An invaluable gardening guide to creating a successful lunar garden

With today's schedules, few people are able to enjoy their gardens during prime daylight hours. But there is a way you can delight in the fragrance and beauty of flowers after dark: Plant a night-blooming garden! Also known as moon gardens, night-blooming gardens are expressly designed for evening enjoyment. While attractive during the day, they take on a whole new look and feel at dusk, casting a magical spell. Pale-colored flowers reflect light from the setting sun and the rising moon, shining luminously and giving the garden an almost mystical glow. Fragrances seem more alluring. Silvery foliage shimmers tremulously as the evening breezes dance by. An aromatic, night-blooming garden offers a peaceful and tranquil spot to rest and relax at the end of the day. It is the perfect place for a casual summer party, an evening reception, a romantic tryst, or a quiet retreat to reflect and rejuvenate the senses.

Increase the vitality of your garden by learning the benefits of lunar and biodynamic gardening. Biodynamic gardening means taking a holistic approach to the garden and being aware of the interrelatedness of the soil, plants, and vegetables. The principles of biodynamics also bring a spiritual aspect to the meditative art of gardening, emphasising the influence of invisible energies, such as the lunar cycles, on the garden. You will discover how to take advantage of the natural rhythms of the moon, by planning your gardening activities to coincide with the most favorable conditions in the sky. For example, during a waxing moon, the earth is exhaling, and it is best to sow non-root plants. During a waning moon, the earth is inhaling, and biodynamic gardeners should water and fertilize their crops. With step-by-step illustrations for 25 projects, explanatory diagrams, and stunning color photographs, it’s easy to see how biodynamic techniques can work for any gardener.

John Harris, head gardener at Tresillian Estate in Cornwall, imparts his abundance of horticulture knowledge, specifically focusing on how to garden using the moon’s cycles. Humans and the world around us have been governed by the waxing and waning of the moon since the planet came into being. Over the centuries different civilizations have embraced these natural cycles, and so lunar gardening has been around for as long as man has pulled food from the soil; once practiced by the Incas and Native Americans, this tried and trusted method has been largely forgotten. John Harris, head gardener at Tresillian Estate in Cornwall, has been using Moon Gardening for over forty years. The methods he uses can be implemented anywhere. You do not need fancy tools, expensive seeds, or substantial acreage; instead, you simply need time, patience, and care to create breath-taking results. This is gardening at its most natural and organic. The Natural Gardener charts John’s story from a rudderless young lad in a Cornish village to being charged with the salvation of the long-neglected gardens at Tresillian. As he shares how to follow the simple principles of moon gardening, he imparts his abundance of horticultural knowledge from years spent working in harmony with the soil, providing a timely link back to nature and the reassuring regularity of the seasons.

With today's schedules, few people are able to enjoy their gardens during prime daylight hours. But there is a way you can delight in the fragrance and beauty of flowers after dark: Plant a night-blooming garden! Also known as moon gardens, night-blooming gardens are expressly designed for evening enjoyment. While attractive during the day, they take on a whole new look and feel at dusk, casting a magical spell. Pale-colored flowers reflect light from the setting sun and the rising moon, shining luminously and giving the garden an almost mystical glow. Fragrances seem more alluring. Silvery foliage shimmers tremulously as the evening breezes dance by. An aromatic, night-blooming garden offers a peaceful and tranquil spot to rest and relax at the end of the day. It is the perfect place for a casual summer party, an evening reception, a romantic tryst, or a quiet retreat to reflect and rejuvenate the senses.

Increase your yields and enjoy an abundant, healthy garden by discovering the benefits of lunar and biodynamic gardening with this easy-to-follow beginner's guide. Biodynamic gardening means taking a holistic approach to the garden and being aware of the interrelatedness of the soil, plants, and vegetables. The principles of biodynamics also bring a spiritual aspect to the meditative art of gardening, emphasizing the influence of invisible energies, such as the lunar cycles, on the garden. Biodynamic practices are used increasingly often in agriculture and many people are interested in adopting this holistic, natural approach in their own gardens but are unsure how to get started. In 'Lunar and Biodynamic Gardening', Matthew Jackson gives an easy-to-follow guide to getting started with biodynamics. You will discover how to take advantage of the natural rhythms of the moon, by planning your gardening activities to coincide with the most favorable conditions in the sky. For example, during a waxing moon, the earth is exhaling, and it is best to sow non-root plants. During a waning moon, the earth is inhaling, and biodynamic gardeners should water and fertilize their crops. Matthew also guides you through making biodynamic preparations to keep your soil “alive”, understanding your garden or allotment as part of a bigger web of life and demonstrates the importance of working with nature rather than trying to dominate it. With step-by-step illustrations for 25 projects, explanatory diagrams, and stunning color photographs, it’s easy to see how biodynamic techniques can work for any gardener.

Children are transported to an unforgettable and faraway magical land where a young boy discovers a treasury of lost riches, where youngsters always play, and no one ever cries.