Cheryl S.Smith
First Stone (1 Oct 2008)
ISBN-10: 1929242077
ISBN-13: 978-1929242078

Cheryl Smith has written a useful book for dog owners wanting to fit their gardens to their dogs, and teach their dogs how to behave in the garden. The emphasis on training is refreshing. It is not only possible to train dogs to respect parts of your garden, it is also possible to train them to respect some wildlife, in particular, hedgehogs and amphibians. Dogs are far more compatible with wildlife than are cats, because dogs can be trained more easily. They also can't climb trees, so bird life is safer!

This book has tips for people who want low-maintenance gardens, and ideas for keener gardeners, such as what vegetable to grow for dogs. It goes beyond the usual advice to plant tough, non-poisonous plants. It is also well illustrated, and would make a nice present for someone with a garden and a dog.

Tom Barthel
Publisher: BowTie Press; 1st edition (2010)
ISBN-10: 1933958332
ISBN-13: 978-1933958330

Tom Barthel's 'Dogscaping' discusses garden landscaping with dogs in mind, so that both owners and dogs can enjoy the results. This isn't a fully comprehensive guide, but has a lot of useful tips, for example on safety features for dogs. These include avoiding noxious chemicals in the garden, as well as what structures to build that are safe for dogs. Because pesticides and herbicides can be harmful to wildlife, the part of the book on organic gardening is also useful for people who want a garden that is wildlife-friendly.

The two can be easily combined. Though it is not easy to train dogs to respect foxes and rabbits, most gardeners do not welcome rabbits, which can do a lot of damage in gardens, while foxes tend to raid the rubbish. It is much easier to train dogs to respect frogs and hedgehogs, which help gardeners by eating pests. Birds are relatively safe from dogs because they can take refuge in the trees. So it makes sense to set up a garden that  is both dog and wildlife-friendly. Anyone designing a dog garden will need a little more information, especially on choosing tough, nontoxic plants which grow in your local soil and climate. However, this book is a very useful starting point.

Chris Baines
Frances Lincoln; 2nd Revised edition (2000)
ISBN-10: 0711217114
ISBN-13: 978-0711217119

Chris Baines' book is a classic which first came out in 1985. This edition has been updated and revised. It is especially useful in explaining why it is worth creating a wildlife garden, as a way to preserve or recreate lost habitats. Baines' enthusiasm comes across clearly in this book, and there are a lot of useful tips, both on feeding wildlife, and observing wild animals and birds in your garden. this is a must read for anyone interested in wildlife conservation, and how they can contribute through creating a haven in the green space at the back of the house. The book is clearly written, so older children as well as adults would enjoy reading it.

Christine Lavelle and Michael Lavelle
Lorenz Books; illustrated edition (2007)
ISBN-10: 0754817601
ISBN-13: 978-0754817604

This is a comprehensive book on wildlife gardening likely to delight gardeners, because there is so much information on individual plants, and on setting up and maintaining different types of garden features, such as borders and lawns, as habitats. There is help with plant propagation, as well as an account of which plants are likely to attract different types of wildlife. Readers can start from scratch, and plan their own gardens, or improve what they already have. The instructions are clear enough for novices, though you do need some enthusiasm for gardening as well as for wildlife. This is perhaps not the best book for someone who insists on very low-maintenance gardening, or who just wants to let their garden run wild. However, it does convey the pleasure of gardening, so may convert some unbelievers into enthusiastic gardeners.

The book deals with a wide range of wildlife species, including insects. There are tips on attracting wildlife species which can help gardeners, as well as tips on dealing with creatures that you would prefer not to share your garden with. How to Create a Wildlife Garden is very easy to understand, and is well illustrated, which helps both with following instructions, and identifying plants. Highly recommended.

Adrian Thomas
A & C Black Publishers Ltd (28 May 2010)
ISBN-10: 1408122308
ISBN-13: 978-1408122303

Though Adrian Thomas' book is called the 'RSPB Gardening for Wildlife', it is about far more than birds. He also considers the needs of insects such as moths and butterflies, as well as amphibians and mammals. It is a very comprehensive book, both in terms of measure to encourage wildlife, and help with identifying the creatures you manage to attract into your garden. Adrian Thomas knows his stuff, both in terms of wildlife, and in terms of gardening. His approach is far more sophisticated than simply allowing a corner of your garden to grow wild and be left 'organic'; there is a long list of plants that attract different sorts of wildlife, and careful planting goes a long way towards creating a haven.

One refreshing feature of this book is that is has something for everyone, including people with just a small area to play with, even if it is only a balcony. There are tips for people who have the space to create different types of habitat, such as wetland, meadow, or woodland gardens, and tips for people of more modest means.

The author's enthusiasm shines through, which makes this book a pleasure to read. The book is also well organised. It includes a very handy garden calendar, is well-illustrated, and is very clearly written.