MAR. 23 Monday Ventura 6-7:45 pm Owen Dell Book signing/

Join Owen Dell, author of the newly published book Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies, on March 23 , at 6pm . Dell is the smart man behind the Dummies title, who shares more than 38 years of knowledge and experience as a landscape architect and contractor with a passion for good design that makes sense for the homeowner and the environment.

        Part of the phenomenally successful "Dummies" book series, with its give me the facts, make me smarter format that have made them so popular, Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies provides hands-on, how-to instructions for the novice and expert alike. From creating abundant edible landscapes, to making your home safe in wildfires, to making the most of rainfall that falls on your land, the book describes processes that don't just make things less bad, they make them a lot better.

    A long time "guru" for sustainable landscaping, Dell suggests we can mimic nature for best design. Humorously describing traditional landscape design as an "environmental train wreck", he seriously notes these practices destroy native habitats, consume natural resources, cause strip mining and forest clear cutting, and annually poison nearly 70 million birds with pesticides.

      Working since the 1970's with his first landscape design business, Dell found a niche designing beautiful and functional gardens using native plants. Later, taking inspiration from natural disasters he created "firescapes" for the fire ecology of southern California, and water-wise gardens, that responded to drought conditions in the 1980's. More recently he developed the concept of "fossil free" landscapes, noting the need for less fossil fuel (oil) powered equipment used in our gardens, and has incorporated many permaculture design ideas as well.

Owen Dell is an award-winning California-licensed landscape architect and contractor, and the owner of County Landscape and Design in Santa Barbara, California. He is one of the founders of the Firescape Demonstration Garden in Santa Barbara, which was the first of its kind in the nation. He has been a contributor to Sunset Magazine, Pacific Horticulture and many other publications. Dell is the co-star of “Garden Wise Guys,” a sitcom about sustainable landscaping. He has presented workshops and lectures for homeowners and professional audiences at botanic gardens, colleges and universities, and conferences throughout the United States, Canada, and overseas.

        Is made from safe, natural materials
    Resists pests and diseases
      Is drought-tolerant and long-lasting
    Supplies wholesome, organic food for you and your family
        Provides outdoor rooms for many uses
    Is stunningly beautiful

Some of the inside tricks you'll learn in Sustainable Landscaping for Dummies:

   How to make use of "heritage" materials that will last many lifetimes
   How to design and build a drip irrigation system that really works
      How to make use of the "world's best design tool"
       How to cut your maintenance costs by half or much more
How to supercharge your plants by adding one natural element one time only, for pennies per plant
       How to virtually eliminate fertilizing by using the "chop and drop" technique