Lasagna refers to planting directly in layered compost. I have to think that there's a reason that gardeners don't already do this, like heat production or rate of decomposition. The value in this book are the tips for gardening in small spaces including dwarf varieties. But don't infer that this means patio gardening, as most approaches require some kind of trellis. In general, it is a good book for getting started with gardening.