Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally

Foreword by Rosalind Creasy Illustrated by Maia Massion Edited by Mark Kane
Categories: Gardening
Publisher: Metamorphic Press

First published in 1986, this classic is back in print by popular demand. It is the authoritative text on edible landscaping, featuring a step-by-step guide to designing a productive environment using vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs for a combination of ornamental and culinary purposes.

It includes descriptions of plants for all temperate habitats, methods for improving soil, tree pruning styles, and gourmet recipes using low-maintenance plants. There are sections on attracting beneficial insects with companion plants and using planting to shelter your home from erosion, heat, wind, and cold.

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Reviews and Praise

  • Publishers Weekly-
    Kourik's color photos and Massion's art effectively illustrate a text that fulfills the title's promise. The author's advice is sound and practical although the reader may bridle at his tone at times. (Attempting a chatty informality, for example, he orders one to "find a comfortable chair and leaf through the book.") Otherwise, this is a valuable guide to the holistic approach to gardening, which relies on natural fertilizers and avoids chemicals. The author begins with suggestions for designing plots according to environment, space available, personal preferences. (The pictures prove that areas featuring vegetables, herbs, fruit- and nut-bearing trees and other edibles can be beautiful.) Kourik, who frequently appears on TV and lectures nationally, includes recipes that use the wide variety of foods featured here.


More Reviews and Praise


  • "Right at the beginning of my permaculture career I learnt more from this book than from any other.”—Patrick Whitefield, author of The Earth Care Manual and The Minimalist Gardener



About The Author


About Robert Kourik

Robert Kourik installed his first edible landscape in 1978, and is the author of Drip Irrigation, Understanding Roots, Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape, and Lazy-Ass Gardening

In the course of his 40-plus years of first-hand experience in sustainable horticulture, he’s received many accolades. Sunset magazine described Robert’s Drip Irrigation book as “The last word on drip irrigation” and “infused with good humor.” Paul Hawken extols his work as “uncommonly valuable.” Rosalind Creasy calls Robert’s books “encyclopedic.” All of Robert’s work and writings were oriented towards sustainability long before the term became popular.

Robert’s books, articles, and essays have covered organic, natural, sustainable and integrated systems; permaculture; water conservation and drip irrigation; environmentally sound homes; and edible landscaping. His articles have appeared in national publications such as The New York Times, Garden Design Magazine, Landscape Architecture, National Gardening, Fine Gardening, Horticulture Magazine and Mother Earth News.  

Books By Robert Kourik

Pages:382 pages
Book Art:Black and white photos and illustrations throughout
Size: 8.25 x 11 inch
Publisher:Metamorphic Press
US Pub. Date: March 30, 2005
Paperback: 9780961584894

Available In/Retail Price

Paperback, 382 pages, $49.95USD