Reviews (10)

Good book for setting up grow area
5 different gardens, from small to large, are profiled here.Many great ideas.Highly recommended.

Small book with some garden designs
Five easy gardens is what you are buying here and is exactly what you get to see. This book is suitable for anyone who wants to see how some other growers do it. Cervantes goes to Europe to interview and photograph growers. He then uses the information they give him to write a book about how they grow. Interesting.

Great for the small timer
Jorge Cervantes, Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal to the literate (not quite stoned out of thier head smoker) these names should mean something, these three guys have not only writen books that have recieved international recognition but have grown crops that have won yearly at the Cannibis Cups, all you people who say you read and review High Times, please take a break from your swag stuff and do some reading.This book is full of info for the first timer and those who want to start and stay on a small scale, if you just want to know how to start this will get you there, but if you are going to hang with the big boys get off the porch and start studying. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. House Plants & Indoor    5. Plants - General    6. Techniques    7. Drugs    8. Marijuana   

Reviews (4)

Knott's handbook review
Very comprehensive but somewhat esoteric. This handbook is not for casual reading, but yields results for specific research. The more the book is consulted, one has a better understanding of how the information is presented. The handbook contains a wealth of material.

Knott's Handbook for Vegetable Growers, 4th Edition
I give it five stars. This book, which contains a variety of information from a wide number of sources, is not a "how-to" book. Its information is mostly in table form, so the book's main use is as a reference. Some chapters, such as the one on water and irrigation, contain information I've never seen anywhere else, except in technical publications. The chapter contains line illustrations and descriptions that are accessible to the layman. The chapter on vegetable pests also contains (black and white) line illustrations of the insects. Rather than try to list all the information this book contains, I list the table of contents:
A helpful reference tool
First published in 1956, this handbook is an indispensable, up-to-date companion both in the field and in the marketplace.Topics include the vegetable industry, greenhouse vegetable production, soils and fertilizers,water, pests, weed control, harvesting, storage, and seed production. Packed with quick-access graphs, tables, charts, and line drawings, the 4thedition offers new information on drip irrigation, seed germination, planttissue and sap testing, windbreaks, and weed management.It also givesadvice on allowable pesticide and herbicide use and on the latest workerprotection standards. The appendix contains sources of vegetableinformation, providers of vegetable seeds, periodicals for vegetablegrowers, and U.S. units of measurement and the metric conversion factors. Achange from the spiral-bound 3rd edition is a sturdy, flexible cover tohelp hold pages flat. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - General    2. Environmental Science    3. Environmental Studies    4. Gardening    5. Gardening/Plants    6. General    7. Handbooks, manuals, etc    8. Truck farming    9. Vegetable Crops    10. Vegetable gardening    11. Vegetables    12. Crop husbandry    13. Gardening / Vegetables   

Reviews (1)

Wonderful (except for the website)
This book is fantastic--very clear, concise, overall well-written.I have absolutely no background in botany but feel very satisfied and confident with what I've learned from this book.The illustrations are especially well done and are useful in understanding the nuts (no pun intended!) and bolts of plant structures and biological processes.
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Subjects:  1. Botany    2. Botany (General)    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Life Sciences - Botany    5. Science    6. Textbooks    7. Botany & plant sciences    8. Science / Botany   

Editorial Review

One of the most coveted reservations to have in New York City is at Babbo, Mario Batali's flagship restaurant in Greenwich Village. In Read more

Reviews (16)

not very good
I know Batali has become an American icon for Italian cooking, but this book is poorly written and assembled.It is boring to thumb through with recipies that invite you to close the book and go to another.
It's a pretty book, but not much use for the home cook
I really like Batali's other cookbooks.Unfortunately this one, while laid out well, doesn't have much the home cook could (or would want to) cook.Most of the recepies are complex and time consuming and just don't taste as good as the stuff from "Molto Italiano."Buy his other books to cook with.Buy this one if you eat in Babo a lot and want to know how he does it.

Another opinion
While I have not tried any of the baking recipes, and note the caution of the reviewer who found recipes that did not work, my experience with this book has been wholly satisfying.As others noted, the musings are wonderful, and the pictures are stunning. I prepared his pasta Amatriciana as well as the beef in Barolo last night to rave reviews.The beef short ribs--braised with a reduction of Cotes du Rhone and homemade stock, and the Barolo saved for the table--is a dinner party standard in our home. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca    2. Cookery, Italian    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Italian cooking    6. Regional & Ethnic - Italian    7. Cooking / Italian    8. Gardens (descriptions, history etc)    9. General cookery    10. Italy   

Reviews (15)

The Bible of Gardening for our Household
I have read a few of the reviews below, and feel compelled to add my experience.
self promoting and little information
I am surprised by the good reviews here.
good book
This book is very good.If you're into sustainable agriculture and trying to grow your own food, it is a must. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Organic    5. Organic gardening    6. Techniques    7. Vegetable gardening    8. Vegetables    9. Fruit & vegetables    10. Specialized gardening methods   

Reviews (1)

Provides everything to know bout adding a new barn, shed or garage to a property
Co-authors John D. Wagner and Clayton DeKorne's Barns, Sheds And Outbuildings: Plan, Design, Build provides everything to know bout adding a new barn, shed or garage to a property. Over 800 photos and illustrations aid in the process, from choosing an appropriate design for needs and placement to step-by-step photos of the actual construction process. Competing titles focus on options more than construction techniques and tips. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Design & Construction    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    6. House & Home / Design & Construction   

Editorial Review

Wreaths and garlands take floral decorations out of the vase and into large-scale special-occasion decorating. Fresh and dried florals, greens, fruits, herbs, and other natural materials can be transformed into wall, door, tabletop, and mantel decor to welcome guests, mark a change of season, utilize a bountiful harvest, celebrate a holiday, or just brighten up a room. Hundreds of color photographs and step-by-step directions for well over a hundred projects fill this vast volume, along with a good introduction to materials, equipment, and techniques. A circlet of fresh flowers surrounds a bowl of floating candles; a swag of seashells and grasses graces a window; a ring of mosses and dried fungi commemorates a country stroll; lovely floral wreaths mark Valentine's Day, Easter, and Mother's Day. And of course there are Christmas decorations: a lush bay leaf and dried orange mantelpiece swag; a gold-flecked Yuletide kissing wreath; a lovely Advent candle ring. Complexity ranges from beginner to advanced--from novice wreath maker to expert, there's something here for everyone. Read more

Reviews (1)

Gorgeous, instructive book.
Absolutely lovely book- I've read as many wreath and garland books as I can get my hands on, and this book is superior to most. The quality of the photos and instructions, as well as the great variety of projects,materials, and quantities (of materials) used, contribute to the beauty ofthis book. I love their many ideas for roses, especially, and lavendar.Great book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Decorating    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Wreathmaking    6. Crafts    7. Crafts & Hobbies / General    8. Floral crafts   

Subjects:  1. Engineering - Civil    2. Engineering - Hydraulic    3. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    4. Environmental Engineering & Technology    5. Environmental aspects    6. Land use    7. Management    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Urban runoff    12. Water quality management    13. Architecture / Landscape    14. Civil Engineering, Surveying & Building    15. Sanitary & municipal engineering   

Reviews (15)

Painting flowers
I just gave this book to my mother, who paint flowers, and she just love it. A lot of excelent models for painting.

Excellent variety and a beautiful presentation
There are many varieties of flowers presented here in beautiful and detailed images.Very little text accompanies the images, but enough to chase down further if other information is needed.It is the images which are the prime focus -- and rightly so.
beautiful book
This is a beatiful book with extreme close-ups of many different types of flowers.The large size also is a plus so that each image looks grand and brilliant. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Flowers    3. Flowers - General    4. Individual Photographer    5. Photoessays & Documentaries    6. Photography    7. Photography of plants    8. Pictorial    9. Pictorial works    10. Art / Pictorial    11. Photographs: collections   

Reviews (10)

What a treat !
The book was a delight, and I enjoy reading it over and over. The gorgeous illustrations are a joy.Tasha has done exactly what she wanted to do in life...spend it simply, and creatively. She is such an inspiration, that I've bought several of her other books, as well as one of her videos, "Take Joy."

A great pick-me-up!
Absolutely loved this book! Just picked it up from the library today on a whim and couldn't put it down. Talk about a match made in heaven (Tasha and Richard). Tasha must have sensed Richard would do her justice, and he most certainly did. Even though this is a libary loan, I am buying this book for my own personal collection. Tasha's philosophy on life and her love for family, theater, crafts, animals, flowers and art was most infectious. I love how she is honest with herself and alludes to creating a paradise on earth, but also acknowledges that she is human and has made mistakes in life, which keeps it all very real. Use your good china, wear your antique clothing, collect vintage seeds and transport/replant your favorite fruit trees if you so desire. Progress with the new, but remember to go back and learn from the oldest, simplest ways of living, as it can afford many unforeseen treasures. Truly admired Tasha's pure connection with animals to the point where she even took in an infant snake and nursed it until it was too big to keep in the house any longer. Wow! Buy your flower bulbs in multitudes and plant them in clumps. See the beauties in the branches of the trees (clip some and take them indoors to enjoy). Smell the flowers. Buy a dog or several. Buy some birds (or 40). Create your own menagerie. Cook with a talking parrot on your shoulder. It's the little things, folks. Have you ever seen a moon-lit rainbow? I haven't, but will be on the look-out. =)I wanna stick my nose in dove feathers and plant flower bulbs at random -- in large clumps -- wherever I please. I wanna get a dog and feed it homemade soup instead of that trash in those metal cans. Tasha claims that lots of garlic in her soups keeps the dogs flea-free. Never too old to learn.I honestly agree with nearly everything Tasha touched on. Step outside of the box. Live life a little. Get back to basics. Note your likes and dislikes. Learn a new craft. Learn something new. Recite your favorite authors' works or poems. Learn to be self-sufficient. Live life to the fullest! No book has touched me like this in a long, long time. I am going to run out and get me a real nice, old bookshelf and start my own dollhouse rooms on each level. I've always wanted my own canoe, but Tasha has given me the courage to seriously look into it. Look at her skin and body.....if she can carry a canoe and buckets of fresh water on her shoulders, so can I at 35. I wanna use my best China and have a yard full of animals that know I love them and love me back. I just wanna be me and Tasha has helped me to see how important that is. Most of all, I want to pass on to my husband and kids that it is okay to be who you are, but always remain open to the simple, free joys we have been given in everyday life. All her books are great..this one is a gem
This was an early Christmas gift along with four other Tasha Tudor books and I LOVE it.Maybe because there is a bit of Tasha Tudor in me or because we live in a small cottage in the Sierras and have chickens, goats, vegetable, herb and flower gardens and love many of the same things she loves.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Garden Design    4. Gardening    5. Gardening/Plants    6. General    7. Illustration Of Books    8. Illustrators    9. Tudor, Tasha    10. United States    11. Gardening / General    12. Illustration   

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. House & Home    4. Landscape    5. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    6. Garden design & planning    7. Gardening / Landscape   

Reviews (8)

Beautiful book
I keep this book out and just enjoy looking at it, even when I'm not making anything.Great book.

Ribbonworkk The complete Guide:Techniques for Making Ribbon Flowers and Trimmings
Excellent easy to follow instructions.Pictures very helpful.

Techniques for Making Ribbon Flowers and Trimmings
BEAUTIFUL book...worth having just to look at the pictures.BUT the flowers appear to be more difficult to make than I expected. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Floral Arts    4. General    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Ribbon    7. Ribbon flowers    8. Ribbon work    9. Textile Fabric (Applied Arts)    10. Flower making    11. Needlework & fabric crafts   

Subjects:  1. Botany (Specific Aspects)    2. General    3. Life Sciences - Botany    4. Plants - General    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Science / Botany    8. Seeds   

Reviews (2)

Wow! A COMPLETE textbook on Carnivorous Plants...
As a child I was fascinated by these plants, and found relatively little reading on the subject, barely able to keep Sarracenia alive. When Adrian Slack's "Carnivorous Plants" came out around 1980 or so, I devoured it! A UK text, this book became my "Bible" and opened a world of even more exotic species that I had not been aware of. As well, it was the first book to include gorgeous full color prints (though only a limited few panels) of these species. Over the years, of course, more books have been published, but all of them have been somewhat lacking.
A Masterpiece
This book is special.I'm familiar with most of the books on carnivorous plants (see my Listmania list; there are PLENTY of great ones), but this new one blew my mind. This is the rare book that can captivate (perhaps the wrong word in this context) readers of all ages and all levels of expertise.Imagine that your favorite National Geographic article has been expanded into a first-rate book, complete with phenomenal pictures, engaging science writing, environmental awareness, humor, and a sense of adventure.Rice's book explores the habitat, science, history, popular culture and mass murder that make Carnivorous plants so fascinating.
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Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. House Plants & Indoor    5. Ornamental Plants    6. Gardening / Ornamental Plants    7. Gardening: plants   

Editorial Review

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a patch of corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and beans just steps from your kitchen door? Would you like to learn how to control your zucchini plant? Ed Smith, an experienced vegetable gardener from Vermont, has put together this amazingly comprehensive and commonsensical manual, Read more

Reviews (28)

intellectual plagiarism of traditional Chinese agricultural methods...
This method is what Chinese farmers have done for eons (4000+ years).Every letter of W-O-R-D is a componenent of Chinese deep bed agriculture.I find it shocking that someone can reinvent the wheel and proudly trumpet the reinvention.I suspect he has read "Better Vegetable Gardens the Chinese Way" by Peter Chan with Spencer Gill(1977) and ripped it off.
Helpful Tips!
I had learned so much about gardening from my mother and thought that I had enough knowledge and experience to start my own garden.But when I had several problems go wrong I searched high and low for advice to help take back my garden.This book gives you so many helpful tips on how to start from scratch, how to maintain, and how to develope a garden that you can enjoy for years to come.I would recommend this book for beginners and experienced gardeners.

Top Notch Guide - Comprehensive, User-Friendly, Proven but (best of all) Natural & Organic!
Looking to have a productive vegetable garden using an organic approach with less work and more pleasure?Well, Ed Smith has figured it all out for you and presents it in a wonderfully useful book which, as the title suggests, will serve as your 'bible'.
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Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Organic    5. Organic gardening    6. Vegetable gardening    7. Vegetables    8. Fruit & vegetables    9. Gardening / Vegetables   

Reviews (3)

Making the Most of Shade
I love the shade and wanted to enhance my completely shaded back yard.Unfortunately a small tornado decided to damage my hundred-year old maple and now my yard is all sun.However, I am planning next summer's shade garden and this book is amazing!Has plenty of pictures, instructions, plant choices, etc.I can't wait for the new red maple to grow and make my yard shady once again.A great buy for those interested in planting in the shade.

Excellent book......
MAKING THE MOST OF SHADE, Larry Hodgson offers hundreds of ideas about working with the trees you now have or actually creating shade.My all-time favorite book on shade gardening has been George Shenk's classic as it was he who first pointed out the virtues and sins of various trees and bushes regarding their roots and foliage, but one of the criticisms I have of Shenk's book is the dearth of color illustrations.Hodgson's book more than makes up for this shortcoming, and he adds enough text about each possible entry to actually inform the user.I have been shade gardening for some years now, and am in the position to say...yes, that works for me, or no, that is not something I can do.
Made in the shade
This is a great book for anyone who has a lot of shade and don't know what to do with it or for those who are wanting shade! For those who already have shade, the author shows how you can have a fabulous garden using a variety of plants that provide dramatic leaf structure and some that even flower. Of course not all shade is the same and the various types of shade are explained. Some typical problems concerning shade gardening, such as dry shade or excessive moist shade, is discussed as well. Over 300 plants are profiled individually in the last half of the book. For gardeners who want more shade, a list of shade trees and shrubs is provided. Most helpful is a section of shade garden designs based on various themes (Victorian, Japanese, Native, etc.). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening in the shade    4. Gardening/Plants    5. Landscape    6. Shade    7. Shade-tolerant plants    8. Techniques    9. Gardening / Shade    10. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (15)

Colorful!
A clean and accurate book filled with great color pictures and illustrations.Scotts is a good lawn company and it shows in this educational book.I was able to analyze my grass type and disorders with this book quite easily.

Highly Recommended
I'm a first-time lawn owner and this book has been the greatest resource I've found yet. It has detailed explanations of every important topic regarding your lawn. The color pages and pictures are more than just window dressing; they make the topics easier to understand. I've tried several other books and not found anything as useful as this. In fact, a guy just joined my department at work who studied turf management in college (as part of a golf sports degree) and every tip he's given me was already covered in this book.
Probably the Best
"Holy caRRRnations, Mary. Take a look at this!", you might exclaim for seeing this book the first time. "Look at the clever propaganda of Scotts trying to sell us more of their products!" Well, you might think that . . . but you're wrong. You and I have the advantage -- yeap, GREAT advantage -- of living in the Information Age. And in the process of trying "to sell us more of their Scotts products" -- for those of you for who the glass is half-empty -- Messrs. Nick Christians and Ashton Ritchie have provided us not only with probably the best book on lawns, but invaluable information on lawn care from A to Z.
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Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Lawns    5. Outdoor & Recreational Areas - General    6. Reference    7. Gardening / Lawns    8. Gardening: plants   

Reviews (1)

It's all here
After reading the one straw revolution i really wanted to see how Fukuokas' system worked. I was not disapointed by this well layed out and functional guide to his methods.While his philosophy claims that no list of rules and time tables can acturatelly set out how natural farming should work, the publication of the hystory and methods of his experiment proves vital to the unhinging of common industrial theories on the subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture & Animal Husbandry - General    2. Field Crop Management    3. Fukuoka, Masanobu    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Gardening/Plants    6. General    7. Horticulture (General)    8. Japan    9. No-tillage    10. Organic farming    11. Organiculture    12. Crop husbandry    13. Horticulture   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Diseases and pests    3. Flowers - General    4. Gardening / Horticulture    5. Landscape    6. Turf management    7. Turfgrasses    8. Architecture / Landscape   

Editorial Review

Although primarily a reference text, Read more

Reviews (10)

Informative
Very informative.I've learned more about pruning from this book than from any other source.It's easy to read and understand and contains so much additional information such as best times to water, planting techniques, affects of weather and bugs, etc.I could go on and on, but I'll just state what my cousin told me ..... just buy this book!

Very useful
I do not usually write reviews, but this item is very useful, and with very effective pictures, so that I was compelled to recommend it to other readers.
Great reference
I bought this book to use as a texted book in a pruning class at school. It gave us lots of listings so we could learn the basics on pruning almost anything. The only thing I found confusing, was finding some terms. Other then that I am happy with it and am not selling it back. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gardening    2. Gardening / Horticulture    3. Gardening/Plants    4. Horticulture (Specific Aspects)    5. Plants    6. Pruning    7. Regional - General    8. Techniques    9. Training    10. Gardening / Techniques