Lisa Mason Ziegler

Overall I really, really liked this book. I read the library's copy and will be buying it for my home gardening reference library. Only a couple of nitpicks. While I understand that this was her premise, the complete focus on cut flowers was a little much for me at times. I will be adapting her methods to something more all encompassing, but that's just b/c I have my own goals and dreams for my yard/garden in mind. If someone who wasn't familiar with a garden ecosystem and supporting beneficials through the use of flowers, then this would be a great way to get started -- I just wonder if they would feel limited by only using cut flowers. But only using cut flowers is better than no flowers so this is kinda a silly critique. She references the native planting areas around her gardens; I wish she would have talked more about those, what are in them, and how they are maintained (but again, not the focus of the book). Finally, more detail on her seed starting process would have been helpful.
Those are minor compared to everything this book does give. It's a great understanding of how to use the power of nature to prevent and control issues in your garden. I'd recommend.… (altro)

Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Ziegler
Companion Planting for Beauly and Bounty

March 2018
Nonfiction, gardening
Quarto Publishing

I received this digital ARC from Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

This is an organized and beautifully illustrated book sharing the authors experience with growing plants and flowers together. Some of the benefits of companion planting included less work to allow the natural growing process to take over. The author does caution that this solution to pests and gardening problems will not resolve issues overnight.

She explains how companion planting of flowers and vegetables can assist with many of difficulties gardeners have when attempting to grow organically. The use of beneficial insects which are attracted to specific flowers become a preventative force to the insects which thrive on garden vegetables. It’s the forethought and planning which helps preventative maintenance for a healthy garden.… (altro)