Requiem for a Lawnmower: Gardening in a Warmer, Drier, World

by Sally Wasowski, Andy Wasowski (With), Vahan Shirvanian (Illustrator)

Overview

In 2002, while the western United States was undergoing its severest drought in recorded history, home gardeners and professional landscapers alike turned to hardy native plants to replace their thirsty exotics. Xeriscaping-literally, "dry landscaping"—emerged from the shadows of traditional gardening to become the trendy if not dominant inspiration for garden design. In Requiem for a Lawnmower Sally and Andy Wasowski offer a timely manifesto on this more naturalistic approach to gardening, "working with Mother Nature, not fighting her." Consisting of practical advice as well as calls to action, the Wasowski's professed hope is that Requiem for a Lawnmower "will send you into the garden-and the voting booth-with a fresh perspective."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589790636
Publisher:	Taylor Trade Publishing
Publication date:	04/13/2004
Edition description:	Revised Edition
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 8.94(h) x 0.71(d)

About the Author

Sally Wasowski is a nationally respected landscape designer and consultant specializing in native plants and natural landscapes. Andy is a freelance gardening and environmental writer and photographer. Together they are the authors of Native Texas Plants (ISBN 0891230777) and Native Texas Gardens (ISBN 0884155137). They live in Valdez, New Mexico.

Editorial Reviews

The book is written with good humor at the same time that contains dire warnings. It provides practical advice on choosing plants and landscape styles that will be easy to maintain without toxins...pleasing and responsible at the same time. You MUST buy this one!

Judy Barrett's Homegrown - Michael O'Keefe

It is not easy to promote the use of native plants for landscapes without sounding dogmatic, but the Wasowskis have written a book that does just that. Each chapter of this easy-to-read book combines humor, anecdotes and sound advice to gardeners to advance the concepts and practices of landscaping with native plants.

Wyoming Native Plant Society - Jane Dorn

Simply, this is a book of short essays written in a conversational tone about gardening with native plants. It has nationwide appeal as it isn't specifically focused on any one region. It's a how-to manual telling you how not spend you weekends cutting grass and churning up soil. They tell us that lawns are an ecological wasteland, they go on to show the reader that many of our garden plants were and still are brought in from other countries and other regions.

Tempo Magazine/The Taos News - R. Scott Gerdes

A revised book re-educates lawn-tenders and gardeners about water as a scarce and/or expensive commodity.

Cincinnati Post - Joyce Rosencrans

A detailed guide to managing a healthy garden using native plants and not too much water.

Tri-Valler Herald - Kathleen Grant Geib

Sally and Andy Wasowski have presented solid arguments for reconsidering the great American lawn and the resources it devours. Requiem for a Lawnmower includes redesign ideas for areas where we have turf. Its Texan co-authors convincingly explain the importance of regional gardening distinctions while we rediscover the beauty and diversity of native plants.

News Observer - Pam Beck

The book is a compilation of essays and talks on the whys and how-tos of natural landscaping. If you are thinking of converting your garden into a natural landscape, reading this book first is strongly recommended.

National Garden Clubs - Joanne S. Carpender

A detailed guide to managing a healthy garden using native plants and not too much water.
— Kathleen Grant Geib

Tri-Valler Herald

Complied of essays and talks on the subject the why's and how-to's of natural landscaping are thoroughly covered in this book. If you are thinking of converting your garden into a natural landscape reading this book first is strongly recommended.

National Garden Clubs

Sally and Andy Wasowski have presented solid arguments for reconsidering the great American lawn and the resources it devours. Requiem for a Lawnmower includes redesign ideas for areas where we have turf. Its Texan co-authors convincingly explain the importance of regional gardening distinctions while we rediscover the beauty and diversity of native plants.
— Pam Beck

News Observer

A timely manifesto.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

A revised book re-educates lawn-tenders and gardeners about water as a scarce and/or expensive commodity.
— Joyce Rosencrans

Cincinatti Post

A timely manifesto.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Between global warming and the increased demand for fresh water, the Wasowskis' crusade for using locally adapted native species has never been more sensible and urgent. Maybe as impressive as the strength of their solutions is the wry, conversational style with which they're offered.

Audubon Magazine