Edible Forest Gardens (2 volume set) Hardcover – November 15, 2005

This is an excellent resource for forest gardening. I have both volumes. Very detailed and thorough without reading like an academic paper. I’m very happy with this purchase.

This set is everything others have said and more! First, I'd like to thank those that left such superb reviews because they were instrumental in my decision to plunk down the somewhat high cost of this duo...but I'm so glad I did! Everything the other reviewers said was true - these are absolutely essential and have totally transformed my ideas on gardening.Living in Florida one would think we could grow anything - while that may be true in some parts of the state, other areas of Florida are just plain difficult. Poor soil quality (think beach sand), unrelenting heat, excessively high humidity (think ROT, mold, mildew) and then...to top it all off...one or two days here or there with numbing cold (okay, numbing for Florida...it does drop to the 20's!). We've tried to garden time and time again only to encounter dismal, pathetic "crops". So much work, energy and effort for so very little.It seemed we were constantly battling everything. The only items that did well were a couple of fruit trees (but one can only eat so many Kumquats). Still, it gave us hope because the kumquat tree regularly produces HUGE crops 2x's per year - massive amounts. If we could only get a few other things to do 1/10 that of the kumquat tree we'd be on to something.Finally, one of us got the bright idea that there had to be a way to work with nature rather than against it...we were clearly NOT winning...we had no idea what that would be called but after hunting and pecking around came up with the term "permaculture". Ahhhhh....we already knew trees seemed to give a better "bang for the buck" but now we have totally transformed EVERYTHING we ever thought we knew about gardening.Seriously - did I mention what a waste of time the Master Gardening class was? How about the several months of hydroponic training (now that was a costly and very tasteless mistake), the greenhouse (at least we will get a little enjoyment and can put it to good use). What I really like about this book is that it provides the information you need for YOUR specific situation...it's not a one size fits all approach but rather really informs and teaches you what to do, why to do it and then provides the basics for you to understand how.It has radically altered everything we have ever learned about gardening. Absolutely a wonderful set and worth every penny! My only regret was not having bought it earlier.

He loves them and finds them very informative and easy to read. They cover every relevant topic imaginable!

Although this is an expensive set, there is so much valuable information in these 2 books for those interested in permaculture and forest gardening in the temperate climates of North America, it is well worth the price. The authors have scientific information to back their recommendations and to give credence to the longterm benefit and viability of the vision of permaculture and forest gardening…it is no longer just a wonderful vision but actually in the realm of reality. I loved the second volume with all the tables of plants arranged by their functions. There was so much information presented in a way that you can design a plan for your forest that will work really well together and will have a really great chance to thrive. If your plan includes plants that fix nitrogen and that accumulate nutrients such as calcium and potassium you will not need to add fertilizers. If you plan to have plants that support bees with nectar and pollen, you will have no problem pollinating your crops. If you make sure you have plants and habitats that attract predatory wasps and other beneficials , you will not need to worry about pests as much. I don't agree with everything in this book…such using glycophosphate. I think some of the soil preparation techniques that are recommended are too labour intensive…there must be a better way but overall there is really a lot of useful information

I’m about halfway through reading the first volume. Great resource and I’ve really enjoyed the high quality, color printing. I was getting excited about the second volume, flipped through it, and saw that it is printed in low quality black and white. It makes it almost impossible to make out what’s going on in the photos of landscapes, which is an important part of the text. I’m not sure why the first volume is color printing and the second is black and white when it comes in a set - especially for the price

These books are college grade and leave nothing to guess. A complete education and reference set in one package. If you want to get into permaculture this 2 book set is your education shopping list.The first volume assumes you are a traditional gardener/farmer, or completely new to seeing plants for what they are, and gives every bit of information to bring you up to speed. Another book I had bought only gave some projects to do and I no longer think that author knew enough to write a book. The knowledge from volume 1 is critical to making the right choices and understanding why.The second volume is twice as thick as the first and is dedicated to applying your new knowledge to actual projects. It gives so much well organized information that your brain will be in extacy.Together, these books store a small library of information. Several sections and indexes hold entire books worth of data on their own. Just one of the plant matrices holds important facts on over 600 species so you can find the specific member of a plant family that suits your needs.I am just awestruck at the amount of information I have received in this 2 volume set. I need no other books relating to horticulture.Must have!

Almost thru volume 1 and it has been a great read so far. Basically just geeking out on ecology. Honestly tho the principles necessary to design a great forest garden are very simple. This book is just extra knowledge to make your design next level!

Ótimo livro. Muito completo.

Muy buenos

This book is an inspiration to anyone who aspires to develop truly sustainable agriculture. This book is especially valuable for followers of the permaculture movement. You are able to understand the roles of each type of plant as well as design plant guilds with the information in these books. I loved the stories of the author's visits to visionary gardens such as Robert Hart and Michael Crawford. The tables of plants in volume 2 are just a wonderful resource for those of us living in the cold Northern climate. Highly recommended!

The implementation of the theories as outlined in these volumes would make the world a better place. I recommend to anyone who is interested in gardening, farming or other horticultural pursuits to add these books to your collection. Taking a 'common sense' approach to ecological engineering it is a strong platform from which to begin.