Gardens That Can Save the World

An exploration of the many ways in which green spaces can be the solution to some of our most pressing problems, from loneliness to climate change. Gardens and green spaces are at the vanguard of positive change. They are modern-day crucibles for ideas and innovation that are providing solutions to some of our most persistent problems, whether loneliness or illness, flooding or drought.

Around the world, green-fingered thinkers and pioneering plants-people are harnessing the power of the wild to quietly find small-scale strategies to reverse these ills. It’s no longer just about aesthetics, but about what the great outdoors can do – save water, transform mental health, bridge social divides, educate vulnerable children, reimagine polluting industries and provide much reason for optimism in a rapidly changing world. Celebrating both the garden and gardener as integral players in a healthier future this book presents a series of strategies that will help the reader reevaluate the potential that lies in green spaces near them by looking at how they have been applied in gardens around the world.

Sixty-five projects demonstrate how gardens can repair, heal, empower, nourish and reimagine, whilst an easy-to-read coloured code links each project to others in the book that solve a similar problem, whether soil health, education or pollution. Profiles of ten Green Thinkers dotted throughout delve more deeply into the inspiring work that these pioneers are leading. A glossary of plants, materials and techniques at the back of book encourages readers to apply the lessons learnt in their own garden, be that a windowsill or an acre.