Can you grow your own food without irrigation? Do you know how to make the best use of the water you have? Are you able to build a survival garden that will survive a changing climate or drought?Water-Wise Gardening gives you the answers and will change the way you think about growing food. If you were raised on gardening books extolling the wonders of dense plantings in tiny beds, this book will open your eyes to an entirely new realm of knowledge. Our ancestors knew how to grow food without pressure-treated lumber, massive piles of mulch, fancy containers or garden sprinklers. Most gardeners have never considered trying to garden on just rainfall - yet it's often possible. Sometimes it even gives you better-tasting and more nutrient-dense food. In Water-Wise Gardening, you'll learn how to simply and effectively grow food using ancient time-tested techniques that consume less water and less fertilizer and sometimes less effort. This new second edition greatly expands upon the groundbreaking work Steve did in his first edition and is a valuable resource for gardening in good times and in bad, helping you steward your liquid assets while still getting the best-looking and best-tasting produce you can imagine. This book focuses on how to grow food with limited water across the United States and Canada plus has new insight on how to irrigate and water wisely.If you are concerned about maintaining your family's food supply or farming with a minimal use of water, you need this book. Water-Wise Gardening is a must-have for every self-sufficiency library.

In an elegantly written book, the author of In Search of Lost Roses examines how water shortages and environmental concerns are prompting a remarkable solution--the emergence of low-water gardening, one of the newest, most creative areas in gardening today. Color photos.

100 water-wise plants for gardens and landscapes.

Water-Wise Plants for the Southwest is a must have resource for any Southwest gardener facing water-shortages. It is filled with expert advice from proven low-water gardeners, and includes everything from using tried and true low water use plants in the landscape, efficient watering and cultivation tips from planting to maturity, to new water-wise cultivars and species. The book features inspirational photos of low-water residential landscapes and more than 100 plant recommendations with helpful icons for ease of use. Also included is an extensive reference guide with listings of botanical and water conservation demonstration gardens, educational opportunities, irrigation suppliers, technical support, websites, and professional organizations. This book is one you would recommend to any gardener facing limited water resources.

“I can't imagine a designer or avid gardener who wouldn't want this on their bookshelf.” —Garden Design Online Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens is a practical guide to the best 200 plants guaranteed to thrive in low-water gardens. Plant entries provide the common and botanical name, the regions where the plant is best adapted, growth and care information, and notes on pests and disease. This practical and inspiring guide includes a variety of plants, from trees to succulents, perennials to bulbs, all selected for their wide adaptability and ornamental value. Companion plants, creative design ideas, and full color photography make this guide a must-have resource for any sustainable gardener.

Provides descriptions of Intermountain West native plants for use in urban landscapes.

“Eye-popping proof that water-wise gardens are bold, beautiful and brilliantly hued.” —San Diego Home and Garden Dry weather defines the southwest, and it's getting dryer. As water becomes more precious, our gardens suffer. If we want to keep gardening, we must revolutionize our plant choices and garden practices. Hot Color, Dry Garden provides a joyful, color-filled way to exuberantly garden in low-water conditions. Garden expert Nan Sterman highlights inspiring examples of brilliant gardens filled with water-smart plants. You'll find information about designing for color using plants, architecture, and accessories, along with a plant directory that features drought-tolerant plants that dazzle.

An easy-to-follow, step-by-step approach to creating a water-wise gardening environment, no matter where one lives. Photos.

Shortlisted in TAFE Vocational Education category in the 2003 Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing. This practical guide shows how we can contribute to conserving water, our most precious resource, in our home and garden. Waterwise House and Garden takes a planned approach to saving water in the home using different household reticulation options including the use of rainwater tanks and recycling greywater. It shows how to eliminate unnecessary watering in the garden by working with nature to create a garden that is both enjoyable and sensitive to the environment. It explains the science behind survival strategies of plants in dry conditions, shows how soil and water interact, and demonstrates how to improve the soil in your garden. Included is an extensive list of native and exotic plants that are tolerant to dry conditions in both tropical and temperate climates. The result is an accessible and informative resource guaranteed to help you reduce the environmental impact of everyday living, and dramatically reduce your household water bill in the process.

A design-focused, easy-to-use guide to colorful, eye-catching foliage and flowers for your whole yard, from the ground plane to the canopy, for homeowners and landscapers faced with replacing thirsty gardens in California and other dry regions in the Western US. If readers must reluctantly remove water-guzzling favorites from the garden, they need equally beautiful substitutes! This book is a visual treat that supports the transition to dry gardening by proving that gardeners can have all the gorgeous color and flowers they had in the past using just a fraction of the water. Maureen Gilmer provides chapters on design categories of plants—flowering shrubs, the ground plain, eye-catching accents, ephemeral flowers, perennials for color, animated plants and fine textures, canopy, and edibles—with profiles for each plant plus background info and top picks lists. The Colorful Dry Garden is unique because it features only bold plants that are also heavy bloomers despite heat and limited water. It also features more than just Western native plants by including varieties from the world's driest climates.