ISBN: 9781933392073

Food Not Lawns
How to Turn Your Yard Into a Garden and Your Neighborhood Into a Community

by Heather C. Flores

Food Not Lawns combines practical wisdom on ecological design and community-building with a fresh, green perspective on an age-old subject. Activist and urban gardener Heather Flores shares her nine-step permaculture design to help farmsteaders and city dwellers alike build fertile soil, promote biodiversity, and increase natural habitat in their own "paradise gardens."

Here is a link that might be useful: Food Not Lawns

Stan,
How much space do you have? Do you have pictures you could post? One of the main things to consider in designing is how do you want to use the space. For example, would you like to have a secluded sitting area, a place for outdoor dining, an open area for the dog to run? When I moved a couple of years ago the first thing I wanted to work on was getting trees and shrubs started to attract birds. My next priority was planting around the property line in the back to give the yard some privacy. I tried to select trees and shrubs that would both provide screening and attract and shelter the birds I miss from my last garden. It took a while for my mind to "see" what to do with the rest of the space but I now have the beginnings of a 40' diameter circle for flowers and shrubs/small trees with an open area of lawn in the center of it and a grass pathway lined with plantings that will eventually lead to the little storage building I plan to have someday. What are your priorities for your space?

Thanks for the info. We have a little over a half acre with a greenway behind the house. The lot is sloping down with a large patio. I need to redo the steps to the patio and put in some retaining walls. I will try to post some pictures. We have lots of mature trees (shade) and most of the back is covered in ivy. I am pulling the ivy up little by little. I will try and post some pics later. I am interested in planting for birds and also love hydrangeas.