Tending the Earth: A Gardener's Manifesto

Pleasance Crawford is the coauthor of The Canadian Landscape and Garden
History Directory and Garden Voices: Two Centuries of Canadian Garden
Writing.

Lorraine Johnson lives and gardens in Toronto. More than in any of her
previous books (on gardening, growing native plants, composting, and
environmental issues), this one explores why people garden. Some of the
chapters—“Plants,” “Soil,” “Water,” “Food,” “Air,”
and “Time”—seem to promise a how-to-garden manual. They are
deceptive. The others—“Wildness,” “Biodiversity,”
“Community,” and “An Action Alphabet”—make it clear that
Johnson wants readers to leap the garden fence.

Throughout this credo Johnson mixes stories about her own evolution as
a gardener with those from her friends, neighbors, and contacts across
North America. Time and again she describes how individual gardening
practices and local bylaws affect communities, bioregions, and,
ultimately, the planet. In presenting the mounting evidence that even
gardeners need to think globally, she shows equal respect for
scientists’ publications and amateur naturalists’ observations, and
weaves each source skilfully into the narrative. She urges all readers
to “embrace wildness” as eagerly in populated places as in the
wilderness; to foster community and biodiversity; to enjoy personal
Edens yet connect with the great beyond. This book is an important read
for gardeners of all backgrounds and ages.