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Product Description
The Guardian
`if a non-gardener like myself can be both enthralled and amused
by this book...I can only imagine how worked up the ecologically minded
gardener is going to get. On every page I found something interesting. It's
like a fascinating garden in its own right...This is why the book's so
good: in the end, it's about more than gardening. It's about the whole
system of predation and coexistence that underpins the biosphere. It's a
lovely intelligent, think-global-act-local manual - and, as I hope I've
made clear, often very funny.'
by this book...I can only imagine how worked up the ecologically minded
gardener is going to get. On every page I found something interesting. It's
like a fascinating garden in its own right...This is why the book's so
good: in the end, it's about more than gardening. It's about the whole
system of predation and coexistence that underpins the biosphere. It's a
lovely intelligent, think-global-act-local manual - and, as I hope I've
made clear, often very funny.'
Bob Flowerdew, Gardener's Question Time
A good read: informative and well-explained
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This little book is a thoroughly readable, amusing, fact based, accessible account of a research project that will be relevant to anyone with a garden or outdoor space. The advice is unfailingly practical and the received wisdom questioned. The book does not simply regurgatate the same old advice about wildlife gardening, but offers in many cases a new approach, based on the empirical evidence of the research. The author is clearly aware that wildlife gardening is viewed by many gardeners as expensive and/or unattractive, and he offers lots of sensible suggestions for things that cost next to nothing, perfectly in keeping with the most traditional garden and are proven to be effective. He stresses that anyone, no matter what size garden, can garden with wildlife in mind with very little effort. (And the illustrations at the chapter headings are charming.)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ken Thompson is a plant ecologist and a lecturer at the University of Sheffield. He's also a keen gardener. `No More Nettles' is subtitled `The Reassuring Truth About Wildlife Gardening' and is very different from other wildlife gardening books that you might have read because it is based on scientific research undertaken by the BUGS project in Sheffield.
The BUGS project surveyed the wildlife present in a wide range of Sheffield gardens, and tested out several commonly held beliefs about wildlife gardening. And what they found was that the evidence just doesn't support much of the conventional wisdom about what makes gardens good for wildlife.
No More Nettles is divided into 9 chapters. The first asks the question `What is garden wildlife', and you might be surprised at the answer. The second chapter describes the BUGS experiment itself, what it looked at and what it couldn't look at and how the wildlife surveyed was identified. It's not written in science babble, so it's easy to follow and adds a lot of weight to the conclusions that the book reaches.
The third chapter uses data from the experiment to counter some of the worries you might have about whether your garden could be good for wildlife. A wildlife garden doesn't need to be big, or in the countryside. Ken reiterated this last point in the talk I attended. Much of the wildlife in your garden doesn't know it's in a garden, let alone whether that garden is on the edge of the countryside or in the middle of a city. It's too small to notice, and may well live out its entire life in your garden.
After explaining what you don't need to do to make your garden attractive to wildlife, the rest of the book covers the factors that really did make a difference - many of which are easily and cheaply implemented. It also recommends that you don't look at your garden in isolation, but rather at gardens as a whole in your neighbourhood - because garden wildlife doesn't see fences and hedges as boundaries in the same way that we do. There doesn't need to be a pond or a big tree in every single garden, a mix of habitats is important.
I'm not going to ruin the book by giving away all its secrets. It's enough to say that if you have a genuine interest in increasing the value of your garden to wildlife then this is indispensable reading.
The BUGS project surveyed the wildlife present in a wide range of Sheffield gardens, and tested out several commonly held beliefs about wildlife gardening. And what they found was that the evidence just doesn't support much of the conventional wisdom about what makes gardens good for wildlife.
No More Nettles is divided into 9 chapters. The first asks the question `What is garden wildlife', and you might be surprised at the answer. The second chapter describes the BUGS experiment itself, what it looked at and what it couldn't look at and how the wildlife surveyed was identified. It's not written in science babble, so it's easy to follow and adds a lot of weight to the conclusions that the book reaches.
The third chapter uses data from the experiment to counter some of the worries you might have about whether your garden could be good for wildlife. A wildlife garden doesn't need to be big, or in the countryside. Ken reiterated this last point in the talk I attended. Much of the wildlife in your garden doesn't know it's in a garden, let alone whether that garden is on the edge of the countryside or in the middle of a city. It's too small to notice, and may well live out its entire life in your garden.
After explaining what you don't need to do to make your garden attractive to wildlife, the rest of the book covers the factors that really did make a difference - many of which are easily and cheaply implemented. It also recommends that you don't look at your garden in isolation, but rather at gardens as a whole in your neighbourhood - because garden wildlife doesn't see fences and hedges as boundaries in the same way that we do. There doesn't need to be a pond or a big tree in every single garden, a mix of habitats is important.
I'm not going to ruin the book by giving away all its secrets. It's enough to say that if you have a genuine interest in increasing the value of your garden to wildlife then this is indispensable reading.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When I first picked up this book I was expecting a repeat of most wildlife gardening literature. In fact there are few things that Thompson and the WG establishment agree on. It may seem a little dangerous to accept this 'loan voice' as fact, until you discover that unlike many publications this book is based on scientific studies.
Thompson studied 60 Sheffield gardens and investigated their invertebrate life in relation to the garden features. Based on these findings he has provided a book that disputes many WG preconceptions, and gives tips on how it can be improved with minimum expense and effort.
For this reason the book should be read if you are planning a WG, however there are some negatives. Firstly, the book is short. At only 173 pages it is unable to provide a comprehensive guide to WG, especially as some sections of the book are concerned with what you don't need to do.
Secondly it's a little dull. There are no photos or diagrams and the writing is small, the only change being italic text which features the practical tips.
Thirdly it is largely concerned with invertebrates with vertebrates only mentioned in relation to these. When carrying out his experiments Thompson killed and preserved upwards of 100,000 insects including rare species. Half of these were not even identified. This may have ethical implications for some potential buyers.
Overall this is an important book on WG if you don't want to waste your time and money. However there is significant room for improvement.
Thompson studied 60 Sheffield gardens and investigated their invertebrate life in relation to the garden features. Based on these findings he has provided a book that disputes many WG preconceptions, and gives tips on how it can be improved with minimum expense and effort.
For this reason the book should be read if you are planning a WG, however there are some negatives. Firstly, the book is short. At only 173 pages it is unable to provide a comprehensive guide to WG, especially as some sections of the book are concerned with what you don't need to do.
Secondly it's a little dull. There are no photos or diagrams and the writing is small, the only change being italic text which features the practical tips.
Thirdly it is largely concerned with invertebrates with vertebrates only mentioned in relation to these. When carrying out his experiments Thompson killed and preserved upwards of 100,000 insects including rare species. Half of these were not even identified. This may have ethical implications for some potential buyers.
Overall this is an important book on WG if you don't want to waste your time and money. However there is significant room for improvement.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bugs Rule!
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's given me a whole new perspective on gardening and insects. It turns out that it's the insects in our gardens which are the most numerous wildlife... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Songbird
If you yearn to be green - read this!
An excellent book - very readable. Ken presents green principles backed up with scientific findings from the 2006 BUGS survey and others. Read more
Published 19 months ago by S. Warburton
Practical logic
The logic the author followed made sense. I have now left a corner of the garden to go wild, pile of logs for beatles, and so forth. Also have two solitary bees nesting!
Published 22 months ago by nigel howard
No nonsense evidence-based gardening
A refreshingly down-to-earth myth-dispelling and above all practical book on how best to attract wildlife to your garden. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2010 by Robbie Rowe
No Nettles Required and not many other books needed either,,.
This is a straightforward, non-nonsense and entertaining book on wildlife gardening. It dispenses common sense (all too rare a commodity) and disposes of some of the myths... Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2009 by Richard A. Lewis
good guide for green gardeners
A very readable book on this subject. Makes a good gift for gardeners of a green persuasion!
Published on 1 Dec 2009 by B. Thomas
Good but could do better
This book was a really good read as it was interesting and well written. Indeed I continue to dip into and would recommend people read it in addition to other publications. Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2009 by Annette Moran
Excellent review
An excellent, witty well written review of a scientific analysis of wildlife in gardens. It isn't dull and doesn't need pictures. Read more
Published on 11 July 2008 by CMH
A must have!
I'm delighted to own this book. Until I read this book, I had no interest in gardening - actually I kind of feared it and wondered what all the fuss was about. Read more
Published on 25 April 2007 by Mrs. M. D. Moss
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