Natural gardening taken to the next level, for a truly ecological and
planet-friendly garden that is full of bountiful life. By harnessing the
power of plants to grow more plants, my garden - which at the outset was
always intended to be organic - quietly became vegan by stealth.
Realising I had crafted a vibrant, nature-filled and no-dig garden from
scratch, and was able to sustain it without lifting a forkful of manure,
or any of the other by-products of the animal-exploiting meat, dairy,
poultry and fishery industries, filled me with an unexpected buzz. That
same buzz has taken my growing, as well as my thinking about how what I
do in my garden affects our natural world, way beyond just organic
gardening. My vegan-organic gardening journey delights and surprises and
teaches me something new each day, and I know of no better way to bring
beauty and abundance into our beleaguered, changing world. Our natural
living world is undergoing profound change, with implications for every
living thing on earth. To meet this challenge we must rethink many
aspects of our everyday lives, including the way in which we cultivate
our gardens. This book explains a mindful, gentle, yet powerful way of
gardening that is in harmony with nature. Vegan gardening builds on the
spirit and philosophy of organic gardening - but goes way beyond it. We
discover how our garden or backyard is actually a living, dynamic
ecosystem in its own right, and how wildlife, in all its guises, is
crucial to creating a healthy ecological balance. Climate-friendly
gardening is explored with examples of how to take practical steps to
reduce our 'gardening footprint'. Peat composts deplete the world of
non-renewable resources, but there are effective (and easy) alternatives
and solutions for flourishing plants. Pests only need to be contained,
not killed - and beneficial wildlife can be encouraged. The no-dig
approach is better for the soil and the plants - as well as your back!
The concept of a vegan-organic, closed-loop garden, self-sufficient in
everything it needs - from soil-building compost to plant supports - is
shown in action.
