Permaculture: Three Books to Consider

The Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture

The book I'd like to begin with is "The Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture" by Christopher Shein with Julie Thompson. This was the second book I read on my permaculture journey. Where the first text was confusing, I found that the vegetable gardener's guide did well to ease newcomers into the permaculture world.

What's great about this book is how easily it lays out concepts and guides, making it quite readable. It is written, as the title implies, for your average vegetable gardener who may be inclined to use a few plants in the corner of the lot. It then walks you slowly through the concepts of permaculture, giving you images and explanations.

There is no shortage of colorful pictures in this book, showing the beauty that an edible yard can produce. From vined trellises to diverse alley crops, and packed greenhouses, the images give you a view of what a functioning system can provide at home. There are also several drawn diagrams explaining garden features like herb spirals, sheet mulching, and even seed balls.

The beginning of the book is structured to give a basic permaculture crash course. In comparison to other books, it's an excellent source of information in easy to read bites. The sections on the three permaculture ethics are concise, giving adequate information without overwhelming a new reader. The permaculture principles are similar, giving a helpful breakdown of the information in manageable, numbered paragraphs.

Several conceptual designs included describing features and uses as well as materials for construction. These include examples of a hügelkultur mound, raised bed, herb spiral, and even an A-Frame level for your landscape! These are helpful for gardeners who are having trouble grasping some of the more general permaculture techniques.

The book breaks down various fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and even edible weeds, providing options and uses for each. This list includes a chart of dynamic accumulators, which can be used to fill in your yard and act as either compost or beneficial insect attractors.

Overall, this book is easy to read and full of useful information for beginners. With a fairly average cost, I found that this book provided adequate information for the price point. It makes a good coffee table read because of its numerous photos and lends itself to being a great conversation starter.