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Paul Dowlearn is a past president of the Red River Chapter and has operated a landscaping company and nursery in Wichita Falls for over twenty years. Paul has taught landscaping classes, hosted a radio gardening program and written numerous articles for gardening publications. Now he’s written a book which contains much of the accumulated wisdom from all those years of experience.
Paul calls his book The Lazy Man’s Garden: Maximum return, minimum input. As he explains, “Doing the job right when the situation calls for it results in more lazy time. The wise gardener knows when to work hard and when to relax.”
Like Paul himself, the writing style is casual and humorous, but also intelligent and sensible. You might say that it’s organized from the ground up, since Paul starts with explaining the importance of soil. It’s based on science but Paul never talks down to us. You’ll find it easy to follow. It’s also charmingly illustrated by Leslie Fernandes.
Paul gardens the natural way. He seldom uses chemicals and he seldom uses non-natives, except when he is growing things to eat. I should explain that there is not really much talk here of specific plants. This is a book about how to plant and how to take care of plants once they have been planted. It’s applicable to any part of Texas, even though it’s based on experiences in drier areas.
Americans grow millions of acres of lawn grasses. We also attempt to grow mostly non-native exotic hybrids for ornamentals. Much of this traditional culture is not sustainable. Utilizing native plants, creating habitat for wildlife, and seeking out tried and true heirloom plants are current trends that promise a more relaxed, eco-friendly style. The landscaping industry has been slow to respond to these trends. Although there are a growing number of landscape professionals who share the viewpoint of the author, they are, unfortunately still in the minority.
This book may not make you wise, but it will point you in the right direction.
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: Bill Hopkins
