Sepp Holzer's Permaculture

Product Review (submitted on 5 May 2011):

The range of the permaculture applications covered is extensive. From major landscape design & works to small scale projects in high rise apartments. Holzer presents new ways of thinking about & practising: agriculture; growing fruit trees and fungi, and kitchen & medicinal gardening. At the end of the book are some inspiring case studies of projects from around the world.

What comes through loud & clear is Holzer's sense of challenge to the orthodoxy. And it's not just a theoretical, academic challenge; it's more practical. He's constantly asking us to examine why we do what we do and think of more sustainable ways of doing it.

The book is well and helpfully illustrated with photographs and clear diagrams. There are extensive listings of recommended plant species and varieties. On the negative side, the absence of an index makes it harder to find and cross check interesting information. I hope that any new edition might have this rectified.