Cassian Schmidt, Director of Hermannshof Gardens in Germany, discusses the management of the garden's extensive range of perennial plantings, using plant ecology to inform maintenance plans. The time spent on each border is logged by the staff, so that over a year it is possible to see and compare how much work went into each planting. Cassian relates these results to the ecological survival strategies of the plants used —for example, plants with stress tolerance on poor soils, need much less important than competitive growers on fertile ones.
Exploring the need for effective ways of preserving the ecological and aesthetic qualities of naturalistic plantings, Cassian covers practical considerations such as soil preparation, the advantages of using engineered soils, using organic or mineral mulch layers, pruning times and methods, watering and fertilizing regimes.
Plenty of easy-to-follow charts and beautiful images.