The Future of Gardens
May 2025 · Melville House
Ebook
128
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
A bold new look at the changes confronting gardening — including climate change and AI — by acclaimed horticulturalist, TV host, and disabilities activist Mark Lane . . . .
Gardening is about choices. Which plants to choose for your soil type and conditions? Where to place them to maximise their growth? What to feed them, and when to water them? And how can all of this be done in a sustainable way? In The Future of Gardens, broadcaster and designer Mark Lane examines present-day considerations alongside those gardeners will need to make in the future.
As Earth heats up and populations soar, water will become scarcer on many parts of the planet, and efficient management of it will be key: drought-tolerant planting and smart irrigation systems will likely become commonplace, as will vertical and otherwise space-restricted gardening. And as our world faces stressed or collapsing ecosystems, gardens will be crucial in improving wildlife populations – but only if we let them.
Tech will play its part, too. AI-powered apps already provide tips to the green-fingered, but its dominance is a concern. How might we find a happy coexistence? Lane also imagines the potential for gardening in space: what challenges will interstellar travellers face as they cultivate plants on spacecrafts, or even on distant worlds?
The Future of Gardens looks at this evergreen discipline with a bold, vibrant and inquisitive eye. Lane’s own vision for inclusivity, sustainable practice and forward-looking design shines throughout this extraordinary addition to the FUTURES series.
Gardening is about choices. Which plants to choose for your soil type and conditions? Where to place them to maximise their growth? What to feed them, and when to water them? And how can all of this be done in a sustainable way? In The Future of Gardens, broadcaster and designer Mark Lane examines present-day considerations alongside those gardeners will need to make in the future.
As Earth heats up and populations soar, water will become scarcer on many parts of the planet, and efficient management of it will be key: drought-tolerant planting and smart irrigation systems will likely become commonplace, as will vertical and otherwise space-restricted gardening. And as our world faces stressed or collapsing ecosystems, gardens will be crucial in improving wildlife populations – but only if we let them.
Tech will play its part, too. AI-powered apps already provide tips to the green-fingered, but its dominance is a concern. How might we find a happy coexistence? Lane also imagines the potential for gardening in space: what challenges will interstellar travellers face as they cultivate plants on spacecrafts, or even on distant worlds?
The Future of Gardens looks at this evergreen discipline with a bold, vibrant and inquisitive eye. Lane’s own vision for inclusivity, sustainable practice and forward-looking design shines throughout this extraordinary addition to the FUTURES series.
About the author
Mark Lane is a TV broadcaster appearing frequently on the BBC’s Morning Live and their coverage of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Flower Shows. A prolific writer, his work has appeared in The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Sunday Telegraph and many more. He is the author of Royal Gardens of the World.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
