What does it mean to dwell in a place? These adventurous poems go on foot in search of answers. Walking the cities, coasts, forests and mountains of Northern California and New England, they immerse themselves in the specifics of bioregion and microclimate, and take special note of the cycle of death and rebirth that plays out dramatically in California's chaparral and grasslands. Inspired by Transcendentalism, Companion Grasses sees the sacred in the workings of the material world, but its indebtedness to the ecological tradition of California poets like Gary Snyder and Brenda Hillman means that it also unearths such evidence in the sensual materiality of words themselves. Both ecologically rich landscapes and highly rhythmic inscapes, these poems set seasonal and human dramas side-by-side, wresting an original, signature music from the meeting of site and sight. In pursuing an aesthetics situated in place, they compose an ethics of what it means to be a human companion to the natural world: "What we love, how we care for it, /is where we live."

Companion planting has a long history of use by gardeners, but the explanation of why it works has been filled with folklore and conjecture. Plant Partners delivers a research-based rationale for this ever-popular growing technique, offering dozens of ways you can use scientifically tested plant partnerships to benefit your whole garden. Through an enhanced understanding of how plants interact with and influence each other, this guide suggests specific plant combinations that improve soil health and weed control, decrease pest damage, and increase biodiversity, resulting in real and measurable impacts in the garden.

Describes more than four hundred perennials and grasses, providing information on each plant's origins, preferred conditions, and planting zones.

This book is a pioneering work on one of the least understood aspects of ecology--the curious phenomenon by which particular plants thrive in the presence of certain species and do poorly in the company of others. The observation of these relationships stimulates imagination and sensitiveness of observation to other living relationships and thereby opens new doors to further understanding of the world of nature. Every gardener and farmer could benefit from having Companion Plants as a reference guide. This publication represents the work done by Richard Gregg, who used the garden of Evelyn Speiden to conduct certain experiments. A pamphlet resulted, which was published by the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association. This book, originally published in 1966, includes that material. It also includes the work of the late Dr. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, one of the pioneers of biodynamic agriculture, in the fields of sensitive crystallization and chromatography.

Designed to help readers make organic gardening easy and productive by using plants themselves instead of chemical care, a gardener offers a system that encourages pest-free growth

From spring green to winter gold, the drama of grasses is nonstop. One of the few books available that advises the gardener on how to uses grasses in the garden, "Grasses" features plans and practical advice for more than 24 unique gardens. The book includes an identification guide to the plants and features more than 150 color photos, illustrations, and landscape plans.

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.