Her writing is eloquent and engaging. A great reference book, read and flick-through visual; and great for any gardener, new or experienced. English Garden Even if you thought you knew everything about wildlife gardening, this book is an enjoyable andthought-provoking read that will remind you how easy it is to share your garden rather than keep it all to yourself. House & Garden Combines humour and down-to-earth advice with an ever-readabe writing style to direct us towards creating a garden that's in tune with nature. Scotsman Jane Powers is well known as the Irish Times' gardening correspondent, and her lucid explanatory style and elegant photographs do full justice to her subject. Irish Garden A timely publication being so in tune with the eco spirit of the Zeitgeist. Jane Powers has put a trojan amount of work and passion into this book and it really shines through. RHS Ireland Journal A great companion for anyone interested in a natural garden. It is illustrated with the author's photographs, many of them taken in her own garden, and will inspire an eco-friendly method of gardening. Period Living & Traditional Homes Makes you want to take up her rallying cry for gardens that live more broadly than most. Transatlantic Gardener A book for our times, dedicated to extolling the pleasures of cultivating a garden in a way that's sympathetic to its natural inhabitants and comforting to the conscience of anyone who cares about the environment. Jane Powers writes in an easy, anecdotal style that chimes with her subject, guiding the reader through every stage of creating and enjoying an environmentally friendly garden without ever being preachy, and lacing her advice with asides on key topics that add to the reader's pleasure. BBC Gardens Illustrated

Jane Powers was born in Ireland to American parents and spent her childhood moving back and forth between the United States and Ireland. Her father was the distinguished novelist and short story writer J.F. Powers. Jane has been Gardening Correspondent of The Irish Times since 1997. She also writes for The Times, Gardens Illustrated, The Irish Garden, Garden Heaven, Garden Design Journal and The Professional Gardener.

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: THE BIG IDEA 1 GARDENS FOR THE PLANET 2 CIRCLES AND CYCLES 3 SOIL 4 PLANNING YOUR GARDEN 5 PLANTS 6 CREATURES: THE GARDEN POPULATION 7 FOOD 8 HELPING NATURE GARDEN 9 GARDENERS' GOLD: HOME-MADE COMPOST 10 THE GARDEN YEAR RESOURCES Index Acknowledgements