Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn

I wanted to like this book. I think the idea is great but the gardens shown are not very pretty and the tone of the book is somewhat hostile. If you want to see a PRETTY vegetable garden suitable for a front yard check out "Rosemary Verey's making of a Garden". Look at the chapter entitled "The Potager". Now THAT's a beautiful vegetable garden. If it's too ambitious try just planting a border of red & green lettuce. It looks as beautiful as any other foliage plant. Put down a layer of wood chips. It really is a nice look. When you start getting into netting and wire fencing in the front yard that's when you leave many people behind. No one want to look at raggedy tomato plants in August.
Rating: 3 / 5

From idea to finish, Fred Haeg 'allows' you to dig up the lawn and USE it for beauty and food. He gives you insight as to what will the neighbors think. This is a teaching book giving help and ideas to today's

'boomers' who still do not know or want to realize what it is like to NEED to grow your own food. EVERYONE has the space and CAN DO.
Rating: 5 / 5

This book is reassurance for those of us who have already turned away from American ideas of suburbia. The first half of the book is preaching the reasons to turn against the green monster outside your front door. But just as Pollan appeals to foodies who already attend farm markets, Edible Estates appeals to those of us who already garden. It is preaching to the choir. That said, it is a nice book that shows like-minded individuals participating in an agricultural art installation. The book is very similar to an exhibition catalog you might pick up at the museum as a memento from a favorite art exhibit. Not tons of depth but it gives some ideas. I particularly liked the tendency to develop the gardens in a non-linear fashion. Many vegetable gardeners never consider not growing in straight lines or overplanting to give a more lush, flower garden-like look. Won't make converts but enjoyable for the already initiated.
Rating: 4 / 5

have to agree with "wendycat". all of the photos i have seen of the edible estates are not very pretty, no offense to anyone but some are even somewhat hideous for a front yard garden. anyways, i've read the author has moved on to something else - animal estates....
Rating: 1 / 5

I like the idea of growing more of our own produce in our yard, but I was somewhat disappointed in the quality of this book. Not disappointed in the condition mind you - it just wasn't what I was looking for.
Rating: 3 / 5