Tammi Hartung, the owner and operator of Colorado's Desert Canyon Farms, knows what it means to farm in an area teeming with wildlife. Rather than fight against nature, Hartung's The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener provides a wide assortment of methods for living in tune with local flora and fauna. By observing nature and its creatures, "you gain greater knowledge about how the natural world is actually influencing the garden (rather than what you assumed was happening)," Hartung writes. "You can then utilize that greater knowledge to create an even more beneficial garden environment."
Hartung explains the benefits of proper soil maintenance; a healthy and productive garden is directly related to its soil base. She gives ample advice on beneficial bugs such as paper wasps, praying mantis and spiders, and covers strategies to welcome animal predators like toads, some snakes and hawks, which will protect the garden from mice and gophers (among other small gnawing creatures), plus techniques beyond the scarecrow for keeping birds away. The lighthearted discussion also covers crop rotation, robust planting strategies and including animals and insects in every gardening environment. Hartung offers a series of garden designs that reflect a planter's good intentions and welcome butterflies, bats, birds and bees. Whimsical illustrations add a delightful touch to this slender volume; a quick reference chart of problems and remedies rounds out the abundance of helpful advice. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer