Every square inch of soil is rich with energy and life, and nowhere is this more evident than in the garden. At the tips of our trowels, a sundriven world of microbes, insects, roots, and stems awaits--and it is a world no one knows better than James Nardi. A charming guide to all things green and growing, Nardi is as at home in prairies, forests, and wetlands as he is in the vegetable patch. And with Discoveries in the Garden, he shows us that these spaces aren't as different as we might think, that nature flourishes in our backyards, schoolyards, and even indoors. To find it, we've only got to get down into the dirt. Leading us through the garden gate, Nardi reveals the extraordinary daily lives and life cycles of a quick-growing, widely available, and very accommodating group of study subjects: garden plants. Through close observations and simple experiments we all can replicate at home, we learn the hidden stories behind how these plants grow, flower, set seeds, and produce fruits, as well as the vital role dead and decomposing plants play in nourishing the soil. From pollinators to parasites, plant calisthenics to the wisdom of weeds, Nardi's tale also introduces us to our fellow animal and microbial gardeners, the community of creatures both macro and microscopic with whom we share our raised beds. Featuring a copse of original, informative illustrations that are as lush as the garden plants themselves, Discoveries in the Garden is an enlightening romp through the natural history, science, beauty, and wonder of these essential green places.

About the Author
James Nardi is a biologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who gardens with the help of innumerable soil creatures. He is the author of Life in the Soil: A Guide for Naturalists and Gardeners, also published by the University of Chicago Press.

Reviews
"I must say . . . I LOVE Discoveries in the Garden! The work is solid, the science is good, and the presentation is perfect for a general audience interested in plant science, for teachers wishing to use simple and effective observational experiments in their classrooms, as an introduction to plant science for home-school students, or even as a guide to develop program ideas for public gardens, museums, or ecology centers."--Scott Stewart, executive director of the Millennium Park Foundation and former director of Lurie Garden



Book Information
ISBN 9780226531663
Author James Nardi
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press