Natural Gardening in Small Spaces
You don't need acres of land to create a natural landscape and sanctuary for birds and other wildlife. In Gardening in Small Spaces (Timber Press, 2003; $29.95), author Noel Kingsbury treats the garden as an ecosystem and offers advice for plantings that are both pleasing to the eye and friendly to wildlife. For example, one aspect of a natural garden is inclusion of a range of habitats, which invites a variety of wildlife as well as provides interest for the gardener. The author also advises choosing plants that suit the site, rather than trying to modify the site to suit the plant. After all, there are plants adapted to all but the harshest conditions on earth.
Clever Gardening Technique
Take advantage of summer sales to increase your lilac collection. The newest planting guidelines for lilacs call for rinsing all the soil from the roots and spreading them out in a fan. Dig a hole just deep enough to bury the roots 3 to 4 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the root spread (about 3 feet in diameter for a shrub). Don't use any soil amendments like compost or peat moss. Backfill with native soil, a little at a time, watering after each addition.