Integrated Forest Gardening: The Complete Guide to Polycultures and Plant Guilds in Permaculture Systems Paperback – Illustrated, July 28, 2014

I found this as A± for permacu!ture-related design with more thorough drafting processes incorporated with the landscape. I like the way it reads easily, as if the authors are speaking directly to me, easy to understand and good flow, yet with great usable depth in their main topic as titled, which is a bonus, with several examples of these groups. Suggest for beginner reading this subject to make use of glossary on terms as you go for greater interpretations, but not hard. I have previous ed & training, so the read flows well for me. Main purchase purpose is for the design factor, but getting so much more; superb deep dive into the layers of permaculture, polyculture, guilds, forest garden & integration design and more! Wish I'd gotten a hard cover, because this copy will be withering from my overuse. I discovered this reference through YouTube

If you want a plan of how to polyculture & create a forest garden, this is it. The plan. Illustrated and easy to understand. It gives you examples. It's a very concise book. Great compliment to a permaculturalist, forest gardeners, or homesteaders library. I am using it to start my mini backyard forest garden.

This book has taken my permaculture game to the next level! Of course, there is nothing that can replace hands-on experience but this book brings you almost to that point. It has been 6 months since reading this and my hillside garden has taken the leap from being conventional and mundane to being on the path of self sustainability.

There is some good info in the book I haven’t seen elsewhere but I had hoped for more guild description so I could better understand integrating more food and medicine into my mature forest. frankly, I got bored of the drafting theme for a natural setting and gave the book to my library.

This is well written and covers background, purpose and ideas. But it is even more applicable for those who want to dig in and get started now! I loved it! It seems particularly well suited for the Midwest but of value to anyone seeking to understand permaculture from both principles to hands on "what to do" process.

Was gift for our son. He said this was the absolute best gift!!! So much knowledge on this book!!

Adds content to expertise provided by B. C. Mollison, David Holmgren, and the late Toby Hemenway.

Most of the guilds require 50" of rain. so was not written for the west. I wish that was expessed in the description.I live in California foothills and not the desert, our average is only about 32" and lower than that with the drought. So I was disappointed. Probably much more useful if you live in a high rain area. Where we can go 6 to 8 months with out a drop.