Gardening on Pavement, Tables, and Hard Surfaces

Science News, July 31, 2004

GARDENING ON PAVEMENT, TABLES, AND HARD SURFACES GEORGE SCHENK

City gardeners in particular should find a lot of useful information in this book, touted as the first ever to describe how to grow plants directly on pavement, rocks, tables, and other impermeable platforms. Schenk explains how, with just a few inches of soil, one could make an "island garden" on a terrace or grow a ground cover on concrete. There are also instructions for creating rooftop gardens and greening up pavers and stepping-stones. Tabletop gardening is offered as an alternative to planting in pots and containers. Color photographs illustrate the ideas presented. The book includes complete instructions on how much soil to use, what plants to choose, how to plant them, and ways to maintain them. Profiles of specific plants offer details about hardiness zones, size, companion plants, and flowering. The book reflects the author's origins in New Zealand, but it also covers his gardening experiences in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and in Indonesia. Timber, 2003, 192 p., color photos, hardcover, $29.95.