Despite their dry climates, Egypt's deserts sustain a rich variety of
plant life, from towering doum palm trees to the tamarisk shrub and
flowering acacias. With this practical guide, noted ecologist Irina
Springuel explains the best techniques for cultivating gardens using
species indigenous to Egypt. The Desert Garden outlines Egypt's natural
vegetation and describes the habitats where its most popular plants can
be found in the wild. She provides guidance on where to obtain the plant
material for propagation and cultivation, drawing on her decades of
experience in growing local desert plants, and offers advice on the most
effective methods of watering plants, from subsurface irrigation to
buried clay pots filled with water--an efficient technique that has been
used since pharaonic times. Springuel focuses on thirty-eight of the
most popular species of desert flora, illustrating each with color
photographs and black and white drawings. For each, she provides useful
information on its ecology and uses, with historical details about its
uses in ancient Egyptian medicine and culture, where available, as well
as archaeological plant material. Included here is material for
beginners who want a small and simple private garden as well as for
anyone planning extensive landscaping around a hotel or historic
monument. Presented in straightforward language for the lay reader,
while offering accurate scientific detail for professionals and
scientists, The Desert Garden is an ideal companion for anyone
interested in growing desert plants, both in Egypt and in similar desert
environments elsewhere in the world.
