The Garden Jungle: or Gardening to Save the Planet

Dave Goulson
Penguin, £16.99

In The Garden Jungle, Professor Dave Goulson has written what is perhaps his most personal book to date and outlines his perspective on how we can garden for wildlife.

Within this book Goulson describes various bugs and beasties that scuttle around our gardens, regularly unnoticed, and suggests how and why we should care about these animals. Bumblebees and other species of bee (of which Goulson is an enormous fan) are well known for their importance in pollination, but he also highlights the major roles of earthworms, hoverflies and even earwigs, among other animals, in maintaining our gardens and in agriculture.

This book is not meant as a gardening guide (although there are useful tips) – it is more of a thought-provoking read about how we produce food and our relationship with our gardens. Goulson’s colourful anecdotes make this book an easy read, but while he is optimistic and cheerful throughout, his frustrations at large-scale food production and agrochemical companies are also clear.

The Garden Jungle will inspire people who have a garden to tend it for wildlife, and will make those who don’t have a garden want one more than ever!

Dr Harry Siviter