We all want the peaceful beauty of flowers and foliage plants; respite from summer's heat under the canopy of mature shade trees; the joy of growing fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits in our food gardens; and even the tickle of turf grass on our bare feet. At the same time, for the sake of future generations, we must be cognizant of the amount of water we're using. The Water Smart Garden is a book you will refer to again and again to balance what you want out of your yard while still being a responsible steward of this planet. Having spent part of my childhood in Southern Nevada, and returning many times, I've seen firsthand the shocking water level drop on Lake Mead over the decades. Being a military/civil service family my entire life, and living and travelling over a good bit of the country and the world, I've seen what a precious commodity water is and how different communities deal with it. After six decades of moving every few years, we've finally found our permanent home. I've taught small-space veggie and herb gardening in the US, Germany, and Kenya, but have not had much experience working with ornamental perennials and trees until now. Of course, I turned to chapters 10 and 11 first to make sure the information on food gardening was clear and accurate, and found it was even more comprehensive than I had expected.

To help me on my new journey, I wanted a book from a trusted source to provide well-researched information to guide me as I change things on this property--like removing parts of our lawn and implementing smart water strategies. That book is Noelle Johnson's The Water Smart Garden. -- Kim Roman, Square Foot Gardening 4 U, and author How to Garden Indoors & Grow Your Own Food Year-Rou.