time for planting comes this profusely illustrated, immensely practical, and very different approach to gardening-fit for novices and seasoned green thumbs alike.

Most homeowners design their gardens as little decorative plots set amid expanses of green lawn. Europeans, on the other hand, have long understood the value of making the most of what the land has to offer, emphasizing a garden's potential for year-round productivity and beauty. This highly informative book by noted U.S. landscaper and designer Fred Hagy offers a new approach-providing lots of great ideas for a totally edible garden.

Beginning with the premise of "maximum beauty with maximum utility," Hagy discusses the principles of garden design and shows how one can easily visualize what the land-from lawn garden to backyard to field-can provide. He outlines a step-by-step procedure for combining all one's ideas, dreams, and tastes to create a setting that is both eye-pleasing and food-producing.

In addition, Landscaping with Fruits and Vegetables includes an authoritative series of "Plant Information Sheets" featuring the most up-to-date, genetically advanced tree, bush and plant varieties available. They not only specify the characteristics and varieties of each plant and where you can get them, but describe how to maintain them for maximum productivity and longevity. Information on drainage and irrigation, pest control, espaliering, container gardening and pollination requirements as well as an extensive bibliography make this an informative and indispensable reference for any home gardener.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #232020 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-25
• Released on: 2001-02-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 280 pages

About the Author
Fred Hagy is a registered landscape architect and Associate of Kennedy & Associates Site Planners/ Landscape Architects, Lambertville, New Jersey. He has served as Chief Landscape Architect for Broward County Parks Department, one of the largest urban parks systems in the country, and has operated a design firm specializing in edible landscaping.

Customer Reviews

Great Reference
I ordered this book through Amazon.com because we are interested in using fruits and vegetables in landscaping. Actually, we just plain like to garden and eat. Landscaping is secondary.

Fruit tree catalogues are very basic, and frustrating. You see some closeup's of a fruit, and that's it. No sense of the tree or shrub shape, seasonal looks, the plant's needs, or anything else. So, it's hard to figure out what variety and what plant fits with your yard.

This book is prob. the best garden reference I have ever purchased, and has become our favorite when planning spring plant orders. Mr. Hagy writes as clear an explanation of landscape design concepts as I have read in any book. He has good illustrations of ways to incorporate fruit and vegetable plants into the landscape. But since the landscaping is secondary to me, what is most helpful for me are the great illustrations and details of the many edible plants that can be used in landscapes. I've learned a lot reading this book, and I'm a farm girl who's been around "edible landscapes" all my life.

This is truly a 5 star gardening book.

Decent, but not great
Pros: Some beautiful drawings (although photos would be more useful), excellent diagrams for basic pruning and the chapter on tree care is a very good summary and primer.

Cons: Pompous writing (especially the intro) and completely North East biased (doesn't even mention the most common West Coast varieties of Peach, Plum, etc.). Also, not a single word about citrus or other sub-tropicals (guava, avocado, etc.) which make outstanding edible landscape plants throughout a large portion of the country.

Overall, a good introduction to stone fruit and berries, but lacking in many areas with respect to it's price and grandiose ambition (as stated in the introduction).

Amazing Book!
This book is wonderful. It is the only one I could find that specifically uses edible plantings in landscape plans. I had gotten this from the library first and quickly realized I wanted it for my collection. The illustrations are beautiful and the author gives just the right amount of information on each species.