NOAH’S GARDEN: Restoring the Ecology of Our...

NOAH’S GARDEN: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Back Yards by Sara Stein (Houghton Mifflin: $10.95; illustrated). Stein became dissatisfied with her Upstate New York garden when she realized that she no longer saw fireflies, bluebirds, frogs, etc. She and her husband restored the land, removing exotic hybrids and planting native species that provided food and shelter for birds and small animals. The results required less care and offered a vibrant, natural environment. Stein offers a bold plan to replace sterile suburban lawns with gardens that reflect the natural climate, land forms and indigenous species: “Once a garden comes alive ecologically, it displays a humor and richness of meaning that have been missed by the narrow views of horticulture. Significance expands. Meanings multiply.”