Mediterranean Gardening - A Waterwise Approach - Heidi Gildemeister

Gardening in harmony with a Mediterranean climate means taking advantage of winter rain and allowing the garden to rest over hot summers. In this illustrated, practical handbook, Heidi Gildemeister provides both novice and experienced gardeners with a comprehensive guide to waterwise gardening, with over 1000 drought-tolerant Mediterranean plants chosen both for their beauty and for their easygoing ways. Well indexed with common and botanical names, "Mediterranean Gardening" should be valuable not only for gardeners in California, the Mediterranean basin, and Mediterranean climate areas in South America, Australia and Africa, but for anyone living in a region that experiences drought.;Gildemeister explains how drought-tolerant plants that are suitably matched with a site and carefully planted and mulched can live on winter rain and, once established, do not need additional summer water - as in nature. The Plant Selection lists over 1000 plants from nearly 500 genera, including their preferred growing conditions, propagation, best use, and maintenance. Guidelines in eight steps describe the planning of waterwise gardens, such as for the establishment of dappled shade to conserve precious soil moisture. Successful alternatives to the water-intensive lawn offer attractive design ideas.;"Mediterranean Gardening" offers a range of information: "easy" plants for the beginner, new choices for the garden architect, and for botanists the latest findings on minimum temperatures plants can endure. An extensive bibliography covering drought tolerance and a list of useful addresses should make this book as helpful to people converting to water-, labour- and ecology-conscious gardening as to those starting from scratch.