The Living Jigsaw: The Secret Life in Your Garden

After decades of emphasis on pest control, often achieved through chemical means, gardeners around the world are beginning to come around to a new--or, really, old--way of thinking: a garden whose very diversity of plant and animal life makes it healthy, beautiful, and productive.

If you've been wanting to make that change, The Living Jigsaw is the book for you. This masterclass in natural gardening outlines a cornucopia of tried-and-true techniques to help you develop a healthy garden ecology. Val Bourne introduces both new and experienced gardeners to the wide diversity of birds, animals, insects, and even slugs that help bring a natural balance to a home garden--and help its plants and flowers shrug off problems before they become entrenched. This season-by-season guide offers planting strategies, tips for successful cultivation, and new insights into the interactions between plants and animals that are an essential part of any healthy garden.

As much a celebration of natural gardening as a how-to book, and written both to teach and to inspire, The Living Jigsaw will help you make sure that your green thumb is truly, ecologically green.