Bring Nature back to your Garden

Bring Nature Back to your Garden has recently won a University of Natal book prize for popularizing science.  More than 10 000 copies have already been sold and it is now in its third reprint.

The authors, Charles and Julia Botha, have donated all royalties from this book, to WESSA which means that all income from books sold goes to conservation.

This is not just another gardening book, but puts urban ecology into perspective in a fun way for city gardeners who are generally not used to dealing, in an environmentally-friendly way, with the apparent challenges of nature in their backyards.  The book describes, in an easily readable manner, how to transform a garden into an oasis for birds, butterflies and other small creatures, by planting indigenous vegetation and using nature-friendly techniques rather than pesticides.  With this approach, gardeners can help preserve and restore our fast-disappearing natural heritage and can contribute to conservation right on their own doorsteps.

The book provides, in non-scientific language, basic gardening rules and explains virtually all aspects of the garden.  The various different chapters describe such aspects as the dependence of humans upon nature, how to plant and landscape in a natural way, why a favourite tree is dying, garden birds and butterflies, container gardening, invasive alien plants and imported garden pests, garden ponds, beneficial garden creatures and a host of useful details too many to mention!

The “What Belongs Where” chapter is a particularly handy summary.  It lists indigenous plants in such categories as those which attract birds, are butterfly larval host-plants, provide good container subjects and cut flowers, have edible fruit or a use in traditional medicine, and even those which could present problems by being poisonous or having invasive roots.  From this extensive list, every gardener will be able to find suitable plants, whether they be ground covers, climbers, hedge plants, small shrubs or trees.  There are candidates for wet or dry areas, sunshine or shade, frosty and sea-wind conditions and even a list of very thorny plants to serve as “burglar guards”!  Detailed descriptions, of the most easily available and popular of the plants listed, are provided in the plant chapters.

The “Who to Contact for What” chapter is an up-to-date reference work on its own, listing the contact numbers of just about every organization involved in indigenous plants, insects, snakes, birds etc.  Naturally the indigenous plant nurseries are there so that gardeners can obtain their requirements from reputable and knowledgeable sources.

The book is enhanced throughout by delightful drawings, some humorous, which emphasize points made in the text.  These sketches, which make the book even more of a pleasure to read and use, were all done by the late Eve Gibbs.  Eve, who died tragically during 2002 after being knocked down by a motorist, had looked forward enthusiastically to the launch of the Zulu edition of this book, which is dedicated to her.

click here to return to present publications

This page was last edited on 17 January, 2004