Garden Helpers Big Book

Bees are our most important pollinators and they are in decline the world over. They love to live in urban environments, where it's a short flight path from one type of plant to the next. But conventional gardens that favour lawns and pesticides over flowers and edible plants are scaring the good bugs away. The Bee Friendly Garden is a guide for all gardeners great and small to encouraging bees and other good bugs to your green space. Includes: - How bees forage and why your garden needs them - A comprehensive plant guide to bee friendly plants - Simple changes anybody can make - Ideas for gardens of all sizes - Natural pest control and companion planting advice

In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.

Get ready for plenty of gardening fun as kids become adventurers, explorers, scientists, chefs, inventors, and friends of the earth -- all in one! They can plant their own family tree, camp out ill a bean teepee, start a garden in a boot, or grow potatoes in old tires. Whether they live in a house or an apartment, in the country or the city, kids can grow vegetables to eat, flowers to smell (and even eat!), and other plants to enjoy. They'll learn to test soil; water, weed, mulch, and fertilize their garden; make friends with earthworms; and see how to use the moon as a planting calendar. Projects grow out of gardens, just as plants grow in them. Make a wooden caddy to transport supplies, or spruce up tools with brightly colored painted designs. Create homemade cards with pressed flowers or sweet-smelling sachets stuffed with herbs. Make a birdhouse out of a gourd or a toad villa with flowerpots. There are plenty of tasty treats to try, too -- gourmet flower cupcakes, sweet forest honey, ginger soda, apple leather, herbal tea, zucchini cake, and nasturtium delights. Instructions are even included on how to put together and operate a produce stand to sell homegrown produce and homemade items. Featuring plenty of full-color photos and fascinating facts, these fifty great activities will inspire kids to get their hands dirty and keep their thumbs green throughout the year!

When it comes to getting her flu shot, Penelope is NOT amused. It makes her SCARED and NERVOUS and QUEASY and SICK and SWEATY! Will she be able to overcome her fear of The Little Ouch?

Your guide to the beneficial insects in your garden! Good Garden Bugs is an easy-to-follow reference to beneficial insects that provide pest control, allowing your garden to grow full and bountiful. Aphids, caterpillars, grubs, and slugs are not only creepy-crawlies, they can wreak havoc on your garden and plants. But fear not! You don't need dangerous chemicals to enjoy a lively, healthy garden. The secret? More lady beetles, fewer aphids! Wildlife in your garden--especially insects--can be natural pesticide alternatives. From mantids to beetles to wasps, spiders, and everything in between, entomologist Mary Gardiner tells you how to identify these beneficial bugs, how to enhance your home landscape as a habitat, and how to work with them to grow and enjoy your garden.

Beatrice Alemanga returns with a follow up to the charming Bugs in a Blanket. What happens when the bugs venture out into the big, wide garden to find some new friends? This sturdy board book introduces children to lovable bugs who learn how to accept creatures they are initially afraid of. Author Beatrice Alemagna invented a whole new technique of illustration for this book using a felted wool technique and an amalgam of applique, fabrics and stitching.