Welcome to a gardening book that incorporates sustainable gardening practices. Regardless if you are a gardener or just a citizen concerned about the environment, through a series of exercises you will become conscious of your surroundings as you discover the importance of native plants. In the natural world, forests are organized groupings of trees, plants, animals, and insects. You will construct a garden according to the four layers of the forest using plants native to your region. Congratulations on taking the first step on your eightfold path, creating a garden where plants not only serve the eye for beauty but also are functional and help keep our wildlife, insects, arachnids(spiders) and native plant community thriving for future generations.Nature's heart and lungs are the lifeblood of the planet, constantly maintaining the balance essential for sustaining life. A big job to be sure, but we have the power to help with this task by creating sanctuaries where all living things cooperate with nature. It starts in our very own gardens! As we discover the importance of the ecology in our local environment, we develop a higher spiritual awareness and experience a greater connection to the natural world. Cultivate a refuge for all living things. Using the principals of the Noble Eightfold Path, this book will guide you through incorporating sustainable gardening practices, so you can learn to garden in a way that helps cultivate a refuge for all living things. Through a series of exercises, you will discover the importance of native plants, and that gardens, like forests, should consist of trees, plants, animals, and insects. Regardless of whether you are a gardener or just a citizen concerned about the environment, you will become more conscious of your surroundings as you create a garden where plants not only serve the eye for beauty, but also are functional and help keep our wildlife, insects, arachnids(spiders) and native plant community thriving for future generations.