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Gardenista: The Low-Impact Garden: A Guide to Creating Sustainable Outdoor Spaces
A comprehensive and lushly illustrated guide to sustainable gardening from the experts at Gardenista
In The Low-Impact Garden, author Kendra Wilson covers everything you need to know to create a garden that’s good for the planet—and to create beautiful and well-designed outdoor spaces. This comprehensive guide to eco-conscious gardening features in-depth garden tours of all sorts, from a wildflower prairie in the Midwest to an indoor-outdoor garden in London, a forest garden in Vancouver to a permaculture garden in Australia. There are breakouts on specific garden types, like front yards and rooftop gardens, as well as practical advice on “green” approaches to key garden elements (lawns, soil, trees and shrubs, water, and even pools). With 350 full-color photographs, a round-up of standout eco-conscious garden tools, expert advice, resources, and more, The Low-Impact Garden is the ultimate handbook for creating sustainable outdoor spaces.
In The Low-Impact Garden, author Kendra Wilson covers everything you need to know to create a garden that’s good for the planet—and to create beautiful and well-designed outdoor spaces. This comprehensive guide to eco-conscious gardening features in-depth garden tours of all sorts, from a wildflower prairie in the Midwest to an indoor-outdoor garden in London, a forest garden in Vancouver to a permaculture garden in Australia. There are breakouts on specific garden types, like front yards and rooftop gardens, as well as practical advice on “green” approaches to key garden elements (lawns, soil, trees and shrubs, water, and even pools). With 350 full-color photographs, a round-up of standout eco-conscious garden tools, expert advice, resources, and more, The Low-Impact Garden is the ultimate handbook for creating sustainable outdoor spaces.
304 pages
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 25, 2026
What a perfect way to spend a snowbound day. Just came in from shoveling the front porch and sidewalk and am now relaxing with a hot cup of Ovaltine and a good gardening book.
From stateside to worldwide, gardeners making a difference, one patch at a time. I enjoy reading the Gardner’s own thoughts and intentions with how they transform their yards into brilliant habitats away from the blasé grass that may surround them. Private and public alike, they give me hope. Tips and tools, as well as where to look if you need help designing your own. A beautiful tabletop book for all us garden geeks.
From stateside to worldwide, gardeners making a difference, one patch at a time. I enjoy reading the Gardner’s own thoughts and intentions with how they transform their yards into brilliant habitats away from the blasé grass that may surround them. Private and public alike, they give me hope. Tips and tools, as well as where to look if you need help designing your own. A beautiful tabletop book for all us garden geeks.
January 2, 2026
A relatively lightweight exploration of ecologically-minded, sustainable gardening.
The pictures are great, and there are some cool tips I picked up/took inspiration from (a lot around just leaving natural materials in your garden as habitat, but doing it in ways that are intentional and aesthetically pleasing.) I also just appreciate that a book like this exists and gets more people thinking about gardening in terms of sustainability, too.
I'm struck in books like this how much gardening, or the gardens that often get featured, are built for and by people who have a lot of money. It's just how it is, but it's extra striking when a chunk of the book is essentially advertising for a lot of luxury/designer garden products, and many of those products are very expensive!
It's definitely worth a page through if you are interested in ecological gardening or native plants at all, though there are many other books that go more in-depth about how to actually create and sustain gardens like this.
The pictures are great, and there are some cool tips I picked up/took inspiration from (a lot around just leaving natural materials in your garden as habitat, but doing it in ways that are intentional and aesthetically pleasing.) I also just appreciate that a book like this exists and gets more people thinking about gardening in terms of sustainability, too.
I'm struck in books like this how much gardening, or the gardens that often get featured, are built for and by people who have a lot of money. It's just how it is, but it's extra striking when a chunk of the book is essentially advertising for a lot of luxury/designer garden products, and many of those products are very expensive!
It's definitely worth a page through if you are interested in ecological gardening or native plants at all, though there are many other books that go more in-depth about how to actually create and sustain gardens like this.
November 17, 2025
As I advance in age, I find my favorite hobby, gardening, to be evolving. No longer interested in growing the biggest, most, or unusual specimens, I have moved to a more sustainable and nature friendly gardener. Which is why this book really interested me. Wilson instructs in the method of working with nature, instead of against (controlling) it. She shows us how the use of native plants is the way to go (instead of trying to force a plant from a different region to grow). There is a section on tools to use. And then there are the 12 gardens she showcases, including beautiful photography. All in all, the book fits in perfectly with what I am trying to accomplish in my own garden. A sustainable, low-impact, and well thought out area that I can enjoy for many more years. I will definitely be trying some of these ideas! Thanks to NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this book.
October 2, 2025
This is an extensive book on everything related to native and sustainable gardening with many photos. It features many types of natural gardens in all different climates and areas, with detailed information and tips from each owner/designer. There are natural ponds and pools, prairie gardens, a free community food garden, city gardens, you name it. There’s a wealth of information on everything from tools to lawn options to pests to controlled burns, plus much more.
I read a temporary digital loan of this book via netgalley.
I read a temporary digital loan of this book via netgalley.
November 30, 2025
As a long-time fan of the Gardenista website and its message of sustainable gardening, I was thrilled to see the team release a book, and I had to request a peek.
Gardenista: The Low-Impact Garden
is as inspiring as it is beautiful, filled with lush photography and thoughtful design. The book takes readers on visits to twelve stunning gardens around the world, each showcasing how sustainability and beauty can go hand in hand.
Author Kendra Wilson does an excellent job demonstrating that gardens created with environmental consciousness don’t have to be plain or predictable. Each featured space feels alive with personality, texture, and creativity, reinforcing the idea that working with nature can lead to more engaging results than working against it.
The layout is clean and inviting, and I especially appreciated the inclusion of the “Gardenista 50” essential tools section and the insightful Q&A segments. While some of the “how-to” elements feel a bit surface-level and could benefit from more depth, the sheer abundance of gorgeous imagery more than compensates. A highly enjoyable and inspiring read for anyone looking to make their gardening both greener and more beautiful.
Thank you NetGalley and Artisan Books for an exclusive look at this book. All opinions are my own.
Between the Rows at Hill Street Gardens
Reviews on Instagram
Author Kendra Wilson does an excellent job demonstrating that gardens created with environmental consciousness don’t have to be plain or predictable. Each featured space feels alive with personality, texture, and creativity, reinforcing the idea that working with nature can lead to more engaging results than working against it.
The layout is clean and inviting, and I especially appreciated the inclusion of the “Gardenista 50” essential tools section and the insightful Q&A segments. While some of the “how-to” elements feel a bit surface-level and could benefit from more depth, the sheer abundance of gorgeous imagery more than compensates. A highly enjoyable and inspiring read for anyone looking to make their gardening both greener and more beautiful.
Thank you NetGalley and Artisan Books for an exclusive look at this book. All opinions are my own.
Between the Rows at Hill Street Gardens
Reviews on Instagram
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews