Janet Marinelli's compelling history of the American landscape examines everything from the popular obsession with lawns to the sex life of plants. For example, much of the decline in plant diversity can be traced to the rise of asexual clones--one ubiquitous example is the Delicious apple--exacerbated by the American fondness for the neatly clipped garden, which discourages open pollination of the few remaining native plants. But Marinelli goes much deeper than mere statements of fact, using garden design as a metaphor that reveals changing social philosophies, from rationalist to romantic and back again, and sweeping Darwin, Einstein, Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Gaia hypothesis into the mix. The latter half of the book concentrates on the past few decades of gardening and what changes in techniques and style have brought to the larger ecological communities. Never have the possible implications of the simple act of planting been made quite so entertaining.

Product Description

Each of us must make some sacrifice for the greater good. And although that word has a negative connotation, until one gets the hang of delayed gratification one cannot realize the payoff is usually 5 times better than the result of immediate gratification.

Think of the grassy lawn. Grassy lawns are not native to the U.S. They are bad, bad things. And although giving them up is hard to do, the alternative can be very pleasing. I have entirely replaced my grass lawn with ground covers and they look better most of the year than the grass ever did. Did you know there is a Creeping Thyme that looks like grass, grows in the hot hot sun, and needs no additional watering during the long hot summer. It looks fabulous next to a walk (especially white marble chips).

The message of Ms. Marinelli's book is that there are alternaives ways of attaining gratification, and we will all be better off if we seek them.


very good   May 21, 1999
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I found the book by chance, & the title tells one very little of what to expect. The author covers all the different vougues of gardening up to the present, and their impact on the environment.

I especially enjoyed the critique of the insane amount of effort Americans, put into their lawn care, along with a few other toxic chemicals..and their negative effects on our water,air, local ecology & health. The author makes a good argument against herbicides, since they destroy the biodiversity possible in your garden, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers. When will the media take this up as a viable topic for disscussion? She advocates returning to planting mostly native plants. She defines what this has meant historically & ecologically. Also, she mentions the historical racist overtones of this philosophy, and how it was used in Nazi Germany.

Over all a very easy & fun read. Some excellent references and good summaries. This book could be the Silent Spring for the 90's, she knows what she is talking about!